There are two cartilage structures in each knee joint called a meniscus. A torn meniscus can be caused by either a smaller or larger trauma or be a degenerative age-related tear. Arthroscopic meniscal surgery is the most common orthopedic procedure, but no high-quality studies have investigated the efficacy of meniscal surgery for younger patients (i.e. 40 years or younger) in comparison to non-surgical treatments. The purpose of this study is to determine if a strategy of early arthroscopic meniscal surgery (repair or resection) is superior to a strategy of initial individualized supervised exercise therapy including patient education with the option of later surgery if needed in improving pain, function and quality of life in young patients (18-40 years) with meniscal tears. The hypothesis is that patients treated with early arthroscopic meniscal surgery will improve more than patients treated with exercise and education.
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the Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS4)
Timeframe: Primary endpoint: Change from baseline to 12 months.