Conditions / Meniscus
The meniscus is the knee's shock absorber. Removing it is a decision, not a default.
Each knee has two menisci, crescents of fibrocartilage that spread load across the joint. A torn meniscus can lock, catch or swell. For decades the standard answer was to trim the tear out. The long-term cost of that, arthritis on the side where the meniscus was removed, is now well documented.
Interactive procedure guide
Preserve the cushion.
You can still switch views and read every explanation.
01 / Intact
Two cushions, shared load
The crescent-shaped menisci sit between the joint surfaces. They help distribute load and contribute to knee stability.
Both menisci are shown in green.
Explore the anatomy
Illustrative anatomy. Colours, movement and implants are simplified to explain the principle; they do not show a specific patient or predict an outcome.
Signs
- Pain on the inner or outer joint line
- Locking or catching
- Swelling after activity
- A knee that will not fully straighten
When surgery is, and is not, the answer
Repair is preferred whenever the tear is in tissue with blood supply and the pattern allows it. Younger patients and traumatic tears are the best candidates.
Partial removal is reserved for degenerative tears that cannot heal, and even then only when symptoms are mechanical rather than simply painful.
Many degenerative tears in people over forty do not need surgery at all. Physiotherapy is the first-line treatment and the evidence supports it.
How it is done
Arthroscopic, through two small incisions, as a day case.
Repair uses sutures placed inside the joint. Root tears, where the meniscus has detached from its anchor point on the bone, are re-attached through a bone tunnel.
Where a meniscus has already been removed and the knee is becoming painful, meniscal transplantation is discussed in selected patients.
What recovery looks like
- Partial removal: walking immediately, sport at four to six weeks
- Repair: protected weight bearing and limited bending for the first weeks, running from about three months, sport from four to six months
Timelines are typical ranges and are individualised. Progress is judged on strength and function, not dates.
Talk it through
If this sounds like your knee, contact Mediclinic to arrange a consultation with Dr Catteeuw. Bring any existing scans and reports so you can discuss the options together.