Knee tears not always a problem for older people

A US study has found that most people who have tears of the meniscus cartilage are walking around without an apparent problem, even though they may have torn their knee cartilage – the meniscus shock absorber.

When people have suffered knee pain and stiffness they are usually referred for an MRI scan and advised to have an arthroscopy for a torn cartilage.

Now, the US study in Massachusetts has tested 1,000 people over 50 who may or may not have had knee symptoms.

The surprising results showed that meniscal tears were common in one in three people and increased up to 50% for people over 70.

In women obesity increased the risk of a meniscal tear and everyone with severe knee arthritis had a damaged meniscus.

The findings in the New England Journal of Medicine stated that most cartilage tears were in people who were symptom free.

Commenting on the study, ABC Radio National’s health expert, Dr Norman Swan, said that “you may see more than you need to when you have a scan and end up on an operating table unnecessarily.

“The answer is to question whether a scan is needed in the first place, because what you don’t know doesn’t seem to be hurting you”.