Question 1

how do you tear your meniscus on purpose?

Accepted Answer

Not Likely!: I can't imagine anyone wanting to tear the meniscus in their knee on purpose. Quite painful and significantly debilitating in the short term depending on the extent. Usually  one tears their meniscus by accident while trying to go one way and their knee going awkwardly in another direction. For example,  like planting your foot and twisting in the opposite direction for a kick.

Question 2

what are ways to tear your meniscus?

Accepted Answer

Rotational force on : Most tears of the meniscus occur from a rotational force on the knee joint. Surprisingly, this force does not need to be that great to cause a tear of the meniscus. Perfect example is sitting cross legged(indian style), is enough force to tear it.

Question 3

how common is it to tear your meniscus when part of it has already been removed?

Accepted Answer

Depends: The re-tear rate is highly variable. The age and activity level of the patient, quality of remaining meniscal tissue, type of tear and length of time since surgery all affect the rate. Typically, once the torn portion of the tissue is removed, if a stable and smooth edge of tissue remains then re-tear is unlikely. If the quality and amount of remaining tissue is poor, re-tear is more likely.

Question 4

how easy is it to tear your meniscus? i am not going to do this. i was just wondering because my friend tore his yesterday but i saw him yesterday.

Accepted Answer

It depends: The meniscus in a young person is thick and strong like rubber. In an older person it thins out and the substance of it is not as strong. A young person needs a very high energy twisting type of injury. An older person might get the tear from walking or going up/down stairs or squatting. Not all tears are the same and small frayed edges (small tears) are more common than large.

Question 5

what kinds of movements in basketball cause you to tear your meniscus?

Accepted Answer

Rotation: Meniscus tears occur either a medial or a lateral force directed to a flexed knee. When the foot is planted and the knee is flexed and either internally or externally rotated, the meniscus becomes vulnerable to injury.  At this point, the addition of a force applied to the lateral (or medial) aspect of the flexed knee may tear the medial (or lateral) meniscus. Medial tears are more common.

Question 6

whats a residual meniscus tear?

Accepted Answer

See below: A meniscus is a structure that is made of cartilage and serves as a cushion between two bones.  The knee has two: one medial and one lateral.  Sometimes they can tear through degeneration or injury.  The term residual means that there is “still” a tear; suggesting a persistent tear.  This term can be used if someone has had prior surgery, or even if they have had a previous mri to compare to.

Question 7

how can you tell when you tear your meniscus?

Accepted Answer

Pain in the knee: Few things for diagnosis of meniscal tear including, clicking of the knee when trying to move it, the knee is stuck in one position and will not move, pain right over the joint line on either the inside or the outside of the knee, and swelling are all common.

Question 8

what is a complex meniscopathy? is it a tear in meniscus ??

Accepted Answer

Meniscal pathology : A complex meniscopathy is a way of saying a complex meniscal tear. The complexity of the tear  means multidirectional and unstable, which equals painful! The younger and the more active you are or desire to be, the more you need such a tear arthroscopically repaired. See a competent orthopedic sports specialist.

Question 9

is a vertical tear the same as a bucket handle tear in the meniscus?

Accepted Answer

: They are different. A vertical tear more up and dow, and a buckle handle tear is more curved along the same direction of the meniscus.

Question 10

is your meniscus weaker after part of it has been removed and easier to tear?

Accepted Answer

Probably: Partial meniscal removal gets rid of the obviously injured part, but often the meniscus has other "micro tears " and or degenerative changes that while not visible at the time of surgery can be a problem in the future.  Re-tear requiring further meniscectomy is relatively rare.  Often we see re-tears in patients years after their meniscectomy at the time of a total knee replacement.

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Doctor answers about:

How to tear your meniscus on purpose

A member asked:

How do you tear your meniscus on purpose?

A member asked:

What are ways to tear your meniscus?

A member asked:

How common is it to tear your meniscus when part of it has already been removed?

A member asked:

How easy is it to tear your meniscus? i am not going to do this. i was just wondering because my friend tore his yesterday but i saw him yesterday.

A member asked:

What kinds of movements in basketball cause you to tear your meniscus?

A member asked:

Whats a residual meniscus tear?

A member asked:

How can you tell when you tear your meniscus?

A member asked:

What is a complex meniscopathy? is it a tear in meniscus ??

A member asked:

Is a vertical tear the same as a bucket handle tear in the meniscus?

A member asked:

Is your meniscus weaker after part of it has been removed and easier to tear?

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