Knee Pain? It Could be a Meniscus Tear | Ask the Expert: Orthopedics with Dave Stoll, PA-C, Utica Park Clinic

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Knee Pain? It Could be a Meniscus Tear

As we enter middle adulthood, many of us develop nagging knee pain. It may be a burning or pinching pain and can even be accompanied by swelling or catching. The knee may give way at times. These symptoms may develop slowly or can occur immediately after a fall or twisting injury.

In the knee, between the upper and lower bones, is a set of horseshoe-shaped cushions that are called the meniscus. These menisci are made of cartilage-like tissue and help to transition the round upper knee bone (femur) to the flat lower knee bone (tibia). The femur flexes and extends within these menisci which allows for some rotational movement of the knee joint.

As you can imagine, the menisci see quite a bit of use and abuse over one’s lifetime. The athlete who performs a lot of cutting and pivoting moves puts a lot of stress on this tissue. Occasionally a direct blow to the outside of the knee may cause a traumatic tear of the meniscus. Non athletes aren’t exempt from degenerative tears because we all take millions of steps in a lifetime. Each time that we get in and out of our car or turn away from the kitchen sink, we plant and pivot on our knee. It doesn’t take an injury to cause the meniscus to breakdown and tear over time; daily activity provides plenty of stress on our knees to have the same effect.

If you develop a meniscus tear, it often manifests as pain, swelling or fluid buildup in the knee. You may also have catching, locking or giving way episodes. On rare occasions, a meniscus may tear severely enough that it causes you to not be able to fully extend or flex your knee.

A meniscus tear that is unaddressed not only will cause ongoing pain, but it could also lead to premature failure of the joint cartilage. Keep in mind, each of us has only one set of cartilage to last our lifetime. Having undiagnosed discomfort in your knee evaluated may prevent permanent damage.

How is a meniscus tear treated? The meniscus cartilage has a very limited blood supply and therefore has limited ability to heal itself. Most meniscus injuries are only considered repairable in a patient who is a teenager or younger. Once a person reaches adulthood, the standard treatment would include removing the portion of the meniscus that is torn and leaving the healthy meniscus to continue to function normally without further irritating the knee. This is done by way of a knee arthroscopy.

Arthroscopic surgery on the knee is performed through three small incisions by which a camera and instruments are introduced into the joint. This is an outpatient procedure that has been very effective in addressing meniscus tears.

Ongoing knee pain and swelling may not be arthritis as is often presumed. A visit to your local orthopedist may allow a nagging knee pain to be resolved with a simple outpatient procedure, allowing you to perform daily activities with ease.