Meniscus Injuries
Updated: 10 hours ago
A meniscus is a C-shaped piece of cartilage that helps with joint stability and load distribution. The knees have two each: one on the inner side of the joint (medial) and one on the outer (lateral).
How Meniscus Injuries Happen
A meniscus can tear during a sudden twist or pivot, particularly when the foot is planted and the knee is bearing weight. Tears can also develop alongside age-related changes in the tissue, sometimes after a relatively minor movement. The circumstances of the injury are part of the assessment; they do not establish the diagnosis on their own.
The same movement can happen in other sports. Running and turning sharply or unlatching awkwardly from cycling cleats can cause the same demand on the knee. But this injury is not limited just to sports; sometimes a simple trip or fall can cause a tear.
Symptoms of a Torn Meniscus
Symptoms may include pain, swelling, stiffness, catching or difficulty moving the knee fully. Clicking or intermittent pain alone cannot confirm a meniscus tear or identify its type, because other knee problems can cause similar symptoms. A knee that becomes stuck or cannot fully straighten needs prompt medical assessment; do not try to force it back into place.
Pain may begin immediately or develop gradually, and some people describe a deep ache.
The Unhappy Triad
The meniscus might only be part of the injury. The Unhappy Triad is a term to describe a more complex knee injury, involving:
the medial meniscus
the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL)
the medial collateral ligament (MCL)
This describes a combined injury involving the ACL, MCL and a meniscus. It can occur with twisting and a force that pushes the knee inward, such as a blow to the outside of the knee. Assessment is needed to establish which structures are injured and whether further investigation or specialist care is required.
Contact your GP urgently or NHS 111 for severe knee pain after an injury, inability to bear weight, a knee that cannot bend or straighten, or a hot, swollen knee. Knee pain with fever or feeling shivery also needs urgent advice. Go to A&E if the knee is visibly deformed or displaced, or you develop tingling or loss of feeling in the knee, leg or toes following the injury. Do not drive yourself to A&E.
Osteopathy for Meniscus Injuries
Recovery varies with the tear, its location, your symptoms and any other knee injury. The outer part of the meniscus has a better blood supply than the inner part, so healing potential differs. Many people are managed without immediate surgery, while persistent symptoms or a locked knee may require specialist assessment.
At Eastbourne Osteopathy, I assess your symptoms, movement and medical history to discuss whether care is suitable or medical assessment is needed. Where appropriate, care may include advice about activity, a gradual exercise plan and suitable manual techniques. The aim is to improve comfort and function. Healing of a tear cannot be guaranteed. I will discuss progress and whether further assessment is needed.