Why does torn meniscus hurt

The meniscus is located in the knee at the conjunction of three bones : the thigh bone, kneecap bone, and shinbone. The meniscus is a rubbery disc that cushions all of these bones and keeps them from rubbing against each other.

The disc, which is split into two sections called menisci, also helps distribute weight and pressure across the knee. You could injure your meniscus while playing sports, such as football, soccer, or baseball. You could also injure your meniscus off the field by lifting heavy boxes or slipping on a wet floor. Like many parts of the body, the meniscus can wear down with age.

Tears are more common among men and women over age There are generally three types of meniscus injuries , which are categorized by the extent of the tear:. These injuries cause minor discomfort and can heal with rest. You should give your meniscus weeks to completely heal before returning to exercise. During a partial meniscectomy, the surgeon will remove damaged portions of the meniscus and smooth over rough parts of the cartilage.

We also specialize in knee chondroplasty to repair knee cartilage damage. What is chondroplasty knee surgery? During a typical chondroplasty, damaged cartilage is removed via small incisions on the side of the joint, allowing new healthy cartilage to develop. On the other hand or knee, if you will , during a meniscus transplant surgery, the torn or damaged cartilage is replaced with a graft made from donor knee tissue.

Today, knee cartilage regeneration surgery is an increasingly popular option. The expected recovery time for each knee injury will depend on the patient and the severity of the injury. After arthroscopic meniscus surgery, most individuals should expect the rehabilitation process to last roughly three months. With meniscectomies specifically, patients should anticipate a flexible recovery timetable of about one month. During this time, your doctor will prescribe a series of postsurgical knee exercises to help increase knee flexibility and also strengthen the surrounding tissues.

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Ankle Symptom The ankle joint consists of three bones: the tibia, fibula, and talus. The tibia and fibula are the two long bones of the lower leg. Even kneeling, deep squatting or lifting something heavy can sometimes lead to a torn meniscus. In older adults, degenerative changes of the knee can contribute to a torn meniscus with little or no trauma. Performing activities that involve aggressive twisting and pivoting of the knee puts you at risk of a torn meniscus. The risk is particularly high for athletes — especially those who participate in contact sports, such as football, or activities that involve pivoting, such as tennis or basketball.

A torn meniscus can lead to a feeling of your knee giving way, inability to move your knee normally or persistent knee pain. You might be more likely to develop osteoarthritis in the injured knee. Mayo Clinic does not endorse companies or products. Advertising revenue supports our not-for-profit mission.

In severe tears, pieces of the torn meniscus can move into the joint space. This can make your knee catch, pop, or lock. You may not be able to straighten it. Your knee may feel "wobbly" or give way without warning. It may swell and become stiff right after the injury or within 2 or 3 days. If you are older and your meniscus is worn, you may not know what you did to cause the tear. You may only remember feeling pain after you got up from a squatting position, for example.

Pain and slight swelling are often the only symptoms. Your doctor will ask about past injuries and what you were doing when your knee started to hurt. A physical exam will help your doctor find out if a torn meniscus is the cause of your pain. Your doctor will look at both knees and check for tenderness, range of motion , and how stable your knee is. X-rays are also usually done.

You may need to meet with an orthopedic surgeon for more testing. These tests may include an MRI , which can give a clear picture of where a tear is and how serious it is.

How your doctor treats your meniscus tear depends on several things, such as the type of tear, where it is, and how serious it is. Your age and how active you are may also affect your treatment choices. Symptoms of a meniscus tear depend on the size and location of the tear and whether other knee injuries occurred along with it. Pain can also be due to swelling and injury to surrounding tissues. With small tears, you may have minimal pain at the time of the injury.

Slight swelling often develops gradually over several days. Many times you can walk with only minimal pain, although pain increases with squatting, lifting, or rising from a seated position. These symptoms usually go away in 2 to 3 weeks although pain may recur with bending or twisting.

In a typical moderate tear, you feel pain at the side or in the center of the knee, depending on where the tear is. Often, you are still able to walk. Swelling usually increases gradually over 2 to 3 days and may make the knee feel stiff and limit bending.

There is often sharp pain when twisting or squatting. Symptoms may diminish in 1 to 2 weeks but recur with activities that involve twisting or from overuse. The pain may come and go over a period of years if left untreated. Larger tears usually cause more pain and immediate swelling and stiffness.

Swelling can develop over 2 to 3 days. Pieces of the torn meniscus can float into the joint space. This can make the knee catch, pop, or lock. You may not be able to straighten your knee.

The knee can also feel "wobbly" or unstable, or give way without warning. If other injuries occurred with the meniscus tear, especially torn ligaments, you may have increased pain, swelling, a feeling that the knee is unstable, and difficulty walking. Older people whose menisci are worn may not be able to identify a specific event that caused a tear, or they may recall symptoms developing after a minor incident such as rising from a squatting position. Pain and minimal swelling are often the only symptoms.

Pain at the inside of the knee can mean there is a tear to the medial meniscus. Pain at the outer side of the affected knee can mean there is a tear to the lateral meniscus. During an examination for a possible meniscus tear, your doctor will ask you about past injuries and what you were doing when your knee started to hurt.

He or she will do an exam of both knees to evaluate tenderness, range of motion, and knee stability. An X-ray is usually done to evaluate the knee bones if there is swelling, if there is pain at a certain place point tenderness , or if you cannot put weight on your leg. Your knee may be too painful or swollen for a full exam.