They are common in all ages and can occur in any situation, although this injury is more often seen in athletes, particularly those who engage in contact sports.

Those who get a tear of the meniscus through contact sport typically receive a cutting injury, whereas those who may be injured playing football, tennis, or other fast pace sports get what we refer to as a pivoting tear.

In some cases, simply tripping up a curb or missing the ladder’s last rung can cause a meniscus tear. People over the age of 40 are more prone to knee injuries due to age-related changes in the meniscus.

More often than not, a tear can go unnoticed for the first few days. Patients often describe a “popping” sensation and think nothing more of it until the knee becomes stiff and swollen.

Symptoms of meniscal tears include:

• Stiffness and swelling cause loss of motion in the joint a day or two after the injury
• Sudden pain when the injury happens and again after swelling occurs
• Locking of the knee. Usually felt when trying to rise from a seated position
• Weakness or a sensation of the knee joint giving way when weight is placed on the affected joint
• Pain, especially when twisting or rotating your knee.

You should stop what you are doing and RICE when the injury occurs – Rest, Ice, Compress, and Elevate. You can also take anti-inflammatory drugs and pain killers to help reduce swelling.

Generally, you want to allow enough time to have passed for the knee to heal. For small tears, this can take up to 8 weeks. You should avoid sporting activities and seek therapeutic care from a physiotherapist.

If the knee shows no signs of improvement after 4 weeks, you should consider surgery. If left untreated, meniscal tears can lead to Osteoarthritis.

Surgery aims to preserve and repair the meniscus where there are different repair techniques depending on the type and site of the damage. I can perform two procedures: a partial meniscectomy, where the damaged tissue is removed and a full meniscus repair, where we repair the meniscus by stitching the torn pieces back together.

The technique applied will be unique to you and your circumstances. For example, sports players with a long career ahead of them would be advised to have a full repair and recovery treatment plan. In contrast, I would offer partial procedures to those who are over 50 and have developed arthritis and suffered degenerative meniscus tears.

Physically

A torn meniscus can often be diagnosed during a physical examination. Physical exams often include testing for a range of motion and visually spotting signs of damage where the meniscus is located along the joint.

The McMurray test can also be performed where the knee is manipulated to force that “popping sound”, which occurs with a meniscal tear.

MRI / imaging test

X-rays and MRI can be taken of the joint to see if a tear is detected; however, this is not common practice as this may lead to a false diagnosis.

A more preferred imaging method would be an ultrasound, which is far more accurate in most cases.

Arthroscopy study

Arthroscopy is a small surgical procedure where we use a flexible fibre-optic device with a camera to view the inside of the knee and detect the areas which need treatment.