NEJM: Meniscus is a very common observation, among middle aged and elderly persons

Researchers have reported in the September issue of “New England Journal of Medicine” that damage to meniscus is a very common observation, among middle aged and elderly persons, who come for knee MRI’s and this stands true irrespective of their knee symptoms.

This research was primarily done to determine the existence of meniscal damage and the association of the same with knee pain and stiffness.

Dr. Martin Englund of the Boston University School of Medicine and his colleagues studies MRI scans of right knee of approximately 1000 patients. They were randomly selected knee scans belonging to people within the age group of fifty to ninety living in Framingham, Massachusetts.

MRI data revealed that almost thirty five percent of the subjects had meniscal damage. The data also revealed that damage to the meniscus among men was higher than that of women (42% vs. 30%). And with increase in age the meniscal damage became more prevalent.

The researchers also noted in their report that around sixty one percent of the meniscal tears were in subjects who had never complained of pain, stiffness, or aching in the last one month.

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