Your knee has two menisci. These pieces of tough cartilage rest between your thighbone (femur) and shinbone (tibia).
The menisci act as shock absorbers, allowing your thighbone and shinbone to glide against each other smoothly without causing joint damage.
A meniscus tear is an injury to one of the menisci in your knee.
The two most common causes of meniscus tears are:
Anyone, at any age, can suffer a meniscus tear.
You're at higher risk for a torn meniscus if you play contact sports, such as football.
An untreated meniscus tear can lead to more damage in the joint and other serious conditions.
To make an appointment or learn more about meniscus tears, contact UPMC Sports Medicine at 1-855-937-7678.
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If you tear your meniscus — pieces of tough cartilage in your knee — you may have symptoms such as:
Doctors classify meniscus tears as either stable or unstable.
Your doctor will decide if your meniscus tear is stable or unstable based on the tear:
Most stable meniscus tears don't need surgery. They may cause discomfort at times, but many people with a stable meniscus tear are still very active.
An unstable meniscus tear often causes ongoing discomfort and requires surgery to repair it.
To help confirm a meniscus tear diagnosis, and rule out other knee problems, your doctor:
To make an appointment or learn more about sports-related meniscus tears, contact UPMC Sports Medicine at 1-855-937-7678.
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When deciding how to treat a torn meniscus, your doctor will look at:
Your doctor may suggest the following nonsurgical treatment options for your meniscus tear:
There are a few surgical options to repair a torn meniscus.
Types of meniscus tear repair surgery include:
Recovery time from meniscus tear repair surgery depends on the type you have.
It can be hard to prevent a meniscus tear.
Using proper mechanics when exercising or playing sports can help lower your risk of this injury.
To make an appointment or learn more about meniscus tear treatments, contact UPMC Sports Medicine at 1-855-937-7678.
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UPMC's HealthBeat Blog: |
From our Health Library: |