Traumatic Meniscal Tears

The meniscal cartilages or ‘Menisci’ are shock absorbers and stabilisers of the knee joint. There are two; one on the inside and one on the outside. 

How do I know if I have an injury?

To injure one of the two menisci in the knee, there is most commonly quite a sporting injury or significant twisting injury associated with a slip/trip.

Symptoms

  • Painful clicking
  • Knee locking
  • Buckling or giving way
  • Swelling

Who does this affect?

Commonly a sporting injury, traumatic Meniscal cartilage injuries can happen at any age but more often between the ages of 15 and 40.

What can I do?

If the problem does not settle within a few weeks then visit your GP who will advise you what needs to be done next. 

Avoid twisting and turning activities or sports as these are likely to make the problem more painful. Occasionally these settle by themselves; however, the younger you are, the more likely it will continue to remain a problem.

Do I need a scan?

Not necessarily. Many people who come to see the knee team do not need an MRI scan to determine what happens next.

The most important thing we do is to listen carefully to the problem you are describing. We then confirm our thoughts by ‘hands-on’ assessment of your knee. We will often spend more time taking your history than hands-on assessment – this is because your symptoms tell us so much more about your problems than we can gain from pulling and pushing your knee about!

Do I need surgery?

Not everyone does. Each of our patients is considered individually. If you have been listed for an arthroscopy, please see our page on - Recovering from an Arthroscopy.

What happens next?

If you feel you have symptoms that you think require a review then please make an appointment at your GP initially. They should be able to advise the next steps to help you.
 

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