Effect of Lateral Meniscus Posterior Root Tears and Repairs on the Mechanics of the Loaded Knee

We will study how a lateral meniscus root tear, a common knee injury, impacts joint mechanics and whether a root repair can restore mechanics to normal. This is important because joint mechanics must be normal to protect the knee from osteoarthritis (OA) later in life. Menisci are crescent-shaped structures that attach to the top of the shin bone at the tips of their crescent shape, called the roots. There is an inner (medial) and outer (lateral) meniscus in each knee. They spread out load to reduce knee stress. Tears to the roots of lateral menisci are a common sport injury. A torn lateral meniscus cannot spread out as much load. This can lead to future knee OA. Lateral root tears can be repaired by stitching the torn root to the bone. This has helped the lateral meniscus spread out load again in cadavers and computer models, but whether it helps in a living person’s knee remains unknown. We will use a special MRI scanner that can image people standing up with their knee loaded. We will measure joint mechanics in patients before and after lateral root repair. This will inform us on how lateral root tears and repairs alter the mechanics of loaded knees, giving insight into mechanisms that can lead to or prevent future knee OA.