Everything You Need to Know About a Lateral Meniscus Tear

What is a Lateral Meniscus Tear?

A lateral meniscus tear is an injury to the cartilage on the outer side of the knee joint. The meniscus is a C-shaped piece of cartilage that acts like a cushion between the thigh bone (femur) and shin bone (tibia). A tear in the lateral meniscus can cause pain, swelling, locking, or instability in the knee, especially during twisting or squatting movements.

An analogy…

Imagine the meniscus like a rubber washer inside a door hinge. If that washer gets cracked or torn, the door (your knee) won’t move smoothly and may even get stuck or squeak. That’s how your knee feels with a torn meniscus.

What are other names that lateral meniscus tear can be called?

Lateral Meniscal Tear
Outer Meniscus Tear
Cartilage Tear (Knee)
Lateral Knee Cartilage Injury

What causes a lateral meniscus tear?

Lateral meniscus tears are usually caused by twisting the knee while it is bent and bearing weight. This often happens in sports that involve pivoting, cutting, or rapid direction changes (e.g. football, soccer, basketball). They can also occur from:

Sudden awkward movements
Deep squats or lunges
Lifting heavy objects with poor form
Age-related degeneration, where cartilage becomes more brittle over time

What are the signs and symptoms of a lateral meniscus tear?

Sharp pain on the outer side of the knee
Swelling and stiffness, usually within a few hours of injury
Clicking, popping, or locking when moving the knee
Difficulty squatting or twisting the knee
Sensation of the knee “giving way” during activity
Tenderness along the outer joint line

What tests are used to diagnose a lateral meniscus tear?

McMurray’s test: the knee is bent and rotated to check for clicking or pain
Joint line palpation: pressing on the outer knee reveals tenderness
Apley’s compression test: tests for pain with downward pressure and rotation
MRI scan: confirms the presence, size, and location of the tear
Arthroscopy: occasionally used for diagnosis and treatment

How long does a lateral meniscus tear take to heal?

Healing depends on the severity and location of the tear:

Small tears in the outer edge (better blood supply) can heal in 4–6 weeks with rest and rehab
Larger or inner tears may take 6–12 weeks or longer
If surgery is required (e.g. meniscus repair or trimming), recovery can take 3–6 months, depending on the procedure

How does a lateral meniscus tear happen?
The tear usually occurs when the knee is twisted forcefully while slightly bent, especially with weight on it. It can also happen gradually from repetitive stress, especially in people with weak glutes or poor hip-knee control, leading to uneven pressure on the meniscus.

What treatment can help a lateral meniscus tear?

R.I.C.E. (Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation) in the first 48–72 hours
Physiotherapy to restore range, strength, and control
Activity modification – avoid deep squats or pivoting movements
Manual therapy – joint mobilisation and soft tissue release
Strengthening exercises for quads, glutes, and hamstrings
Surgery (if needed):
- Meniscus repair – stitches the tear (longer recovery but preserves cartilage)
- Meniscectomy – trims the damaged part (faster recovery, but long-term wear risk)

What exercises or stretches can I do for a lateral meniscus tear?
(Always guided by a health professional and progressed based on your symptoms and healing.)

Quad sets and straight leg raises
Heel slides and gentle knee bending
Glute bridges and side-lying leg lifts
Mini-squats and wall sits (as pain allows)
Step-ups, balance drills, and low-impact cardio (e.g. cycling, pool walking)
Hamstring and calf stretches

What products can help with a Lateral Meniscus Tear?

Straight Leg Raise (SLR)

Sit with your resting leg bent and pull your toes up towards you.
Tighten your thigh muscle, pressing the back of your knee into the floor.
Keeping your knee locked straight, lift your leg off the floor.
Hold this position before you return your leg to the floor.
Make sure your hips remain in contact with the floor at all times, and your knee remains straight.

Seated hamstring curl – machine

BUILD UP TO THIS EXERCISE – start with the bridges and banded curls first.

Set up the weights and the leg supports.
Starting position is with your legs extended and the supports on your upper thigh and resting on your lower calves.
Gently curl your legs in towards your buttocks.
Pause briefly at the top of the movement and then release the weight in a slow and controlled manner.

Hamstring rapid heel slides supine

Lie on your back on a mat with a slider under each heel if required.
Your legs should be hips distance apart.
Flex your feet, and tighten your core muscles.
Rapidly, alternately slide your heels in towards your buttock.
As one leg bends, straighten the other leg.
Continue this motion, ensuring your legs remain hips distance apart and your knees point directly up to the ceiling.

Standing heel raise

Stand with your legs hip width apart and arms relaxed by your side.
Feel the contact area between the soles of your feet and the floor.
Surrender your body weight to the ground.
Gently push the top of your head towards the ceiling and lengthen your spine.
Then allow your spine to soften while maintaining the balance line.
Slowly shift your weight forwards and smoothly lift your heels up without losing the balance line.
Slowly come down again.
Allow your breath to flow freely during the movement.

Clam shells

Lie on your side with your feet, ankles and knees together.
Bend the legs a little and tighten your core stability muscles.
Keeping the feet together, lift the top knee up.
Make sure you don’t roll your body back with the movement.
Control the movement as you bring the knee back down to the starting position.

Active knee extensions

Sit up tall in a chair with your shoulders back and down.
Straighten the affected leg out in front of you, attempting to fully straighten the knee.
Control the movement back to the start position and repeat.
You can add leg weights in this exercise, as your range of movement and strength improves.