Today we’re breaking down a common but sometimes career-altering knee injury in professional football – the meniscus tear. We’ll cover how often these happen in the NFL, how players present, what treatment choices look like, timelines for returning to play, and critically – how meniscal injury affects performance and career length

But first, a quick refresher: The menisci are two C-shaped fibrocartilage discs in each knee (medial and lateral) that help distribute load, absorb shock, and stabilize the joint. Losing meniscal tissue – through a tear and subsequent meniscectomy – changes knee biomechanics and increases contact stresses on articular cartilage, which can lead to earlier degenerative change. This biomechanical role is why meniscal management matters so much for athletes.

So how common are meniscus tears in the NFL or NFL prospects? Well, that depends on what study you read and how that study chose to measure the prevalence of meniscus tears. 

Listen to this episode to get the full scoop on how these athletes perform in the setting of meniscus injury.

Reference:

Dr. Jorge Chahla (friend of the show) in 2018 in AJSM used MR imaging data to determine the prevalence of prior meniscal injury.  This study of approximately 2,000 NFL Scouting Combine participants from 2009–2015 found that 20% of players had a prior meniscus injury. So, this is the more frequently sided statistic.

This study also went on to discuss the impact of partial meniscectomy on player performance and career length