A meniscal tear can cause knee pain, swelling, stiffness, clicking, catching, locking, instability, and difficulty squatting or fully straightening the knee.
Knee pain, swelling, or catching may be signs of a meniscal tear. Dr. Siefferman discusses how these injuries are diagnosed and the treatment options that can help restore mobility and function.
Our team organizes conditions and treatments into related zones of expertise to make it easier to explore the care paths most relevant to your symptoms and goals.
Use the zone tags above to browse dedicated pages for each focus area, including services, providers, and what to expect during treatment.
Hi, I’m Dr. Jason Siefferman, medical director at Manhattan Pain Medicine. The meniscus is two rings which are cushions inside of the knee joint and it’s a cushion for the knee this way, but it also facilitates the bending of the knee. Now, the meniscus can tear and it can degenerate with use. This can happen for a variety of reasons.
When the meniscus is torn, it usually doesn’t happen in isolation. It’s very difficult to tear the meniscus without some sprain to the stabilizing ligaments. And this is important because there’s going to be extra motion on the meniscus. When we think about the meniscus and we think about the knee joint specifically, it’s meant to bend a certain way. It’s not meant to hyperextend. It’s not meant to bend off to the side like this. So if that joint is able to do these things because of primary laxity from Ehlers-Danlos, Hypermobility Spectrum Disorder, or from a chronic injury that never really healed, the meniscus will tear.
It will wear down. So prior to pursuing any primary treatment for the meniscus, we really want to evaluate the joint. We want to understand why the joint had a meniscal tear in the first place, fix that and then often the meniscus will calm down on its own or we can use regenerative medicine to heal the meniscus.
A meniscal tear is an injury to one of the C-shaped cartilage structures that cushion and help stabilize the knee between the thighbone and shinbone. A torn meniscus can cause pain, swelling, stiffness, catching, locking, giving way, blocked motion, and difficulty fully straightening the knee.
Meniscal tears may happen suddenly after twisting, pivoting, or deep knee bending, or they may develop gradually with degeneration and arthritis.
Knee pain should be evaluated carefully because similar symptoms can also come from ligament injury, cartilage damage, arthritis, tendon pain, hypermobility, referred hip or spine pain, or chronic pain sensitization.
At Manhattan Pain Medicine, evaluation begins by determining whether the meniscal tear is truly the primary pain generator or one part of a broader knee, hip, spine, or hypermobility pattern.
For patients looking for meniscus tear treatment in Manhattan, MPM evaluates knee pain, swelling, stiffness, clicking, catching, locking, instability, range of motion, imaging findings, arthritis, ligament injury, tendon pain, cartilage injury, EDS, and hypermobility-related joint instability.
Care may include diagnostic ultrasound, ultrasound-guided injections, PRP, BMAC, prolotherapy, regenerative medicine discussions, rehabilitation coordination, and orthopedic referral when mechanical symptoms or structural damage require surgical evaluation.
Many patients arrive with an MRI showing a meniscal tear and assume that the tear explains all of their knee pain. Sometimes it does. Other times, the tear is one finding among several possible pain drivers. Knee pain may also come from arthritis, ligament injury, cartilage damage, patellofemoral pain, tendon irritation, joint instability, hypermobility, referred hip or spine pain, or chronic pain sensitization.
MPM uses a diagnosis-first approach to clarify the source of pain before recommending treatment. The evaluation looks at whether symptoms match the meniscal finding, whether true mechanical locking is present, whether swelling or instability suggests another structure, and whether a diagnostic or image-guided injection may help clarify the pain source. This helps patients avoid both undertreatment and unnecessary escalation when another condition may be contributing.
Meniscal tears fit within MPM’s Musculoskeletal issues Zone of Expertise, with important overlap in Hypermobility when EDS, joint laxity, instability, repeated injuries, or compensatory movement patterns are present. This matters because the meniscus helps cushion and stabilize the knee, but symptoms may also involve ligament laxity, altered mechanics, arthritis, cartilage injury, tendon pain, or referred pain.
MPM uses the Zones of Expertise framework to evaluate whether symptoms appear meniscal, ligament-related, arthritic, tendon-related, instability-related, nerve-related, referred from the hip or spine, or mixed. For some patients, the meniscal tear is the main pain generator. For others, the tear is one part of a broader knee and movement pattern that requires coordinated care.
