Meniscus Tears

Each of your knees contains two tough, crescent-shaped pieces of cartilage known as the meniscus, which allows you to move your knee joint without pain. Meniscus tears can keep you from performing these basic functions and have a variety of painful symptoms.

Meniscus Tear at a Glance

A meniscus tear is an injury to the C-shaped cartilage that cushions and stabilizes the knee joint. It can cause pain, swelling, stiffness and difficulty bending or straightening the knee.

Symptoms include: Pain, locking, popping or the knee giving way.
Causes include: Sudden twisting, sports injuries, repetitive squatting or age-related degeneration.
Reduce the risk of meniscal tears by: Strengthening the muscles around the knee and using proper movement mechanics and supportive footwear.
When to see an orthopedic specialist: If symptoms are severe, persistent, worsening or limiting daily activities.

At Hoag Orthopedic Institute, our top knee doctors and surgeons can treat your meniscus tear so that you can return to your favorite activities.

What is a Meniscus Tear?

The meniscus is a c-shaped piece of cartilage within the knee that acts like a shock absorber of the knee. The role of the menisci is to cushion and stabilize the knee joint and to protect the bones from wear and tear. A meniscus tear causes pain, swelling and stiffness. Meniscus tear symptoms include a limited range of motion and trouble extending your knee fully.

What Causes a Meniscus Tear?

A meniscus tear is one of the most common knee injuries. Any activity that causes you to twist or rotate your knee forcefully, especially when putting your full weight on it, can lead to a torn meniscus.

Meniscus tears usually occur due to acute trauma or from degeneration of the tissue. Acute traumatic tears typically result from a forceful twist or sudden stop that can cause the end of the femur to grind into the top of the tibia, pinching and potentially tearing the cartilage of the meniscus. This type of knee injury can also occur when a person is performing a deep squat, especially if the individual is overweight. Meniscus tears caused by a sports injury tend to coincide with contact sports or sports requiring pivoting or sudden stops.

Sports that tend to be associated with meniscus tear injuries include:

Football
Hockey
Tennis
Basketball
Tennis
Soccer

In older adults, the cartilage in the knee becomes weaker and less resilient, and a meniscus tear can occur with little or no trauma. This is considered a degenerative meniscus tear, occurring gradually over time. Often, the patient cannot recall the exact event that started the meniscus tear symptoms. Increasing body weight can also put added stress on the meniscus. Routine daily activities like walking or climbing stairs can increase the potential for wear, degeneration and tearing of the meniscus.

Meniscus Tear Symptoms

A classic meniscus tear symptom is a sharp pain along your medial or lateral knee joint, worsening with knee twisting or deep squatting. This pain is typically intermittent and can be accompanied by swelling. Occasionally, the meniscus tear can create a flap of tissue that blocks or reduces knee motion. Patients often describe a locking, catching, or clicking sensation within the knee.

If you have a meniscus tear, you may experience some of the following symptoms or signs:

A popping or clicking sensation, especially when climbing or descending stairs
Intermittent swelling or stiffness of the knee joint
Knee pain, especially when twisting or rotating your knee
Difficulty extending the knee fully or limited range of motion
Feeling a locking or catching sensation through the knee
Feeling as if your knee will give way, buckling or unable to support your body weight
Difficulty walking

Meniscus Tear Diagnosis

Clinical exam findings such as tenderness over the joint line or pain with certain provocative maneuvers, such as the McMurray’s test, are relatively reliable tools for diagnosing a meniscus tear. Additional imaging studies are used to help confirm a meniscus tear diagnosis.

A routine knee X-ray is obtained to check for knee alignment and the presence of calcifications within the meniscus and to determine if arthritis is present. MRI is a very sensitive test for identifying knee pathology and can be used to determine the exact location and pattern of the meniscus tear (Figures 2A and 2B), as well as to help identify associated ligament, cartilage, or bone injuries.

Meniscus Tear Treatment Options

Just because you experience a meniscus tear does not mean surgery is your only treatment option. Depending on your meniscus tear diagnosis, as well as factors such as your general health and age, non-surgical treatment may be possible.

Non-surgical Meniscus Tear Treatment

Degenerative meniscus tears, ones that occur slowly over time or which are associated with arthritis, are usually first treated with conservative management or nonsurgical treatments. Treatments consist of rest, ice, compression, and elevation, followed by anti-inflammatories/corticosteroid injections and physical therapy. If symptoms persist after conservative management, surgery may be indicated.

