Understanding Knees Part 1: Meniscal Tears

The first part of a new series explaining common knee injuries opens with meniscal tears. Dr Claire Minshull clarifies that meniscus is the correct term for what is commonly called cartilage, and that each knee has two menisci, a lateral one on the outer side and a medial one on the inner, crescent-shaped structures whose functions include weight dispersion, reducing friction and shock absorption. A torn meniscus is among the most common knee injuries in sports involving jumping, landing and twisting at speed, typically occurring during a sudden twisting motion with the foot planted and full bodyweight going through the knee, or when a player is clattered. Symptoms may be immediate with larger tears or take days to develop, with pain on twisting and bending.