Meniscal Tear

Like a lot of knee injuries, a meniscus tear can be painful and debilitating. Unfortunately, it's quite common. A meniscal tear is one of the most frequently occurring injuries of the knee.

So what is the meniscus? It's a piece of cartilage in your knee that cushions and stabilizes the joint. It protects the bones from wear and tear. But all it takes is a good twist of the knee to tear the meniscus. In some cases, a piece of the shredded cartilage breaks loose and catches in the knee joint, causing it to lock up.

At first, the pain may not be bad. You might even play through the injury. But once the inflammation sets in, your knee will probably hurt quite a bit. Symptoms of a meniscus tear include:

• Pain and swelling in the knee
• A popping sensation during the injury
• Difficulty bending and straightening the leg
• A tendency for your knee to get "stuck" or lock up