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1. Anatomy of the Knee And Meniscus

- Lateral meniscus
- Medial meniscus
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to alter the pressure across the knee during weight-bearing
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Act as a shock absorber
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fill in as optional joint stabilizers
- The red-red zone is the optimal zone of the meniscus. It is excellently vascularized and has a decent mending rate.
- The red-white zone is the center third with less vascularization but can heel at times.
- The white-white zone has no blood vessels at all and, accordingly, can’t mend.

2. What Is A Meniscus Injury?
Knowing where and how a meniscus was torn assists the specialist in deciding the best treatment.
3. What Are The Symptoms Of a Meniscus Tear
3.1. Intense Tears
3.2. Degenerative Tears
4. Types Of Meniscus Tears
4.1. Radial Tear
4.2. Complex Tear
4.3 Horizontal Tear
4.4. Bucket Handle Tear
- climbing steps
- hunching down
- twisting of the knee while taking a stumble when strolling
5. Diagnosis Of Meniscus Tears

- The doctor will initially take a background marked by the injury to help decide whether the signs and indications may propose meniscal harm and the type of meniscus tear.
- Next, the specialist will assess the knee for swelling and tenderness in a physical assessment. The knee will be tender when pushed on the harmed side, where the tibia and femur meet.
- McMurray’s test is where the specialist applies a pressing factor and moves the knee from directly to twisted to straight again to perceive what positions cause torment.
- The specialist may utilize imaging to survey the measure of harm and types of meniscus tears. X-rays can show any breaks or ligament conditions in the knee. A narrow joint space or bone changes show bone-on-bone scouring and joint inflammation.

- If the analysis is not satisfactory, an MRI 1(Magnetic Resonance Image) might be requested to uncover harm to ligaments and menisci. This test is 70 – 95% exact in uncovering the different meniscus tear types and can likewise show any tendon harm.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Can a meniscus tear heal on its own?
There are various meniscus tears, and some tears cannot heal on their own.
If your meniscus tear is on the outer third of the meniscus, it might mend naturally. This is due to the fact that blood cells can regenerate meniscus tissue in this region and can also aid in the healing process following surgical repair.
However, if the tear is in the inner two-thirds—where there is no blood flow—it cannot be repaired and may need to be surgically trimmed or removed.
2. Can you live a normal life with a torn meniscus?
Meniscus tears are manageable, and they might get better on their own. But you’ll be able to tell pretty quickly if there’s a problem.
3. Is a meniscus tear a permanent injury?
A meniscus injury that, if not treated, can persist for years, resulting in pain and restricted movement. Untreated meniscus tears put the knee at greater risk for further harm and long-term impairment as well.
The Bottom Line – Types Of Meniscus Tears
- Wald, Lawrence L., et al. “Low‐cost and portable MRI.” Journal of Magnetic Resonance Imaging 52.3 (2020): 686-696. ↩︎
Last Updated on by Suchi