MENISCUS TEARS

What is a meniscus tear?

• The meniscus is a cartilage cushion between the two bones in the knee joint. There is a medial (inside of the knee) and a lateral (outside of the knee) meniscus.

• The degree of meniscus injury can vary and can occur from an acute injury or can be degenerative.

How do you know if you have a meniscus tear?

• Symptoms can include pain with twisting or lateral movements, swelling or a sensation of catching or locking in the knee. The diagnosis can be confirmed with x-rays, MRI or ultrasound.

What are the treatments for meniscal tears?

• Non-surgical treatment includes activity modification (i.e. avoiding deep squats and twisting/pivoting activities), medications, physical therapy, braces and steroid or viscosupplemention injections.

• Surgery is often offered, but recent studies have shown that these surgeries are not without complications and may predispose the joint to early-onset arthritis (Longo et al. 2019) with a partial meniscectomy increasing the risk of osteoarthritis at least ten to twentyfold (Vangsness et al. 2014).

• Boston Sports & Biologics offers minimally invasive treatment options for degenerative meniscus tears. Learn more about minimally invasive treatments here.

OTHER KNEE/LEG CONDITIONS

• Calf Strain
• Knee Osteoarthritis
• Ligament Injuries/Chronic sprain
• MTSS/Shin Splints
  
• Osgood-Schlatter Disease
• Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome (PFPS)
• Patella or Quadriceps Tendinopathy (Tendonitis)