General Information: Meniscal Injuries of the Knee
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Overview
Injuries to the meniscus are common and can occur at any age. He there are two menisci and they act as shock absorbers in the knee – damage to a meniscus can lead to problems within the knee and arthritis.
If the meniscus has been injured through wear and tear with arthritis also being present in the knee then it can be treated without surgery. Physiotherapy, activity modification, injections, braces and pain relief medications can help the symptoms.
Some tears can be serious and require surgery. People with significant tears may experience pain, inability to bend or straighten the knee, pain on walking and may have a limp.
A tear in the meniscus may require surgery. Your surgeon will assess the movement of the knee and will likely order an MRI scan if this hasn’t been done already.
If the tear can be fixed then surgery to place sutures to hold the meniscus can be performed, usually through keyhole surgery. If the tear cannot be fixed then the torn portion of the meniscus is smoothed through keyhole surgery. There are many factors regarding whether or not you may be a successful candidate for repairing your meniscus and this will be discussed with you during your consultation.
