Knee · condition guide
Meniscus tear
The menisci are two C-shaped cushions of cartilage between the thigh bone and the shin bone. A tear can come from a twist in sport or, in older knees, from an everyday movement such as squatting or getting up from the floor. Many tears settle without an operation; some need keyhole surgery to repair or trim the torn part.
- Common signs
- Pain, swelling, catching
- Surgery needed?
- Often not
- Recovery after surgery
- Weeks for a trim, months for a repair
For patients of Dr. Mandar Deb, orthopaedic surgeon, Kolkata. Based on AAOS OrthoInfo and NHS guidance. Sources
The injury
What is a meniscus tear?
Each knee has two menisci, one on the inner side and one on the outer side. They absorb shock, spread your weight across the joint and help keep the knee stable.
In younger people a tear usually happens in sport, when the foot is planted and the knee twists, sometimes together with an ACL tear. With age the meniscus wears and becomes easier to tear, so a small twist while squatting or getting up can be enough.
Where the tear is matters. The outer edge of the meniscus has a good blood supply and can heal. The inner part has very little and usually can’t, which affects whether a tear can be repaired.
Signs
What does a torn meniscus feel like?
- A pop at the moment of injury
- Stiffness and swelling that build up over two to three days
- Pain on the inner or outer side of the knee, worse when twisting or squatting
- Catching or locking, as if something is stuck in the joint
- The knee giving way, or not straightening fully
Many people can still walk after the injury, and some keep playing. That is why a meniscus tear is often noticed only when the knee swells the next day.
Diagnosis
How is it diagnosed?
The examination comes first: tenderness along the joint line, and gentle bending and twisting tests that bring on the pain or a click.
An X-ray doesn’t show the meniscus, but it checks for arthritis or a fracture. An MRI is the best scan for a meniscus tear when one is needed.
A “tear” on an MRI report is not always the cause of the pain. Meniscus changes are common in knees with no pain at all, especially with age, so the scan is read together with your symptoms and the examination. Treat the patient, not the MRI
Treatment
Do I need surgery?
Without surgery
Many tears don’t need an operation, especially wear-related tears and knees that don’t lock. Rest from the movements that hurt, ice, a compression bandage and keeping the leg raised settle the first days; then physiotherapy strengthens the thigh and hip muscles. An injection sometimes helps the pain. Even when the tear doesn’t heal, the symptoms often settle this way.
Keyhole surgery
If the knee locks, keeps catching or giving way, or the pain doesn’t settle with treatment, arthroscopy (keyhole surgery) is the next step. More on meniscus surgery
- Repair: the tear is stitched so it can heal. Preferred whenever the tear allows it, especially tears near the outer edge and in younger people.
- Trim (partial meniscectomy): only the loose, torn part is removed when it can’t heal, keeping as much healthy meniscus as possible.
Keeping the meniscus matters: a knee that has lost much of it is more likely to develop arthritis later. A knee that is locked and won’t straighten needs prompt attention. Preparing for surgery
Recovery
How long is recovery after meniscus surgery?
It depends mostly on whether the tear was trimmed or repaired, because a repair has to heal. These are typical times; your own plan is set after the operation.
- First daysSwelling down and the knee moving. After a trim, walking within days.
- 6–8 weeksAfter a trim, back to most activities. After a repair, still protecting it, with crutches or a brace as advised.
- 2–3 monthsStrength and balance work with your physiotherapist.
- 3–6 monthsAfter a repair, back to sport once strength and control tests are passed.
See an orthopaedic doctor if…
- The knee locks and won’t straighten fully
- It catches, clicks painfully or gives way
- Swelling keeps coming back after activity
- Pain lasts beyond two to three weeks
Emergency: a deformed knee, a leg you can’t put any weight on, or a foot that is cold, pale or numb. Go to the nearest emergency department now.
Questions
Meniscus FAQs.
What patients ask most about a torn meniscus.
Can a torn meniscus heal on its own?
Tears near the outer edge, which has a good blood supply, can heal. Tears in the inner part usually don’t, but the pain and swelling often settle with physiotherapy all the same.
Can I walk with a torn meniscus?
Usually yes. Most people can walk on the knee, though it may be stiff and swollen for a few days. A knee that is locked and won’t straighten should be examined soon.
My MRI says the meniscus is torn. Do I need surgery?
Not necessarily. Meniscus changes are common on MRI even in knees with no pain, especially with age. Surgery is considered when the symptoms and examination point to the tear, and when it locks, catches or doesn’t settle with treatment.
Is it better to repair or trim a torn meniscus?
Repair keeps the meniscus, which protects the knee in the long run, so it is preferred whenever the tear can heal. Trimming is used when it can’t; recovery is quicker, but less meniscus is left.
How long is recovery after meniscus surgery?
After a trim, most people walk within days and return to most activities in about six to eight weeks. After a repair it takes about three to six months, because the stitched tear has to heal.
Where can I see Dr. Mandar Deb for a meniscus tear?
At his weekly OPDs in Newtown, Rajarhat, Dum Dum and South Kolkata, and in Basirhat twice a month. Book by calling the clinic; days, times and numbers are on the Clinics page.
References
Sources
This guide follows patient information from these organisations. It is general information; Dr. Deb’s advice for your own knee comes first.
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01
OrthoInfo, American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS)
Patient information written and reviewed by orthopaedic surgeons.
Meniscus Tears Knee Arthroscopy -
02
NHS, the UK’s National Health Service
Public health guidance from the NHS website.
Knee pain