I cannot say enough good things about Manhattan Pain Medicine. From the moment I walked in, I felt truly cared for and taken seriously. Dr. Nino Mikaberidze, Director of Rheumatology, is exceptional — knowledgeable, compassionate, and incredibly thorough. She takes the time to listen, explains every...
The best care I've received as a chronic pain patient. I traveled from out of state to visit Manhattan Pain Medicine because I could not find knowledgeable doctors in my hometown for my hypermobility, and Ehlers-Danlos syndrome symptoms and comorbidities. Let me tell you, it was worth every travel e...
I was injured in a bicycle accident over 8 years ago. I’ve suffered throughout the years since my accident with nothing seeming to work. PT, Yoga, lifestyle changes, NOTHNG! I finally made an appointment with Dr Kane and I’m feeling an improvement in my life. I no longer stay up all night in pain, a...
One of the best experiences, if not the best, I have ever had at the doctor’s office. From the front desk to the nurses to the PA assisting the doctor this was a great experience. Dr.Nino actually listened to me and came up with a game plan. Would recommend this practice to as many people as I could...
I have very unique & severe nerve pain from CRPS which has no known specific cure. Dr. Siefferman has a huge tool box, far greater than the other 23 Drs. I have seen. He saved me from jumping off a bridge and continues to help me with both treatments and advice. Dr. S. is in a different league!
After two years of searching and feeling lost and let down, I finally found real help at Manhattan Pain Medicine. With Dr. Siefferman, Adam Rosenberg, Dr. Mikaberidze, and the whole team, I feel heard, supported and understood. Every symptom is being considered and I’m finally getting answers with m...
Why is Dr Dr. Tayyaba Ahmed one of the top pevic Floor specialists - 1- She wants to know a full history of what led the patient to get to this point. 2 - She listens intensley to the patient 3- She does not rush you 4- Extremely skilled at giving pelvic floor injections 5- I thank my luck stars she...
The staff was friendly and helpful. Dr. Siefferman was thoughtful, listened, asked questions and proposed simple safe ways to come to further conclusions regarding my pain and discomfort. The office staff including Dr. Siefferman is responsive even after the initial in-person visit. Very pleased.
Dr. Siefferman is a brilliant provider. While my pain is still a work in progress, Dr Siefferman always gives me options and explains his reasoning behind things. He listens to my feedback and concerns. I never feel rushed; and am grateful he works to meet me where I am. I highly recommend him.
What a great find! They listen to me, I listen to them and the diagnosis is made and a plan developed to develop an approach to treat all of my chronic pain. I wish I could have discovered this type of treatment sooner. This doctor and group give me hope.
A meniscal tear is an injury to one of the menisci, the C-shaped cartilage structures that cushion the knee between the thighbone and shinbone. The menisci help absorb force, support smooth movement, and contribute to knee stability. A tear may happen suddenly during twisting, pivoting, sports, or deep knee bending, or it may develop gradually with degeneration or arthritis. A torn meniscus can cause pain, swelling, stiffness, catching, locking, giving way, blocked motion, and difficulty fully straightening the knee. (Mayo Clinic)
A meniscus tear may feel like knee pain, swelling, stiffness, clicking, catching, locking, or a sensation that the knee gives way. Some patients feel pain with twisting, pivoting, stairs, squatting, kneeling, sports, or deep knee bending. Others notice that the knee does not fully straighten or feels blocked. AAOS lists pain, stiffness, swelling, catching or locking, giving way, and inability to move the knee through full range of motion as common symptoms. (OrthoInfo) Similar symptoms can also occur with arthritis, ligament injury, cartilage damage, tendon pain, or patellofemoral pain.
Meniscal tears may occur from sudden trauma, such as twisting, pivoting, turning, or deep knee bending, especially during sports or activity. They can also develop gradually from degeneration or wear and tear, particularly in people with knee arthritis. Mayo Clinic Sports Medicine notes that meniscus damage can occur from sudden trauma or gradually as part of degeneration. (Mayo Clinic Orthopedics) Cleveland Clinic notes that people with knee arthritis are more prone to meniscus tears. (Cleveland Clinic) Hypermobility, EDS, ligament laxity, and joint instability may also contribute to repeated knee stress in selected patients.
