The menisci are two crescent-shaped fibrocartilages in the knee joint, which are triangular in cross-section, thick on the outside and thin on the inside, with the medial meniscus being “C” shaped and the lateral meniscus being “O” shaped. The meniscus has functions such as weight bearing, knee coordination, stability, shock absorption and joint lubrication. Meniscus injury manifestations Knee pain, swelling, restricted movement, walking with weak legs and “strangulation” phenomenon, flexion and extension, pressure pain in the knee joint gap, positive McSweeney’s sign (the examiner holds the foot with one hand and places one hand on the knee, first make the calf rotate inward, then abduct and straighten, then make the calf rotate outward and abduct, then inward and straighten. straighten, if there is pain or popping, it is positive). . Repeated compression, twisting, and wear of the knee joint is a common cause of injury and tearing, just as repeatedly using a pencil with an eraser tip to erase misspelled handwriting on paper often breaks the eraser tip before the pencil is used up. If you have never used a pencil like this, you will see the center sandwich break when you repeatedly twist it while eating an Oreo cookie, and the meniscus is actually sandwiched between the femur and tibia, and the damage occurs for the same reason. Acute sprains of the meniscus also often occur during sports. What kind of examination should be done? The purpose of radiography is not to diagnose meniscal tears, but to rule out osteochondral free bodies, exfoliative osteochondritis and other knee disorders that may resemble meniscal tears. 2. MRI is by far the most sensitive and accurate imaging tool for diagnosing positive meniscal injuries. How is it treated? Conservative treatment includes rest, physical therapy, oral and topical medications, while surgical treatment includes repair of the torn meniscus, partial excision, total excision, and suturing of the torn meniscus. Surgery is usually performed under arthroscopy, which is less invasive and results in faster recovery. When is surgical treatment necessary? The choice of surgical treatment depends on two main aspects, one is the severity of the injury and the other is the impact on the patient’s daily life. If you have only mild discomfort that does not affect your daily life, you may choose conservative treatment. If you have no discomfort when walking on a flat road, but the discomfort is more obvious when walking up and down stairs, but you need to walk up and down stairs frequently in your work and life, surgery is recommended. If you can’t tolerate the bouncing sound when you walk, or the phenomenon of limp legs at irregular intervals, surgery is recommended. Surgery is also recommended if the pain is making it difficult for you to walk. In addition, surgery can reduce further tearing of the damaged meniscus and give the damaged joint cartilage room to recover.