Causes & Symptoms
Tears of the meniscus of the knee joint are often caused by sudden twisting of the knee or by hyperextension of the knee. Injury is more likely if the person’s full body weight is resting on the knee at the time of the sudden twist or flexion.
The knee that has suffered the tear is likely to experience pain, stiffness, and swelling. Often the affected knee does not have its full range of motion immediately after the injury. Minor tears of the meniscus may heal on their own given rest, ice to help reduce the swelling, and an over-the-counter medication to deal with the pain. Other, more severe cases may require orthopedic surgery as an intervention. Stem cell therapy has also been proposed as a potential treatment.