The medial meniscus is a semicircular piece of cartilage in the knee that reduces force between the tibia and femur bones during activities. It can be injured during twisting and tears can be fixed through conservative treatment or surgery. The lateral meniscus also reduces force and tears to both can cause long-term knee pain. Symptoms include pain, swelling, and difficulty rotating the knee. Treatment can include rest, ice, compression, ultrasound, massage, and surgery.
The medial meniscus is a semicircular piece of cartilage in the knee that sits on the inside. The purpose of the medial meniscus is to reduce the force between the tibia and femur bones during activities such as walking, running, or jumping. The meniscus on the medial side of the knee can be injured during twisting. Cartilage tears can usually be fixed through conservative treatment, although surgery is sometimes required.
There are two different menisci in the knee and each is classified according to their respective locations. In addition to the medial meniscus there is also the lateral meniscus which helps reduce the force going through the outside of the knee. Without these two menisci there would be little to stop the two leg bones striking directly together. Because of this, a tear to both menisci can be difficult to treat and can lead to long-term knee pain if not addressed.
Another function of the medial meniscus is to reduce friction between the bones that join at the knee joint. When the meniscus is damaged or torn, it can lead to additional friction and pain. In many cases a cartilage injury will not allow the knee to function properly.
The medial meniscus is subjected to a great deal of stress and strain during sports and everyday life. It is therefore more likely to be injured than the lateral meniscus. There are many meniscus tear symptoms such as pain on the inside of the knee, swelling around the knee joint, and pain when rotating the knee.
The meniscus can be torn in several ways. For example, radial tears occur, so the meniscus is torn from the edge towards the center. Degenerative tears occur when the edges of the meniscus become rough.
Treatment for a knee cartilage injury is usually conservative to begin with, although this depends on the severity of the injury. For example, an athlete may be advised to rest and ice the knee while using a compression bandage. Other conservative treatments include ultrasound and massage on the affected area.
The medial meniscus can also be damaged during a rupture of an anterior cruciate ligament, known as the ACL. Sometimes it is difficult to diagnose a meniscus tear when it occurs together with a more serious tear such as an ACL tear. In severe cases, meniscus surgery may be needed to fix the problem. This is usually done using arthroscopic surgery.
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