Meniscal Tears

The meniscus are two crescent shaped structures located inside the knee joint and are made up of a special type of cartilage called fibrocartilage. Their job is to help absorb forces within the knee joint and assist in stabilising the knee. As a result, they undergo a lot of forces and tears in the meniscus are common. Meniscal tears usually present as pain within the knee joint that is usually felt during activities that involve weight bearing knee bending (e.g. squatting, stairs, sit to stand etc) or twisting. Clicking and locking of the knee are also common symptoms of meniscal tears.

The location, type of tear and age of the patient all contribute to how the meniscal tear will best be managed. If the meniscal tear is stable (i.e. won’t worsen over time) and function improves readily with physiotherapy, then surgery can often be avoided. If the patient is young and the tear is unstable, then surgical review should be sought immediately to ensure the tear doesn’t worsen and give the patient the best chance for full recovery. If the tear creates a lot of symptoms of locking and catching within the knee and this doesn’t improve with an initial course of physiotherapy, then surgical review is recommended to see if an arthroscope (key hole surgery) may be useful to improve symptoms and function.

However the tear is managed, it is essential to regain the strength and control of the muscles that surround and support the knee to protect the tear or repair and enable the patient to make a full recovery.

If you are experiencing knee pain, clicking or locking, our physiotherapists can assist you with accurate diagnosis and expert management.