Knee pain is something we see across all age groups, from teenagers playing sport to adults who simply notice their knee becoming stiff or painful over time. One structure commonly involved is the meniscus.
People often hear the phrase “torn cartilage” after a scan or orthopaedic appointment, but what does that actually mean? More importantly, does it always explain the pain? Not necessarily.
Inside each knee are two menisci (plural of meniscus). These are crescent-shaped pieces of cartilage that sit between the thigh bone (femur) and shin bone (tibia).
Their role is important:
Cartilage itself is a strong, flexible tissue found in several areas of the body. In the knee, the meniscus is made from a tougher type called fibrocartilage, designed to cope with repeated forces and compression.
You also have cartilage covering the ends of bones inside joints. This smoother cartilage helps bones glide against each other with minimal friction. Over time, this surface can change with ageing and osteoarthritis.
In younger individuals, meniscus injuries are often linked to sport or twisting movements. Football, rugby, skiing, and gym-based activities are common examples.
Typically, there’s a clearer mechanism of injury:
As we get older, the meniscus naturally changes. Like many tissues in the body, it becomes less resilient over time. This means meniscus changes seen on MRI scans are extremely common, even in people without pain.
In many adults over 40–50, meniscus findings are often part of broader age-related or osteoarthritic changes within the knee rather than a single “injury.”
This is important because:
A 30-year-old active male came into the clinic with ongoing knee pain following an injury a year earlier. He was still trying to play golf, tennis, and go hiking regularly, but would often experience flare-ups afterward, leaving him frustrated and confused about why his knee wasn’t improving.
Being young and otherwise healthy, he struggled mentally with not being able to perform at the level he was used to. During assessment, it became clear that fear, frustration, and constantly pushing through symptoms were contributing to the cycle.
Alongside rehabilitation and activity modification, we referred him to a sports psychologist as part of our MDT approach.
Recovery is not always just physical. Pain can affect confidence, mood, sleep, and even how people move day to day.
In this case, we worked closely within our wider MDT (multidisciplinary team). Alongside rehabilitation to improve strength and knee function, we involved a sports psychologist to help address flare ups and returning to activity.
This approach helped him:
Treatment depends on the individual, not just the scan result.
Rehabilitation may involve:
Meniscus injuries and cartilage changes are very common, but they are not always as straightforward as “something is torn.” In younger people, symptoms may relate more to a clear injury event, while in older adults they are often part of natural age-related joint changes.
Most importantly, a scan does not define what your knee is capable of. With the right assessment, guidance, and rehabilitation, many people return to exercise, sport, and daily activities successfully.
If your knee has been bothering you, getting it assessed early can help you better understand what’s going on and what the best next step looks like.
