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Patient-reported catching or locking of the knee and other “mechanical symptoms” (i.e., popping, clicking, or pain on pivoting) often are assumed to represent clinically important meniscal tears. To determine whether these symptoms really correlate with the extent of meniscal tears, researchers examined data from 565 patients (mean age, 48) who underwent arthroscopic knee surgery for symptoms attributed to meniscal tears. Prior to surgery, patients were asked about the presence and severity of three groups of symptoms (i.e., catching/locking, grinding/clicking/popping, and pain on pivoting/twisting). At arthroscopy, the surgeon recorded characteristics of meniscal tears and the severity of cartilage damage.
The investigators found no statist…