What is meniscus tear?
Each knee has two menisci, crescent-shaped pads of cartilage that cushion and stabilise the joint. In younger people a meniscus usually tears during a twist on a bent, weight-bearing knee, often during sport. In people over 40 the meniscus becomes less elastic and can tear with everyday movements, sometimes as part of early osteoarthritis; these are called degenerative tears and behave quite differently.
Diagnosis starts with an examination of the knee, checking for joint-line tenderness and pain on specific movements. An MRI scan is the standard way to confirm a tear and show its pattern and location, which matter because tears near the blood supply at the rim of the meniscus can sometimes be repaired, while others are better trimmed or managed without surgery.
Common symptoms
- Pain along the joint line of the knee
- Swelling that develops over hours or a day
- Catching, clicking or locking of the knee
- Difficulty fully straightening the knee
- Pain on twisting, squatting or kneeling
- A feeling of the knee giving way
How long will you wait?
A routine NHS referral for a meniscus tear typically involves a wait of a few months across clinic, MRI and any surgery, against a national median wait of 12.4 weeks and around 34% of patients waiting over 18 weeks.
Privately, you can typically see a knee specialist within 3–7 days, with an MRI within the same week and keyhole surgery, if needed, usually within 2–4 weeks.
NHS England median referral-to-treatment wait: 12.4 weeks, with 2.5 million people waiting over 18 weeks (May 2026). Individual waits vary by trust and urgency.
Treatment options
- Physiotherapy. Strengthening and movement work is the first-line treatment for most degenerative tears and settles many symptoms without surgery.
- Arthroscopic partial meniscectomy. Keyhole surgery trims the torn fragment when it is causing mechanical symptoms such as locking or catching.
- Meniscus repair. Tears in the well-supplied outer rim, especially in younger patients, can be stitched to preserve the meniscus and protect the joint long term.
- Injection therapy. A steroid injection can calm pain and swelling from a degenerative tear while rehabilitation continues.
What does private treatment cost?
As a guide, self-pay knee arthroscopy for a meniscus tear in the UK typically costs around £4,500–£6,500, with meniscus repair towards the upper end.
Does health insurance cover meniscus tear?
Private medical insurance normally covers investigation and treatment of a new meniscus tear, including MRI and keyhole surgery. Tears or knee symptoms that pre-date the policy are usually excluded as pre-existing, and where a tear is part of established osteoarthritis, insurers may treat the underlying arthritis as a separate long-term condition. Post-operative physiotherapy is generally covered within your policy's outpatient limits.
Frequently asked questions
Do all meniscus tears need an operation?
No, and many should not have one. Degenerative tears in people over 40 usually settle with physiotherapy, and research has shifted practice away from routine surgery for them. Keyhole surgery is mainly reserved for tears causing true mechanical symptoms, such as locking, or for younger patients with repairable tears.
What is the difference between trimming and repairing a meniscus?
Trimming (partial meniscectomy) removes the torn fragment and gives a quick recovery, usually a few weeks. Repair stitches the tear so it can heal, preserving the shock absorber, but recovery is slower, often three to six months, with restrictions on bending and impact. Surgeons repair whenever the tear pattern and blood supply make healing likely.
Will a meniscus tear lead to arthritis?
Losing meniscal tissue increases load on the joint surface, which over years can contribute to osteoarthritis; this is why surgeons preserve the meniscus where possible. A single small tear, well managed, does not make arthritis inevitable. Keeping strong, active and a healthy weight is the best protection for the joint.
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