Your Meniscus Weighs Less Than a Nickel. Here’s Why It Matters

Meniscus Anatomy and Function: More Than a Shock Absorber #shorts Your meniscus weighs only a few grams, but that small crescent of tissue helps decide how long your knee will last. Each knee has two menisci, medial and lateral: C-shaped pads of fibrocartilage between the femur and the tibia. Cut across, each one is a wedge, thick at the outer rim and thin toward the center. The real engineering is inside. Most of the collagen fibers run circumferentially, around the C, like the hoops of a barrel. What happens when you stand, walk, or squat? Your femur pushes down and the wedge tries to extrude outward - circumferential fibers resist the push, and compression is converted into hoop tension within the ring. The load is spread across a broad area of articular cartilage instead of one small point. This is why tear pattern matters so much. A radial tear that reaches the rim, or a root tear, breaks the hoop, and your #meniscus can no longer hold tension, and contact pressure on the cartilage concentrates, which over time can accelerate degenerative change. It's also why we save it whenever we can. Repair versus partial meniscectomy depends on the tear pattern, its location and blood supply, tissue quality, and the patient’s age and goals. Many degenerative tears settle with time and therapy, and some damaged tissue still needs to be trimmed. If your knee catches, locks, or swells after a twist, get it evaluated early. Protecting the meniscus is protecting your cartilage. SHARE your #meniscustear experience & insights #KneeHealth #OrthopaedicSurgery . 📲 SUBSCRIBE NOW for new #surgery videos 𝗖𝗢𝗥𝗬 𝗖𝗔𝗟𝗘𝗡𝗗𝗜𝗡𝗘, 𝗠𝗗 | Orthopedic Surgeon · Franklin/Nashville, Tennessee 🌐 corycalendinemd.com/ 📅 Free joint replacement guide: corycalendinemd.com/free-joint-replacement-guide/ 🌐 See Dr. Calendine in your Google & AI search results: corycalendinemd.com/preferred 📍 Bone and Joint Institute of Tennessee · 3000 Edward Curd Lane, Franklin, TN 37067 📞 (615) 791-2630 About Dr. Cory Calendine, MD - 3000 Edward Curd Lane, Franklin, TN 37067 In the operating room, I get to perform more than 700 hip & knee replacement surgeries each year. From LIVE surgical demos to viral video highlights, together let's explore - react - discuss all things related to bone and joint health. #orthopedicsurgeon #jointreplacement THANK YOU for your comments, questions and suggestions. If there’s a medical topic or question you want me to discuss, please comment below. We are building a library of orthopedic medical video content focused on your requests and responses. 📽️ Watch latest hip & knee surgery videos ▶️    / @bonedoctor_youtube   𝐋𝐄𝐓'𝐒 𝐂𝐎𝐍𝐍𝐄𝐂𝐓: TikTok ▶️ www.tiktok.com/@corycalendinemd LinkTree ▶️ linktr.ee/corycalendinemd 𝐃𝐈𝐒𝐂𝐋𝐀𝐈𝐌𝐄𝐑𝐒: Opinions expressed are solely my own and do not express the views or opinions of my employer. Information in this video is not intended or implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis and/or treatment. All content [images, digital graphics, text, and other information] contained in this video is for general information purposes only and does not replace or substitute for a consultation with a qualified physician or health professional.