What is a meniscus and why does it cause knee pain?

What is a meniscus and why does it cause knee pain?

Many people suffer from knee pain.  You may have heard your physiotherapist or doctor say that you have irritated or torn your meniscus.  What is a meniscus and why does it cause knee pain?

Menisci (pleural for meniscus) are the shock absorbers of your knee.  They reside between your femur (thigh bone), and your tibia (shin bone).  Menisci are made up of a special type of cartilage called fibrocartilage that help to distribute forces throughout your knee.  There are two menisci in each knee, a lateral meniscus and a medial meniscus.  The medial meniscus is on the inner-most part of your knee while the lateral meniscus is on the outside of the knee.

Meniscus injuries are one of the more common types of knee injuries.  Meniscus injuries can vary from mild to severe.  A mild injury would be an irritation to the tissue while a severe injury would be a tear.

A typical mechanism of injury for a meniscus tear is a plant and twist injury.  This is when someone lands on their foot with their knee bent as a sideways force is applied to the knee.  This may also happen if the knee is bent and the athlete’s knee gets hit from the side.  These types of injuries are common in sports like soccer, football, volleyball, and skiing. Injuries to the meniscus may also occur alongside other knee injuries such as a torn ACL and/or MCL.

There are several types of meniscus tears: radial tears, horizontal tears, incomplete tears, complex tears, flap tears, and bucket handle tears.  Symptoms may include pain along the joint line, catching/locking sensations, swelling, reduced range of motion, and feeling of knee giving way.  Patients will especially experience pain with twisting of the knee.

Most meniscus tears can be seen with an MRI.  They can be treated with physiotherapy and strength training.  In some of the more severe cases, surgical interventions may be advised.  

It is important to speak with your doctor and physiotherapist to find out if your knee pain is due to a meniscus injury or something else.  Not all meniscus tears require surgery and it is therefore important to find out from your doctor the proper treatment protocol for you.”