title: Medial meniscus tear morphology and related clinical symptoms in patients with medial knee osteoarthritis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The objective of this study was to examine the association between clinical symptoms and arthroscopic meniscal findings in patients with early to moderate medial knee osteoarthritis.
  
  
  METHODS
  One hundred and four patients (110 knees) were selected from a group of 132 patients (140 knees) aged ≥50 years who underwent arthroscopic surgery for medial meniscal tears. Inclusion criteria were as follows: (a) medial knee osteoarthritis and (b) simple medial meniscal tears extending to ≥1/4 of the meniscal margin. Subjective symptoms, location and nature of the pain, as well as the physical findings observed during initial assessment were evaluated using a standardized assessment chart. The relationship between arthroscopic meniscal findings and clinical symptoms was then analysed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Isolated meniscal tears were classified into four types: radial tear of the middle segment; posterior root tear; horizontal tear of the posterior segment; and flap tear. The following symptoms were reported at significantly higher frequencies: pain on standing and a catching sensation in patients with flap tears; pain on walking and nocturnal pain on rolling over in bed in patients with radial tears of the middle segment; and popliteal pain in patients with posterior root tears.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study demonstrates a relationship between the type of medial meniscal tear and characteristic clinical symptoms reported by patients with medial knee osteoarthritis. These results suggest that clinical symptoms in patients with osteoarthritis of the knee may be caused by meniscal tears. This evidence may help to better inform patients and surgeons regarding choice of treatment.
  
  
  METHODS
  Case control study, Level III.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Tohoku University School of Medicine, 1-1 Seiryo-machi, Aoba-ku, Sendai, Miyagi Prefecture, 980-8574, Japan.
authors.forename: Masayuki
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kamimura
authors.forename: Jutaro
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Umehara
authors.forename: Atsushi
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Takahashi
authors.forename: Toshimi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Aizawa
authors.forename: Eiji
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Itoi
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D018771:Arthralgia / Q000209:etiology*; D001182:Arthroscopy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008592:Menisci, Tibial / Q000601:surgery; D020370:Osteoarthritis, Knee / Q000209:etiology*; D012737:Sex Factors; D000070600:Tibial Meniscus Injuries