Some meniscal tears improve with nonsurgical care, especially when symptoms are not severe, the knee remains stable, and there is no true locking or major mechanical block. Conservative care may include rest, avoiding twisting or pivoting, ice, compression, elevation, bracing, activity modification, and physical therapy. Treatment depends on tear type, location, size, age, activity goals, knee stability, arthritis, and symptoms. Some tears require orthopedic evaluation, especially when there is true locking, a root tear, major trauma, persistent mechanical symptoms, or failure of appropriate nonsurgical care.
A meniscal tear is evaluated through medical history, physical examination, knee movement testing, assessment of swelling and mechanical symptoms, imaging review, and MRI when appropriate. The clinician may evaluate joint line tenderness, range of motion, catching, locking, stability, gait, and whether symptoms match imaging findings. Diagnostic ultrasound may help assess selected findings such as joint effusion, meniscal extrusion, or nearby soft tissue structures, but MRI is commonly used for internal meniscal detail. In selected cases, diagnostic injections may help clarify whether knee pain is coming from the joint.
Diagnostic ultrasound may help evaluate selected knee findings, including joint effusion, soft tissue structures, and meniscal extrusion, and it may guide certain injections. It can be useful when a clinician needs dynamic or point-of-care information about the knee and surrounding tissues. However, ultrasound does not replace MRI for detailed internal meniscal assessment in many cases. MPM uses diagnostic ultrasound when it may help clarify the pain generator, evaluate surrounding structures, or improve precision for ultrasound-guided procedures. The test is selected based on the clinical question.
PRP, BMAC, and prolotherapy may be considered in selected cases after the diagnosis, anatomy, tear pattern, arthritis burden, symptoms, risks, and goals are reviewed. These options should not be described as guaranteed meniscus repair, cartilage restoration, arthritis reversal, or a replacement for surgery when surgery is medically indicated. PRP evidence for meniscal injuries continues to evolve, and appropriateness varies by patient and tear type. MPM discusses regenerative options carefully as part of a diagnosis-first plan, not as automatic treatment for every meniscal tear.
Orthopedic referral may be appropriate for true locking, inability to fully straighten the knee, significant mechanical symptoms, major traumatic tears, suspected root tears, severe instability, advanced structural damage, inability to bear weight, or symptoms that persist despite appropriate nonsurgical care. Surgery may also be considered when the tear pattern and symptoms suggest that repair or arthroscopy may be needed. AAOS notes that physical therapy and corticosteroid injections may relieve symptoms but do not repair the structural tear itself. (OrthoInfo) MPM can help coordinate referral when surgical evaluation is appropriate.
Before care begins, our team helps patients understand the practical side of treatment, including insurance verification, out-of-network benefits, cost-share estimates, self-pay options, and billing questions. We believe patients should have as much clarity as possible before moving forward.
A meniscal tear is an injury to one of the menisci, the C-shaped cartilage structures that sit between the thighbone and shinbone. Each knee has two menisci. They help cushion the joint, distribute load, and support knee stability. When a meniscus is torn, patients may feel pain, swelling, stiffness, clicking, catching, locking, giving way, or difficulty fully straightening the knee.
A meniscal tear may happen suddenly during a twisting or pivoting movement, especially when the foot is planted and the knee rotates. It may also occur during sports, deep squatting, kneeling, or trauma. In other patients, the tear develops gradually as the meniscus weakens with age, arthritis, or degeneration.
A traumatic meniscal tear often happens during a specific injury. The patient may remember a twist, pop, or sudden pain, followed by swelling, stiffness, or difficulty continuing activity. This is common in sports and activity-related knee injuries.
A degenerative meniscal tear may develop more gradually. Patients may not remember a single injury. Symptoms may appear with stairs, squatting, walking, twisting, or prolonged activity. Degenerative tears often occur in knees that also have arthritis or cartilage wear. People with knee arthritis may be more prone to meniscal tears.
This distinction matters because treatment may differ. A young athlete with a traumatic tear and mechanical symptoms may need a different care pathway than a patient with degenerative meniscal findings and knee arthritis.
MRI can be helpful for identifying meniscal tears and related knee pathology. However, the presence of a meniscal tear on imaging does not always prove it is the main pain source. Some tears are highly symptomatic. Others may be incidental or part of a broader degenerative knee pattern.
