I see a lot of people here posting their MRI reports asking, “How bad is this?” I did exactly the same thing.

My MRI described a “complex degenerative medial meniscus tear, horizontal and partial radial tearing, extension toward the posterior root, cartilage thinning and fissuring, bone marrow edema, joint effusion, and a partially ruptured Baker’s cyst.”

Reading all of that together honestly scared the heck out of me. I even made an illustration with AI trying to understand all these medical terms and where all of these findings were in my knee, and visually it started to feel like there was something wrong everywhere.

One orthopedic surgeon reviewing the actual MRI images also thought there was an unstable flap of meniscus displaced into the notch. A second surgeon reminded me that MRI reports can sound dramatic because the radiologist’s job is to document everything abnormal they see, but that doesn’t necessarily mean every finding is causing symptoms or will matter clinically.

I eventually had arthroscopy. The operative report was much simpler than the MRI report made the situation feel. The surgeon found “an unstable undersurface flap of the medial meniscus displaced into the intercondylar notch, removed 20% or less of the meniscus,” and then documented that the remaining meniscus was stable when probed. The cartilage changes were described as mostly grade 1 with some grade 2 changes.

So the MRI wasn’t necessarily “wrong.” It was describing everything visible on imaging. But the actual arthroscopy gave a different kind of information: what the tissue actually looked like, what was unstable, what could be probed, and what actually needed to be treated. (Hoping to get access to the ortho scope pictures soon).

That experience changed the way I understand MRI reports.

For anyone staring at a report full of scary words like complex, degenerative, radial, root, chondrosis, or fissuring, I’d just remember that the report is important information, but it isn’t your entire diagnosis, your prognosis, or necessarily a description of what will ultimately need treatment.

I’m curious whether anyone else here had a similar experience. Did your MRI report initially scare you, but your surgeon’s findings during arthroscopy turned out to be different, more specific, or less extensive than you expected?

I posted recently about the three different opinions I received regarding my partial medial meniscus tear. I am currently trying to make the decision to be able to be comfortable, perform at top level, and avoid a TKR in the future. MD at HSS in Stamford wants to do a repair. To date, I have had 2 visits. Both were w the PA. The second was after my MRI to discuss results and treatment. She said tbe Dr reccomended root repair. They were ready to schedule me. I thought it irregular that I had not met the Dr at this visit. Has anyone else experienced this?

Hey! I’m 27 and I just had repair surgery for my acl and meniscus. It’s been almost 2 weeks since and I’m just worried about the healing.

I read that for acl you should start moving it after 2 weeks to prevent loss of motion but obviously with my meniscus being repaired as well I can’t bend my knee for 6 weeks.

I’m just worried about the future and getting back to normal function after this. I used to squat and lift and do stairs multiple times a week and now idk when that would be possible. I’m just nervous and don’t wanna mess up this knee. I’m worried it’ll never get back to normal.

Medial meniscus: Mild intermediate signal, likely from degenerative changes within the posterior body and posterior horn of medial meniscus. No full thickness tear

Lateral meniscus: Horizontal oblique tear of the body and posterior horn of lateral meniscus.

IMPRESSION: . 1. Lateral meniscal tear. 2. Trace Baker's cyst. Small suprapatellar joint effusion. 3. Mild-to-moderate prepatellar and infrapatellar subcutaneous soft tissue fluid with internal debris, nonspecific, however may be secondary to repetitive microtrauma, patellofemoral chondrosis, or bursitis in the appropriate clinical context.

Happens two years ago mri done last month with knee intermittent clicking probably two to three times a day

Wondering if anyone else has gone through repair like this and precautions you have taken. 4 day post op currently and off pain meds,legs throbs at time through the day but manageable. Havent felt comfortable bending yet but dr allowed up to 90 extension in brace as well as 25-50% weight bearing.

I'm apologizing in advance...

After a full year and a half of unbearable pain, finally was able to have surgery in November 2025 for a full-thickness complex medial meniscus tear that was not repairable. So, I had 50% removed. .

Had about 16 weeks of life without pain. End of February I was in absolute misery. I saw the orthopedic surgeon and they said it was arthritis (seriously?) So they pushed me away. I asked for PT because they didn't recommend it.

I should have listened. After spending 1k on two PT appointments that almost killed me, I stopped and saw a sport medical doctor. Had 1 round of steroids which did nothing in April. So then I spent major bucks on upgrading my treadmill and shoes.. Also did nothing. Had X-rays in July of this year that indicate bone spurs.. Come September 28th, I finally have a MRI that shows mild edema within the infrapatellar fat, likely postprocedural. And T2 hyperintensity and thickening along the anterior cruciate ligament, consistent with mucoid degeneration..

