Meniscus Tears: Symptoms, Scans and Getting Back to Activity

You twist your knee on the court, or it starts swelling after ordinary activities and you can’t remember a single moment when it happened. Then someone mentions the meniscus. The questions that usually follow are whether you need a scan, what you can do now and how you’ll know when you’re ready to get back to the things you enjoy.

What is the meniscus?

Each knee has two menisci. They help distribute load across the joint. A tear can happen during a twist or change of direction, sometimes alongside another injury such as an ACL tear. Meniscal changes can also develop gradually and show up on a scan in people whose knees feel fine. That’s why we put the scan findings alongside what happened and how the knee is behaving.

Does catching or locking mean I’ve torn my meniscus?

A brief catch, click or feeling that the knee momentarily sticks can happen for several reasons. By itself, it’s a poor clue that you’ve torn your meniscus. A review of mechanical symptoms also found little evidence that people reporting these symptoms generally benefit more from keyhole surgery.

A knee that stays stuck and won’t fully straighten, especially after an injury, is different. Get it assessed promptly. A displaced meniscus tear or loose fragment can sometimes block the movement. See the Queensland Health guidance on acute knee pain.

What does an assessment look for?

We’ll ask how it started, when swelling came on and whether the knee gives way or struggles to straighten. We’ll also ask what you want to get back to. On assessment, we look at movement, swelling, strength and how you manage tasks like walking, stairs or a squat. After a sporting injury we’ll also consider other structures, including the ACL.

Do I need an MRI?

It depends on what we need to find out. An MRI can be useful after an acute injury if the findings would change management, such as when a displaced tear or another injury is suspected. For gradual symptoms, the first step can often be an assessment and a plan to see how the knee responds. If you already have a scan, bring the report so we can put the findings in context.

Can I start with rehab?

Many people can start with a structured rehabilitation plan. Early priorities might be settling swelling, recovering movement and walking more comfortably. Then we work on building strength and tolerance for the tasks that matter to you, like taking stairs at work, running or getting back to training. A knee that stays locked or a suspected repairable tear after a significant injury may need early specialist review.

What does progress look like?

We’ll agree on milestones you can recognise. First that could be getting through a normal day with less swelling. Later it might be controlling a step-down, tolerating a run or changing direction confidently at training. If you’ve had a meniscus repair, follow the restrictions from your surgical team. The international rehabilitation consensus recommends considering both healing time and what you can do when progressing after repair.

If you’re unsure what to do next, read about ACL and meniscus assessment or visit our Knee Physiotherapy page. For athletes, our Football and Netball pages explain how we plan around the demands of your sport.

Written by Sam Donaldson, APA Sports and Exercise Physiotherapist.