Meniscal tears of the knee: diagnosis and individualized treatment.

Meniscal tears are very common sports injuries. Typical symptoms include pain, catching, and buckling. Signs on physical exam include joint-line tenderness, effusion, and, possibly, a click when the knee is taken through full range of motion. MRI is often needed to confirm tears and differentiate pain from that caused by other injuries such as articular cartilage damage. Treatment comprises physical therapy and rest, partial meniscectomy, or, in special instances, surgical repair. Therapeutic goals, which are often achieved, are to restore a high level of pain-free function and to prevent premature joint degeneration.