How common is a meniscus tear?
A meniscus tear is a common knee joint injury. More than one-third of meniscus tears are sports-related, often when the knee is twisted while the knee is partially flexed and the foot is firmly planted on the ground. Men are twice as likely to have a meniscus tear than women.1 Meniscus tears also are common with normal movement in people older than age 40 whose menisci are worn down.2 More than one-third of meniscus tears occur along with tears of the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL).1 References Citations • Smith BW (2002). The acutely injured knee. In JC Puffer, BD Weiss, eds., 20 Common Problems in Sports Medicine, pp. 173–199. New York: McGraw-Hill. • Urquhart MW, et al. (2003). Meniscal injuries. In JC DeLee et al., eds., DeLee and Drez’s Orthopaedic Sports Medicine: Principles and Practice, 2nd ed., vol. 2, pp. 1668–1696. Philadelphia: Saunders.
