How does the meniscus cause problems in the knee?
Meniscus injuries can occur in any age group, but the causes are somewhat different for each age group. In younger people, the meniscus is a fairly tough and rubbery structure. Tears in the meniscus in patients under the age of thirty usually occur as a result of a fairly forceful twisting injury. In the younger age group, meniscal tears are more likely to be caused by a sport activity. In older people, the meniscus grows weaker with age. The tissue that makes up the meniscus becomes degenerative and is much easier to tear. Meniscal tears in the older age group occur as a result of a fairly minor injury, even from the up and down motion of squatting. Degenerative tears of the meniscus are commonly seen as a part of the overall condition of osteoarthritis of the knee in the older population. In many cases, there is no one associated injury to the knee that leads to the meniscal tear.
