What is the management of a meniscal tear?

The management of meniscal tears is a hot topic nowadays and it is important to differentiate between an acute meniscal tear associated with symptoms of locking or uneven wear or instability or such mechanical symptoms and the chronic degenerative meniscal tears which are part of aging or wear and tear of the cartilage. The acute meniscal tears are usually have you need to be diagnosed with a clinical examination history taking and MRI scan and then based on that we decide on the best management. If it's a tear that requires repairing then it can be repaired if it's not repairable then we deprive the meniscus or remove the part that's torn. It is important to get this diagnosis as early as possible to try and get the best outcome. Most of the knee surgeons now and I would support that agree that repairing the meniscus is better from a functional point of view and from a long-term outcome point of view than depriving the meniscus if the meniscal tear is in the zone where it can be repaired. Meniscal tears unfortunately don't heal and that's why the acute tears usually require some sort of management which involves surgery. The chronic muscular tears are usually managed conservatively, unless they are causing symptoms of locking or knee giving way or instability or mechanical symptoms that are affecting the patient's ability to walk or play sports. And usually these are managed conservatively by physiotherapy to strengthen the muscles in the front of the knee and the back of the knee, as well as painkillers, creams, supports to the knee, adjustments to the footwear, loss of weight and physical activities such as walking, cycling and taking painkillers as well as injections as a last resort. Chronic tears don't do well with surgery and it has been shown that if you operate on chronic menstrual tears you can end up making the knee worse.