MPM evaluates whether the imaging matches the symptoms. The exam considers pain location, swelling, range of motion, mechanical catching or locking, ligament stability, strength, gait, arthritis signs, patellofemoral pain, tendon involvement, hypermobility, and referred pain from the hip or spine. The goal is not to treat the MRI report. The goal is to treat the patient’s actual pain generator.
Knee pain can come from many sources. A patient with clicking or pain may have a meniscal tear, but similar symptoms can also come from arthritis, cartilage injury, ligament strain, patellofemoral pain, tendon irritation, bursitis, nerve irritation, referred hip pain, referred spine pain, or inflammatory arthritis.
True locking, where the knee cannot fully straighten because of a mechanical block, is different from occasional clicking or discomfort. True locking may require orthopedic evaluation, especially when it follows injury or is associated with significant swelling or loss of motion.
Hypermobility can make meniscal and knee symptoms more complex. Patients with EDS or hypermobility spectrum disorder may have increased joint laxity, altered movement control, and greater reliance on muscles for stability. This can place extra stress on ligaments, tendons, cartilage, and the meniscus.
In these cases, care may need to address stability, proprioception, load management, and movement patterns, not only pain. A patient with hypermobility-related knee pain may need a different plan than a patient with an isolated traumatic meniscal tear.
MPM begins with a detailed history and physical examination. This includes how symptoms started, whether there was a twisting injury, where the pain is located, whether the knee swells, whether it catches or locks, whether the patient can fully straighten the knee, and what activities are limited.
The exam may evaluate joint line tenderness, range of motion, swelling, ligament stability, patellar tracking, strength, gait, and functional movements such as squatting or stepping. Imaging is reviewed in context. MRI may be useful for internal meniscal detail. Diagnostic ultrasound may help assess selected findings such as effusion, meniscal extrusion, or surrounding soft tissue and may guide injections when appropriate.
Treatment depends on the tear type, symptoms, mechanical features, arthritis burden, age, activity goals, and knee stability. Conservative care may include rest, activity modification, avoiding twisting or pivoting, ice, compression, elevation, bracing, medication management, and physical therapy. Treatment often begins with avoiding aggravating activities and using supportive measures such as ice when appropriate.
Physical therapy may focus on restoring motion, reducing swelling, improving strength, improving control, and gradually returning to activity. For degenerative tears, the plan may also need to address arthritis and long-term load management.
In selected patients, ultrasound-guided or image-guided injections may be considered for pain control, inflammation, or diagnostic clarification. Steroid injections may reduce inflammation and symptoms in selected cases but do not repair the tear itself. AAOS notes that physical therapy and corticosteroid injections may relieve symptoms but do not address the structural injury. (OrthoInfo)
Some patients ask about PRP, BMAC, prolotherapy, or regenerative medicine. These may be discussed only after reviewing the tear pattern, arthritis burden, anatomy, symptoms, goals, risks, and evidence. They should not be presented as guaranteed meniscus repair, cartilage restoration, arthritis reversal, or a substitute for surgery when surgery is medically indicated.
Orthopedic referral may be appropriate when there is true locking, inability to fully straighten the knee, major traumatic tear, suspected root tear, persistent mechanical symptoms, severe functional limitation, or failure of appropriate nonsurgical care. Surgery may also be needed when structural damage requires repair or when symptoms remain significant despite a careful treatment plan.
MPM does not frame surgery as failure. For selected patients, orthopedic evaluation and arthroscopy may be the appropriate next step.
Knee pain should be evaluated when symptoms persist, worsen, limit walking or activity, cause true locking, catching, instability, swelling, inability to fully straighten the knee, or follow trauma. Urgent evaluation is important for inability to bear weight, major swelling after injury, visible deformity, fever, redness, calf swelling, loss of pulses, new weakness or numbness, or rapidly worsening pain.
MPM approaches meniscal tears through a diagnosis-first, coordinated model. The evaluation considers meniscal injury, arthritis, ligament instability, cartilage injury, tendon pain, hypermobility, EDS, referred hip or spine pain, peripheral nerve irritation, and chronic pain sensitization.
For patients looking for meniscus tear treatment in Manhattan, MPM offers a careful pain medicine perspective that can work alongside physical therapy, orthopedics, sports medicine, and rehabilitation. The goal is to determine whether the meniscal tear is the true pain generator, clarify whether nonsurgical care is appropriate, and coordinate referral when structural treatment may be needed.
