Knee Locking and Diagnosis Unlocking: Understanding and Treating the Hypermobile Lateral Meniscus

Area of Science:

• Orthopedic Surgery
• Sports Medicine
• Knee Biomechanics

Background:

• Hypermobility of the lateral meniscus involves abnormal knee joint motion.
• Peripheral lateral meniscocapsular tears can cause excessive lateral meniscal motion.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review clinical presentation, diagnosis, and treatment of lateral meniscus hypermobility.
• To highlight diagnostic challenges and effective interventions for peripheral lateral meniscocapsular tears.

Main Methods:

• Narrative literature review.
• Author clinical expertise synthesis.

Main Results:

• Hypermobility diagnosis is challenging due to overlapping symptoms and complex anatomy.
• Recurrent knee catching/locking episodes warrant consideration, even with normal MRI scans.
• Arthroscopic meniscal repair is effective for return to sports.

Conclusions:

• Consider lateral meniscus hypermobility and tears in differential diagnosis for knee locking.
• Timely diagnosis and arthroscopic repair improve quality of life.
• Further research on long-term outcomes and management is needed.