Can a Meniscus Tear Heal on Its Own?

Your knee allows you to sit, stand, walk, run, jump, even squat down and look under your bed. It’s one of the strongest joints in your body, but it’s not indestructible, and a knee injury can seriously impact your life. 

Patients come to Orthocenter when they have injuries sustained playing sports, at work, falling, or even stepping off a curb and landing badly. Our providers often treat knee injuries, including meniscus tears. The most appropriate treatment depends on your age, activity level, the location and severity of the tear, and even your preferences and goals. We offer a treatment plan tailored to fit all of those different factors. 

What is a meniscus? 

You have two menisci in each knee, and they are frequently described as a C-shaped piece of cartilage. But that doesn’t really help you understand the function of the menisci. 

Your knee joint is the meeting of three bones: your femur or thigh bone, the two bones that make up your lower leg, the tibia or shinbone, and your fibula. Your kneecap shields all three bones in the front. 

With each step you take, your bones are exposed to a certain amount of force from gravity, impact, and your body weight. If they rubbed against each other, it would be very painful! 

Your menisci provide cushioning. They sit between the femur and the lower leg bones. One meniscus wraps around the inside of your knee (the medial meniscus), and the other on the outside (the lateral meniscus). 

The most common way a meniscus tear happens is when you twist your knee. For example, a basketball player with their foot planted firmly and their knee bent might twist their upper leg as they look backward and tear their meniscus. 

The location of the tear

In order for any tissue in your body to heal, including the tough cartilage that makes up the menisci, it needs a healthy blood supply. Your blood delivers oxygen and nutrients necessary for healing. 

The outside part of your meniscus receives a healthy blood supply, and if that’s where your tear is, it may heal properly with minimal treatment. The inside part of your meniscus, though, is far from your blood vessels and has a less plentiful supply of blood. 

If your tear is on the inner part of your meniscus, it’s unlikely to heal on its own. You may need surgery to repair it completely. 

What if feels like to tear your meniscus

As you might imagine, your symptoms vary depending on where your meniscus is torn and how bad the tear is. Here are some common symptoms: 

• Pain on the inner or outer part of your knee, though sometimes it can hurt on the back 
• Swelling
• A sensation of locking or catching in your knee joint
• Being unable to fully straighten or fully bend your knee
• Limping

Some of those symptoms can be caused by problems. If you have arthritis in your knee, for instance, you may experience the knee joint catching or locking and swelling. This is one reason why seeing a medical professional for a diagnosis is important. 

Treating a meniscus tear

Our providers consider your age, overall health, activity level, and your preferences, along with all of the facts related to your injury, when they suggest a course of treatment. If you’re an athlete eager to return to your sport, your doctor will likely advise you differently than a patient who is mostly sedentary and concerned more with avoiding missing work. 

Whether you have the type of meniscus tear likely to heal well with rest, ice, and physical therapy, or you need surgery to repair your meniscus, our team is here to help. Schedule an appointment at the most convenient location of Orthocenter to discuss your options today.