When To Call A Professional

Call your doctor to schedule an evaluation whenever an injured knee:

• Locks, catches or can't be fully extended

• Becomes very painful or swollen

• Makes a click, pop or grinding sound when you move it

• Buckles, gives way or feels generally weak

Prognosis

In most cases, the outlook is very good. If your torn meniscus has been repaired surgically or partially removed, you probably will be able to resume your normal athletic activities once you've finished physical therapy.

According to long-term studies, most people who have had a meniscus repaired feel very satisfied with the results of their surgery, even 10 or 11 years after the procedure. However, some people with meniscus injuries eventually develop arthritis in the injured knee; typically, this develops many years after the injury. The highest risk is among those who've had a part or all of the meniscus removed, because these surgeries take away some or all of the cushioning effect of the meniscus.

Additional Info

National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases Information Clearinghouse 1 AMS Circle Bethesda, MD 20892-3675 Phone: (301) 495-4484 Toll-Free: (877) 226-4267 Fax: (301) 718-6366 TTY: (301) 565-2966 http://www.niams.nih.gov/

National Rehabilitation Information Center (NARIC) 4200 Forbes Boulevard Suite 202 Lanham, MD 20706 Phone: (301) 459-5900 http://www.naric.com/naric/

American Orthopedic Society for Sports Medicine 6300 North River Rd. Suite 200 Rosemont, IL 60018 Phone: (847) 292-4900 Toll-Free: (877) 321-3500 Fax: (847) 292-4905 http://www.sportsmed.org/

National Athletic Trainers' Association 2952 Stemmons Freeway Dallas, TX 75247-6196 Phone: (214) 637-6282 Fax: (214) 637-2206 http://www.nata.org/

American Physical Therapy Association 1111 North Fairfax St. Alexandria, VA 22314-1488 Phone: (703) 684-2782 Toll-Free: (800) 999-2782 Fax: (703) 684-7343 http://www.apta.org/