If you have been diagnosed with a meniscus tear on MRI, you should have a discussion with your orthopedic surgeon regarding the optimal treatment. Plain, weight-bearing x-rays of both knees will also be required. Similar to most orthopedic injuries, if the symptoms thought to be caused by the meniscal tear are interfering with your ability to remain active and healthy, we usually recommend surgical intervention. However, in the presence of moderate and severe arthritis of the knee, the approach differs due to the fact that some or all of the symptoms may be due to arthritis and not only the meniscus injury.