Meniscal Tear Symptoms & Diagnosis

Symptoms

Torn meniscus may or may not cause symptoms. The ones that do not cause symptoms are usually small tears located in the back of the knee.

Symptoms may include:

• "Popping" sound at the time of the injury
• Pain
• Tightness
• Swelling within the knee, often called "water on the knee"
• Locking up, catching, or giving way of the knee
• Tenderness in the joint

Diagnosis

The doctor will ask about your symptoms and how you injured your knee, and perform a physical exam. The doctor will perform physical tests to decide if there is a tear. Tests may include:

• X-ray —a test that uses radiation to take a picture of structures inside the body. It will not show a meniscus tear, but may show some bone abnormality.
• MRI scan —a test that uses magnetic radiation waves to make pictures of the inside of the knee. This is effective in diagnosing a meniscal tear.
• Arthroscopy —a thin, lighted tube inserted through a small incision in the knee to look at the structures inside the knee. With the arthroscope, the tear will be seen and may be removed or repaired as deemed necessary.