Comparing Surgery Versus Standard Physical Therapy in Treating People With a Meniscal Tear and Osteoarthritis

Inclusion Criteria: * OA symptoms lasting at least 1 month and managed with medications, activity limitations, and/or physical therapy * At least one symptom consistent with a torn meniscus. Symptoms may include clicking, catching, popping, giving way, pain with pivot or torque, episodic pain, and/or pain that is acute and localized to one joint line. * Available knee X-ray (within 6 months) and MRI (within 3 years) * Evidence of osteophyte formation or cartilage fissure, tear, or loss on a knee MRI OR plain radiographic evidence of osteophyte formation or joint space narrowing * Evidence of a meniscal tear (tear extending to surface of meniscus) on a knee MRI * Willingness to undergo random assignment and sign an informed consent Exclusion Criteria: * Chronically locked knee * Kellgren-Lawrence Grade IV status, indicating advanced OA and usually the need for total knee replacement * Contraindication to MRI * Radiographic chondrocalcinosis (a condition in which there are deposits of calcium pyrophosphate dihydrate \[CPPD\] crystals in one or more joints that eventually result in damage to the affected joints) AND acute symptomatic pseudogout * Inflammatory diseases (e.g., rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, gout, pseudogout) * Injection with viscosupplementation in the affected knee in the 4 weeks before study entry * Any medical contraindications to surgery or physical therapy * Both knees are symptomatic for meniscal tears and a candi…