A meniscal tear is a tear in the meniscus. The meniscus is cartilage, which acts as a shock-absorbing structure in the knee. There are two menisci in each knee, a medial one on the inside, and a lateral one on the outside.
There are different types of tears depending on the location and how they look. Treatment depends on the severity of the tear.

• Degenerative tears:
  • Increasing age, especially over 60 years old
  • Male gender
  • Occupations that involve kneeling and squatting
  • Climbing stairs
  • Previous knee injuries
  • Obesity
• Acute tears:
  • Participating in contact sports, such as soccer or rugby
  • Poor techniques for jumping, landing, pivoting, and cutting

• A popping sound at the time of the injury
• Pain and swelling in the knee
• Tightness in the knee
• Locking up, catching, or giving way of the knee
• Tenderness in the joint

• X-ray
• MRI scan
• Arthroscopy

• Gentle stretching to keep the mobility in your knee
• Strengthening exercises to make your entire leg stronger and balance exercises to reduce your risk of falling and re-injury
• Ice and compression to reduce swelling and pain

• Maintain proper technique when exercising or playing sports.
• Wear appropriate footwear for your sport and playing surface.
• Strengthen both the quadriceps and the hamstrings.
• Consider wearing a knee brace for sports.

This content was created using EBSCO's Health Library

RESOURCES:

• American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons

• American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine

CANADIAN RESOURCES:

• Canadian Orthopaedic Association

• Canadian Orthopaedic Foundation

REFERENCES:

• Knee sprains and meniscal tears. Merck Manual for Health Care Professionals. Available at:  http://www.merckmanuals.com/professional/injuries_poisoning/fractures_dislocations_and_sprains/knee_sprains_and_meniscal_injuries.html Updated August 2013. Accessed February 28, 2014.
• Meniscal tears. American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons website. Available at:  http://orthoinfo.aaos.org/topic.cfm?topic=A00358Updated February 2009. Accessed February 28, 2014.
• Meniscal tears in athletes. American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine. Available at:  http://www.sportsmed.org/uploadedFiles/Content/Patient/Sports_Tips/ST%20Meniscal%20Tears%2008.pdf Published 2008. Accessed February 28, 2014.
• Meniscus tears. EBSCO DynaMed website. Available at:  http://www.ebscohost.com/dynamed Updated February 13, 2014. Accessed February 28, 2014
• Torn meniscus. John Hopkins Medicine website. Available at:  http://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/healthlibrary/conditions/adult/orthopaedic_disorders/torn_meniscus_85,P00945/ Accessed February 28, 2014.
• 04/24/2014 DynaMed's Systematic Literature Surveillance.  http://www.ebscohost.com/dynamed: Snoeker BA, Bakker EW, et al. Risk factors for meniscal tears: a systematic review including meta-analysis. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther. 2013; 43(6):352-367.