How Is the Meniscus Torn or Injured?
• In young athletes, the most common injuries to the meniscus result from trauma. The menisci are especially vulnerable to injuries in which there is both compression and twisting across the knee. It is also common for the meniscus to be damaged in association with injuries to the anterior cruciate ligament. • In older athletes, many meniscal tears are the result of trivial trauma, like twisting the knee, squatting, or through repetitive activities like running, which stresses the knee joint. These factors happen because the meniscus has a tendency to degenerate as part of the aging process. This degeneration often takes place in conjunction with early arthritic changes in the knee joint. How Is a Meniscal Tear Diagnosed? • When a meniscus is torn, it will often produce pain, swelling and mechanical symptoms like catching, or locking in the knee joint. An injury to the meniscus can be diagnosed based upon the history that the patient provides and a physical examination of the knee. The
