Harvard Health Blog
Physical therapy works as well as surgery for some with torn knee cartilage
Posted March 20, 2013, 6:18 pm, Updated March 21, 2013, 10:35 am Patrick J. Skerrett, Former Executive Editor, Harvard Health Publications Tiny shock absorbers in the knee (each one is called a meniscus) provide a key cushion between the thighbone and the shinbone. They are prone to tearing, and sometimes just wear out. A torn meniscus can cause pain or other symptoms, like a knee that locks. But sometimes they don’t cause any symptoms.