Ask the doctor: How should I treat a torn meniscus?
Fortunately, this question was recently studied, and it looks like you have some choices. In March, researchers published a study of people ages 45 and older who had both a torn meniscus and mild to moderate OA. Study authors randomly assigned 351 participants to either partial meniscectomy followed by physical therapy or physical therapy alone, and compared them on tests of physical function and pain at six and 12 months. There was no significant difference in function or pain between the surgery and nonsurgery groups. This well-designed study indicates that you don't have to make a hasty decision regarding surgery, and you might try physical therapy first. If your pain and function do not improve, you can always consider surgery at a later date.
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