What are the symptoms of a torn meniscus?

Written by Dr Sean Leo, a consultant orthopaedic surgeon whose clinical focus is the knee, sports injuries and the lower limb.

Last updated: 9 October 2026.

A torn meniscus often causes pain along the joint line (the line where the thigh bone and shin bone meet, on the inner or outer side of the knee) and swelling that may build over a day or so. Some people find the knee will not fully straighten at times.

What are the symptoms of a torn meniscus?

A torn meniscus often causes pain along the joint line (the line where the thigh bone and shin bone meet, on the inner or outer side of the knee) and swelling that may build over a day or so.

• Some people also notice stiffness, clicking, catching (the feeling that something is snagging inside the knee as it moves), or the knee giving way (a brief loss of control or support, as though the knee lets you down).
• Some people find the knee will not fully straighten at times.
• Each meniscus is a C-shaped cartilage pad that cushions the knee. Each knee has two, one on the inner side and one on the outer side.

More on how symptoms can show up

The swelling that comes with a meniscus tear tends to develop more gradually over about a day. Symptoms can also be insidious, meaning they build quietly, with low-grade swelling and stiffness over several days.

Mechanical symptoms such as locking, catching, grinding and giving way can also occur.

What does this page cover?

• What are the symptoms of a torn meniscus?
• Does a popping sensation mean a meniscus tear?
• Who is more likely to injure a meniscus?
• Which scan is used for a meniscus tear?
• What helps a painful, swollen knee in the early days?
• When can a meniscus tear be managed without surgery?
• When is surgery assessed?
• When should a knee problem be checked urgently?
• What is worth discussing at an assessment?

Does a popping sensation mean a meniscus tear?

Not on its own. A pop felt at the moment of a twisting injury, followed by quick swelling, can go with an injury to the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL, a main stabilising ligament inside the knee), sometimes together with a meniscus tear.

• A pop does not identify a meniscus tear by itself.

Who is more likely to injure a meniscus?

Sports with cutting, pivoting and landing, and work with heavy lifting, kneeling or deep squatting, are linked with a higher risk of meniscus injury. This is an association, not a prediction for any one person.

• Repetitive cutting, pivoting and landing in sport is linked with higher risk.
• Work involving lifting and carrying heavy loads, kneeling, deep squatting or a high volume of climbing is also linked with higher risk.

Which scan is used for a meniscus tear?

MRI (magnetic resonance imaging, a detailed scan of the knee) is described as the best form of imaging to diagnose and characterise meniscal tears (StatPearls).

• Read how a tear is assessed on the meniscus repair surgery page.

What helps a painful, swollen knee in the early days?

For a painful, swollen knee, early care often follows RICE: rest, ice, compression and elevation. Gentle pain-free movement can help limit stiffness.

• Bracing or a knee sleeve may be used for protection and compression.
• Early pain-free knee and ankle movement may help limit loss of motion and help control swelling.
• Pain relievers such as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are sometimes used to ease pain and swelling. Ask a doctor or pharmacist whether they suit you.

More on where this guidance comes from

The RICE approach is described in a StatPearls clinical review. That review describes RICE as the initial treatment for an acutely painful, swollen knee in which a meniscal tear is suspected. It also says oral pain relievers and NSAIDs may be prescribed to reduce pain and swelling.

When can a meniscus tear be managed without surgery?

Degenerative (wear-related) tears can be treated with comparable results by either a non-operative approach, including physical therapy, or surgery. Because of this, non-operative treatment including physical therapy is recommended as the first approach for those tears. Simple tears in the outer, blood-supplied part of the meniscus may also be managed this way first.

• This applies to wear-related tears, and to simple tears in the outer part of the meniscus.
• It does not extend to every tear.

When is surgery assessed?

People with persistent pain, swelling or mechanical symptoms (such as locking or catching) despite non-operative care should be assessed for potential surgery.

• Assessment for surgery is a step to weigh options, not a decision that surgery is needed.
• Read about knee arthroscopy.

When should a knee problem be checked urgently?

What is worth discussing at an assessment?

If knee symptoms are bothering you and you want to know whether the meniscus could be involved, an assessment is the place to find out. It brings together what happened, an examination and any imaging that helps, so that you and your clinician can decide what to do next. The decision is usually thought through in three parts: the structure (what is affected and where), the patient (age, activity and general health) and the goal (what you want to be able to do). An appointment supports an informed decision. It is not a commitment to surgery.

• Read how a meniscus tear is assessed and treated on the meniscus repair surgery page.
• Watch the video on knee locking and why it happens suddenly.
• Browse the Knee Hub for other knee problems.
• Read about what the meniscus does in the knee.
• Read about what knee popping and cracking can mean.
• Read about meniscus injury in athletes.

References

1. Raj MA, Bubnis MA. Knee Meniscal Tears. StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing. Bookshelf ID NBK431067. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK431067/ Last updated: July 17, 2023.
2. Kopf S, Beaufils P, Hirschmann MT, et al. Management of traumatic meniscus tears: the 2019 ESSKA meniscus consensus. Knee Surg Sports Traumatol Arthrosc. 2020;28(4):1177–1194. doi:10.1007/s00167-020-05847-3. PMID:32052121. PMCID:PMC7148286.
3. Fox AJS, Wanivenhaus F, Burge AJ, Warren RF, Rodeo SA. The human meniscus: a review of anatomy, function, injury, and advances in treatment. Clin Anat. 2015;28(2):269–287. doi:10.1002/ca.22456. PMID:25125315.
4. Prill R, et al. EU-US Meniscus Rehabilitation 2024 Consensus, Part II. Knee Surg Sports Traumatol Arthrosc. 2025;33(8):3014–3024. doi:10.1002/ksa.12689.