Meniscus tear
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Meniscus tear
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Meniscus tear
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Content Reviewers
Yifan Xiao, MDContributors
David G. Walker
Evan Debevec-McKenney
Zachary Kevorkian, MSMI
The menisci are crescent-shaped fibrocartilage cushions found in the knee joint.
Normally, there’s the medial and lateral menisci between the femur and the tibia.
So, a meniscus tear, more commonly known as torn knee cartilage, is when one of the menisci of the knee is torn.
This usually occurs due to trauma during contact sports.
The knee is a complex joint, actually it’s a combination of three joints.
These are the femoropatellar joint, between the femur and patella, and the two tibiofemoral joints which are formed by the bony prominences, also called the condyles of the tibia and the femur.
Between the femoral and tibial condyles, there’re the medial and lateral menisci.
The menisci act to absorb compressive force, which can reach up to three times the body weight while walking!
In addition, the menisci have a cup-shaped surface which provides a deeper place for the condyles to fit in improving joint’s stability.
Next, the knee joint is supported by a number of ligaments.
So, within the joint space, there's the anterior cruciate ligament, or ACL, which runs from the anterior middle edge of the tibia to the lateral condyle of the femur, and the posterior cruciate ligament, or PCL, that runs from the middle posterior edge of the tibia to the medial condyle of the femur.
Now, outside the joint space, we’ve got one collateral ligament between the femur and the tibia on each side of the joint, which are the lateral collateral ligament, or LCL, and the medial collateral ligament, or MCL.
The MCL is firmly attached to the medial meniscus, which makes it less mobile compared to the lateral meniscus.
Summary
Meniscus tear is when one or both of the menisci of the knee joint are torn. Acute tears usually occur in athletes during contact sports, when the menisci are violently compressed. Chronic tears can also occur, often in older people due to wear and tear changes of menisci. Symptoms include pain, swelling, and stiffness, and the diagnosis is mainly based on clinical symptoms, physical exam with an MRI for confirmation. Treatment can be conservative, or by open or arthroscopic surgery.
Sources
- "Robbins Basic Pathology" Elsevier (2017)
- "Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine" McGraw Hill Education/ Medical (2018)
- "Pathophysiology of Disease: An Introduction to Clinical Medicine 8E" McGraw-Hill Education / Medical (2018)
- "CURRENT Medical Diagnosis and Treatment 2020" McGraw-Hill Education / Medical (2019)
- "Meniscal Injuries in the Young, Athletically Active Patient" The Physician and Sportsmedicine (2011)
- "Risk Factors for Meniscal Tears: A Systematic Review Including Meta-analysis" Journal of Orthopaedic & Sports Physical Therapy (2013)
- "The menisci: basic science and advances in treatment" British Journal of Sports Medicine (2000)
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