Meniscal (Knee) Injury

On this page

• What has happened?
• What should I expect?
• What should I do?
• What should I not do?
• Will I be followed up?
• What if I have concerns/questions?

What has happened?

• It is likely you have injured the meniscus in your knee
• This is a small disc like cartilage tissue which acts as a shock absorber for the knee

What should I expect?

• It is common to have pain and swelling in your knee, and to have difficulty walking
• Usually it takes 6-8 weeks to recover from this injury

What should I do?

• Initially you should rest (and possibly use crutches for 24-48hrs), use ice and elevate the leg
• You may require simple pain relief such as paracetamol and ibuprofen
• You can start gently bending the knee right away
• You should make an appointment with a physio to help you recover from this injury - take your ACC form/number with you

What should I not do?

• You should avoid causing further injury by only participating in 'gentle' sports (eg. cycling) for the first few weeks

Will I be followed up?

• No, most of these injuries heal without difficulty and do not require you to return to hospital

What if I have concerns/questions?

• If your injury is not settling or you have other concerns, you should see your GP or physio first - take your ACC form/number with you
• Further specialist assessment may be needed in some cases