A frayed meniscus is when the edges of the cartilage have become worn over time.
A partial or full meniscus tear is a more profound and sudden pulling apart of the cartilage.
(It would be like attempting to sew shredded ends of a piece of fabric back together.)
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Its purpose is to cushion the joint.
The meniscus can get torn, but not all tears are the same.
Thetype of teardetermines how much damage there is to your knee and what your recovery will be like.
Degenerative Meniscus Tears
As you age, the strength of your tissue changes.
Just as your skin getswrinkledand your hair turns gray, your meniscus changes over time.
The tissue gets weaker and more brittle.
When meniscus tears happen from age, they are called degenerative meniscus tears.
The symptoms typically start without a major injury.
Trying to repair a frayed meniscus surgically is like sewing together frayed fabricthe tissue won’t hold together.
The tissue is rubbery and robust.
When it tears, it tends to do so without the frayed edges that happen in older people.
The tissue also tends to tear in a single line rather than in multiple directions.
These types of tears are often better suited forsurgical repair.
The blood supply to the outer one-third of the meniscus contains the blood vessels required for healing.
Tears that extend beyond this area are less likely to heal, with or without surgery.
A more profound tear that extends through the meniscus is unstable.
An unstable teareven one that is surrounded by healthy tissue and a good blood supplymight not heal.
Unstable tears tend to pull apart or cause symptoms before a lot of healing has taken place.
Surgery can stabilize some meniscus tears.
When Do Meniscus Tears Need Surgery?
Alternatives to Surgery
Some meniscus tears will get better without surgery.
For example, a degenerative meniscus tear will often have symptoms that improve over time and never require surgery.
Research has shown that older patients often respond well tophysical therapyas first-line treatment for symptoms of a meniscus tear.
Summary
Meniscus tears or a frayed meniscus are common knee injuries, especially as people get older.
These injuries sometimes require surgery, but not always.
Some tears can heal on their own or with physical therapy.
A frayed meniscus is more tricky to fix with surgery than a full meniscus tear.
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