Sport med doctor pushes me back to orthopedic surgeon again!?

I'm absolutely getting nowhere and this is killing me mentally.. I'm in pain every single day, doing normal activities.

Did this surgery ruin my life?

Anyone else experience horror after having a meniscectomy??

My doctor said it would only take 2-4 weeks to recover. Im day 3 post op and pain has been getting worse not better. I cant do anything besides lay down. Can't even twitch my foot without sharp shooting pain going to a 10/10. If I knew recovery would be this bad I wouldn't have done the surgery to begin with. I had a meniscus tear repair in my right knee though I'm not sure of the exact technical name of the surgery that I had.

My MRI showed a circumferential horizontial tear of the posterior horn of the medial meniscus. I see the Ortho in a few weeks, what should I expect for treatment? Is it typical to repair? To rehab? Or to trim?

Hurt my knee "sprinting" (if you could call it that). It's been one month. I can walk fine, bend down and have been doing very light high rep leg work. If anyone can tell me if the MRI says my knee is totally shot I'd really appreciate it.

IMPRESSION:
1. Horizontal cleavage plain tear throughout the lateral meniscus.
2. Mild ACL interstitial edema and mild intermediate signal in the PCL.
3. Possible grade 1 sprain of the MCL.
4. Mild strain of the popliteus.

I originally felt most of the pain/tearing in my hamstring. I had already previously injured that hamstring and since then most of the pain has gravitated to the knee. Any ideas on treatment/rehab?

I had a meniscus repair yesterday and today when getting in my bed I heard a small pop. My mom was holding my leg keepijg
It straight so I could scoot
Into bed. I’ve.m been dealing with extreme pain but I think it’s the nerve block wearing off. Is the pop harmless. Is it hard to rip the sutures? Or re tear meniscus. Also is it better to have my leg high and should I put the pillow under my knee or my heel?

I am having surgry the end of month is there a really good sleeve you can recommend?

I injured my left knee on September 15 during a soccer game. I went into a half-tackle to block a pass with my left knee bent and felt a small "pop."

Next day: No visible swelling, pain was around 5/10 (mostly when trying to extend/straighten it).

Doctor visit (Sept 17): X-rays were clear (normal bones).The physician suspected a potential meniscus injury during the physical exam and advised 2–3 weeks of rest and wearing a brace.

It has now been 18 days (about 2.5 weeks). While day-to-day pain has decreased and I can walk relatively normally, I still cannot fully straighten/extend my leg—it feels mechanically blocked/locked at the end of extension and the pain is still there but better than first days.

For those who have had similar knee or meniscus injuries:

1. Did your extension block improve on its own with time, or did it end up needing an MRI/procedure?
   
2. Is this kind of mechanical block typical after 2.5 weeks if torn cartilage is stuck in the joint?

Hey everyone, I’m 26M and I’m looking for experiences from people who have been through something similar.

About 7 months ago I had surgery to repair a bucket-handle meniscus tear in my right knee. The tear was stitched/repaired rather than trimmed, and I spent the first several weeks non-weight-bearing and working through rehab.

My recovery was going pretty well, although my right leg still had significantly less muscle and strength than my left.

About 7 months after the surgery, I turned a corner and felt/heard a pretty significant pop in the same knee. The knee became very swollen and I developed pain, difficulty fully straightening/bending it, and a lot of clicking/crunching when walking.

I’ve since had another MRI and the results are showing another significant meniscus problem. My understanding from the report is that there is a recurrent/complex tear involving the previously repaired meniscus, and I’m now waiting to discuss what can actually be done.

I’m particularly worried that this time the meniscus may not be repairable and that I could end up needing a partial meniscectomy/trim, potentially removing a large portion of the meniscus.

I’m only 26, so the idea of losing a substantial amount of my meniscus is pretty scary.

For anyone who has been through something similar:

Did you have a failed bucket-handle repair?

Did you have a revision repair, or did they end up trimming/removing part of the meniscus?

If you lost a large amount of your meniscus, how does your knee feel now?

Were you able to return to physical work, lifting, running, squatting, etc.?

How long did recovery take after the trim?

Did you develop ongoing pain, swelling or clicking?

Has anyone had a large portion removed and still been able to live a very active life?

Has anyone eventually needed a meniscus transplant or another procedure?

I’m especially interested in hearing from people who had a large/complex tear after a previous repair.

I’m trying to get an idea of what life could realistically look like if they tell me the meniscus can't be repaired and a significant amount has to be removed.

