The meniscus is a structure made up of cartilage that is located in your knee joint. In each knee, there are two C-shaped menisci. They have the important function of acting as shock absorbers in your knee.
Your meniscus can be torn with a twisting injury to the knee. In older adults, the meniscus can be injured through a wear and tear process.
Meniscal tears are usually diagnosed with an MRI.
Most meniscal tears can be treated without surgery. However, if the meniscal tear is causing painful clicking or locking, than a knee arthroscopy can be useful.
Further Reading
Managing atraumatic meniscal tears in middle-aged patients.
Bassett W et al. J Fam Pract. (2017)