You hear a snap or pop at the time of the injury. Your knee may sometimes lock, and you may have stiffness in the knee. Your health care provider will review your symptoms and how the injury occurred. He or she will ask about your medical history and examine your knee. Your provider will move your knee in several ways that may cause pain along the injured meniscal surface.
Arthroscopic surgery is needed to repair or remove large torn pieces of cartilage.
The surgery usually takes about an hour. An arthroscope is a tube with a light on the end that projects an image of the inside of your knee onto a TV screen. By putting tools through the end of the arthroscope, the doctor can usually repair or remove the damaged meniscus. Because the meniscus is a valuable shock absorber, the doctor will leave as much of the healthy portion of the meniscus as possible during surgery. You will go home the day of the surgery.