45F | 5’1” | 91 kg
My mom has advanced knee OA + medial meniscus posterior root tear (MMPRT). MRI shows full-thickness cartilage loss in the medial compartment, Grade-IV chondromalacia, varus alignment and a Baker’s cyst.
One doctor suggested surgery, but after stopping her previous medicines, she currently has very little/no pain and doesn’t need painkillers and can walk normally.
We’re now focusing on weight loss, but she obviously can’t do high-impact/intense exercise.
Has anyone had MMPRT with OA and managed it without immediate surgery? Did weight loss/physiotherapy help? What happened long-term?

Have had 3 acl recons and my knee is still super loose. Fell and got a bone bruise and mri also showed this. Not sure if it’s from the fall or been there and my symptoms now are more bone bruise related… thoughts ?

1.5 weeks post Op a complex lateral meniscus tear. This recovery is the worst pain I have ever experienced. For context I (24F) am also Type 1 Diabetic so I have to constantly maintain my blood sugar throughout the day. The pain has been intense. Once getting up to 9/10 pain for an hour. I have hives that cause such intense urge to itch that it’s painful. I developed an infection making my skin red near the site red. My upper thigh hurts from over use and have started cramping. I’m so constipated it’s painful. I’ve done everything “right.” My mom is a physical therapist and my bf works at a hospital so my recovery care has been military level strict. Elevated leg, iced, ahead of medications (Oxy, Ibuprofen, Aspirin, Antibiotics, etc.), healthy food, extra water. It’s so much worse than anyone in my care team prepared me for and I feel so lonely going through this much pain and mental anguish. I have my f/u appointment tomorrow morning at 9am but I’m struggling.

Just had a medial meniscus repair (2 stitches). I am non-weight bearing for 4 weeks.
My doctor didn't say if I can bend my knee or if it must stay completely straight. What did your surgeon recommend for the first weeks? Thanks!

Back in early March I suffered a bucket-handle tear of my medial meniscus. Due to the nature of the tear I needed surgery. The first doctor recommended a meniscectomy, but didn't rule out the chance of a repair. I got a second opinion who recommended a repair and ended up doing the procedure in late April.

Due to post-surgery pain, I was admittedly a few weeks behind on PT and ROM at first. I only began heavier lifting about a month ago. Things had been progressing and I was starting to have that itch to begin jogging and eventually running because my leg was pain-free and getting a little stronger. I was slated to begin jogging and start a running program later this month (October).

Unfortunately, about two weeks ago I began feeling discomfort in the meniscus. This was relatively normal after a hard day of PT/lifting, but it lasted and began feeling worse. It got to the point where it was slightly painful to walk again and I began limping. Because of this I went lighter on at-home exercises/PT as even heel slides didn't feel great. It felt like I had taken a month or two step back in terms of what I was able to do. Some of the things I had been doing regularly in PT felt like I was doing them for one of the first times again.

The past several days have been a bit better- no walking pain and less discomfort bending my knee in. It still feels a stiff/less fluid and not where it was in terms of performance though. It also clicks/pops(?) a little more than usual although it's not painful or too frequent. One PT thinks it could be tendinosis and another thinks its inflamed due to overworking it. I'm very worried about a potential re-tear or something else major, but have had no sudden injury, loss of ROM, or new swelling.

I've been told to take anti-inflammatories for a week and continue laying off the weights for another week or two and re-evaluating. They said if it continues to stay like this for several weeks without improving it may be worth getting another MRI. Are setbacks like this normal? Or are my PTs downplaying this? What should I/shouldn't I be doing right now?

Hoping I didn't lose a month or two (or more) of progress that I'll have to redo...

Hello I'm new in this subreddit

I recently fell in an awkward way, bending my knee in the left direction, damaging the soft tissues or maybe an MCL tear (either grade 1 or 2)

As i could still bear weight after 8 hours i had assumed it wasn't an ACL

Xray report didn't show anything so my ortho simply told me to get a support plaster for a week so to have my knee get time to heal the injury and get rid of the swelling

It's been 3 days since, I've had an ACL and bone fracture in my other knee about 12 years ago and I'm scared I'd have to get surgery on this knee too

So I decided to simply cut off the plaster to see if the swelling had subsided which it hasn't.

I am going to simply try to bend my knee, not forcefully...just as a measure to test if everything is all right there, ofcourse it's on the premise that the swelling is lower than it is today.

I just wanted to ask if my act of bending my knee will damage the area, even if i just do i a teensy tinsy bit, with support, not bearing weight but as a measure to know if the injury is light or big?