Researcher Says Fix Meniscal Tears, Even The Small Ones

Perhaps you’ve been putting off consultation about what feels like minor tear in your meniscus. That, say researchers at University of Missouri, is a bad idea–because even the small tears can cause big problems if left unrepaired.  A U of Missouri news release reports that researchers at the school’s Mizzou Motion Analysis Center used sensors and infrared cameras to measure the pressure on knees during routine movements like getting up out of a chair (which, it turns out, can put a force of four times one’s body weight on knee joint). “If someone doesn’t have functional menisci, basically all those forces are concentrated in a small area, which creates a lot of pressure on the joint and is bad for the cartilage, which over time, could lead to osteoarthritis,” says associate professor of physical therapy Chris Guess. “The menisci act as a cushion, distributing forces over a larger area while also nourishing and lubricating the knee.” Guess thinks surgeons who might not have bothered to fix meniscal tears in the past should rethink that practice. “If left untreated,” he says, “damage to the menisci could contribute to osteoarthritis in the near future.”