Introduction
Did you feel a "pop" in your knee while playing football or working out at the gym, and hours later find your knee had swollen up? This is a very common scenario in sports injuries, and the cause is often a meniscus tear — one of the most common knee injuries among physically active young people.
What is the meniscus?
The meniscus is two crescent-shaped pieces of cartilage tissue that sit inside the knee joint between the thigh bone (femur) and the shin bone (tibia). Their main job is to act as "shock absorbers" during walking and running, and they also help keep the joint stable.
Symptoms of a meniscus injury
- Pain on the side of the knee, especially when twisting or going down stairs
- Swelling that appears within hours of the injury
- A feeling that the knee "locks," or difficulty straightening it fully
- A "popping" sound at the moment of injury
- A feeling of instability in the knee while walking
Causes of a meniscus injury
It usually happens as a result of a sudden twisting movement of the knee while bearing the body's weight on it — such as what happens in football, basketball, or even stepping down awkwardly from a stair. In older ages, a tear can occur due to gradual wear of the cartilage with relatively minor effort, without any clear sports injury.
When to see a doctor
You should book an appointment if you notice any of the following after a knee injury:
- Obvious swelling within the first 24 hours
- Difficulty fully straightening or bending the knee
- A recurring feeling that the knee "locks" or "catches"
- Being unable to put weight on the injured leg
Meniscus treatment options
Conservative treatment
Not every meniscus injury needs surgery. Small tears — especially in the outer part of the meniscus, which has a better blood supply — often respond well to conservative treatment that includes: relative rest, ice packs in the first few days, and a tailored physiotherapy programme to strengthen the muscles around the knee and support joint stability.
Arthroscopic surgery
If the tear is large, or the knee genuinely "locks" repeatedly, or conservative treatment hasn't given a sufficient result, arthroscopic intervention becomes an option — either repairing the meniscus or dealing only with the torn portion, depending on the location and degree of the tear, which the doctor determines through imaging and clinical examination.
How Town Hospital helps you
The orthopaedics department at Town Hospital provides a precise assessment using CT/MRI imaging to pinpoint the exact type and location of the tear, and builds a staged treatment plan suited to your level of sporting activity, with specialised physiotherapy follow-up to ensure you return to movement safely.
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to stop sport permanently after a meniscus injury?
Not necessarily. Many cases return to sport after an appropriate period of treatment and rehabilitation, but the timing and type of activity are determined by your doctor's assessment of your case.
Can I walk normally after the injury?
That depends on the degree of the tear. In some mild cases a person can walk carefully, but it is best to avoid putting your full weight on the leg until a medical assessment has been done.
Does the meniscus heal on its own without treatment?
Very small tears may improve with conservative treatment, but the meniscus generally has a limited blood supply, so a medical assessment is always better than waiting.
What is the difference between a meniscus injury and a cruciate (ACL) ligament injury?
Both affect the knee but involve different tissues — the meniscus is a "shock absorber," while the cruciate ligament is responsible for the knee's stability during movement. Sometimes both happen together in the same injury, and this is determined by examination and imaging.
Is arthroscopic surgery a major operation?
Arthroscopy is a relatively minimally invasive procedure compared with open surgery, but the details of recovery vary depending on the size of the tear and the type of intervention, and your doctor will explain the details appropriate to your case.