Medical conditions

The menisci are fibrocartilaginous structures located inside the knee joint. There are two menisci in the knee joint, one medial (inner side of the knee) and one lateral (outer side of the knee), situated between the femoral condyles and the tibial plateaus. Their function is to improve joint congruence, distribute forces, and assist in shock absorption. The most common meniscal injuries are of traumatic or degenerative origin. Traumatic injuries result from rotational trauma (e.g. rotation of the femur over the tibia), which damages the meniscal structure. The mechanism is usually triggered by rotation of the body over a semi-flexed knee.

Degenerative injuries are the consequence of degenerative joint processes related to advanced age or previous traumatic episodes. The most common symptoms are pain localized at the joint line or in the inner or outer region of the knee, depending on the injured meniscus. Sometimes there may be pain in the posterior region of the knee, walking difficulties associated with a sensation of instability or knee giving way (sudden loss of strength), pain during activities involving changes of direction, pain when going up and down stairs and on inclined surfaces. There may also be a sensation of knee locking, catching sensations, and edema. Depending on the type of injury, recovery may occur without the need for surgery, or surgical repair may be necessary (see).