I hurt my knee in a biking accident. The doctor said I tore the meniscus and called it a bucket handle tear. What does that mean?
The meniscus is a C-shaped piece of cartilage in the knee joint. It helps the joint move smoothly and acts as a shock absorber. It can also help transfer the load through the joint.
The knee joint has two menisci (plural), the medial (inner portion) and lateral (outer portion). When the outer edge of the cartilage is torn, it looks like a crescent-shaped moon or bucket handle.
At one time it was thought the meniscus didn’t have any real function. A tear would result in surgery to remove the whole thing. Later scientists found this treatment led to joint damage and early arthritis. Now most surgeons prefer to repair the tear or just take out the torn section.
For more information on this subject, call The Zehr Center for Orthopaedics at 239-596-0100 or visit www.zehrcenter.com.The information contained herein is compiled from a variety of sources. It may not be complete or timely. It does not cover all diseases, physical conditions, ailments or treatments. The information should NOT be used in place of visit with your healthcare provider, nor should you disregard the advice of your health care provider because of any information you read in this topic.