Non-surgical treatments include:

Resting the knee
Icing and compression of the knee
Elevating the knee
Taking anti-inflammatory medications
Corticosteroid / Cortisone Injections
Physical Therapy stretching and strengthening exercises to reduce stress on your knee
Avoid high-impact activities like running and jumping

Surgical Meniscus Tear Treatment

Treatment for meniscus tears caused by a trauma or sports injury usually requires surgery due to the poor healing capacity of the meniscus. The meniscus has a precarious blood supply, and as a result of a traumatic meniscus tear, the central portion of the menisci often cannot heal. In such cases, surgical intervention is often necessary.

The type of meniscus surgery needed is determined by the tear location, tear pattern, and healing potential of the tear. For meniscus tears that are acute, have a simple pattern, and have good potential for healing, meniscus repair is usually recommended. For meniscus tears that are chronic, have a complex pattern, or have poor healing potential, partial meniscectomy is typically recommended.

When To See a Doctor for Meniscus Tear

If your knee pain does not respond to conservative treatment or your discomfort is severe, seek a doctor as soon as possible for diagnosis and treatment of a potential meniscus tear.

At Hoag Orthopedic Institute, our board-certified, fellowship-trained knee surgeons are experts at treating meniscus tears. One of our knee doctors will build a custom treatment plan to help you get back to doing the things you love doing.

Contact Hoag Orthopedic Institute today to schedule a consultation with one of our knee surgeons.

Figure 1:

Figure 2A:

Figure 2B:

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Find a Knee Surgeon

Our board-certified, fellowship-trained sports medicine surgeons are experts at treating meniscus tears whether through non-operative treatments or minimally invasive surgery. One of our sports medicine specialists will build a custom treatment plan to help you get back to doing the things you love doing.

Find an expert knee surgeon that treats meniscus tears by calling (949) 890-0464 today.

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Frequently Asked Questions

At your first visit, you’ll meet with a board-certified, fellowship-trained orthopedic knee specialist who will take time to understand your symptoms, concerns, and goals. Your appointment begins with a detailed review of your medical history and any imaging or test results you’ve had. Your knee doctor will perform a focused physical exam to evaluate your joint's stability, range of motion, and any areas of pain or swelling.
If more information is needed, your knee doctor may arrange additional diagnostic tests, including X-rays or an MRI. Then you'll discuss the likely causes of your symptoms and review both non-surgical and surgical treatment options. Before you leave, your specialist will outline a personalized plan for next steps, ensuring you feel informed and supported from day one.
At Hoag Orthopedic Institute, we're pleased to provide a consultation with our award-winning team of knee specialists to fully discuss your condition and chart a treatment path. To schedule your appointment, please call our scheduling team at (949) 890-0464. or complete this secure request form.
We’ll connect you with the orthopedic knee doctor best suited to your needs and can help arrange any imaging or medical records before your visit.
Hoag Orthopedic Institute’s knee specialists treat a wide range of conditions, from sports injuries such as meniscus or cartilage damage to complex ligament tears, fractures, and advanced arthritis. Your non-surgical treatment options may include individualized physical therapy, bracing for added stability, or image-guided injections to reduce inflammation and ease pain. In many cases, a conservative approach can often restore mobility, delay, or even avoid the need for surgery.
When surgery offers the best long-term results, our orthopedic knee surgeons perform procedures including arthroscopic ligament repair, cartilage restoration, partial knee replacement, and total knee replacement. If knee replacement is necessary, rest assured that HOI’s fellowship trained knee surgeons lead the Western United States in joint replacement surgeries, translating into better outcomes for our patients.
Many of our knee surgeons use advanced robotic-assisted systems that help protect surrounding healthy tissue, provide exceptional surgical accuracy, and ensure optimal alignment for each patient’s unique anatomy. Our knee doctors design every treatment plan to reduce pain, restore movement, and support lasting knee health.
At Hoag Orthopedic Institute, our board-certified, fellowship-trained knee doctors, orthopedic surgeons, and physical therapists provide advanced care for a full spectrum of knee injuries and conditions. Our qualified knee specialists offer both surgical and non-surgical solutions tailored to each patient. Highly effective non-surgical knee treatment may include personalized physical therapy, bracing, or targeted injections to relieve pain and improve mobility.
When surgery is the most effective path forward, our orthopedic knee surgeons use cutting-edge robotic-assisted systems, ensuring exceptional precision, personalized implant alignment, and minimal disruption to surrounding tissues. Our team uses the latest surgical techniques, robotic surgery and other innovative surgical approaches, to give patients a 5-star experience, getting them back to what they love faster. From diagnosis through rehabilitation, you’ll work with a dedicated team of experienced knee specialists focused on your comfort, safety, and long-term knee health.
Let’s help you return to the activities you love with confidence.