Meniscus (anatomy)
| Meniscus | |
|---|---|
Head of right tibia seen from above, showing menisci and attachments of ligaments | |
Left knee-joint from behind, showing interior ligaments | |
| Details | |
| Identifiers | |
| Latin | meniscus |
| Greek | μηνίσκος ("meniskos") |
| MeSH | D000072600 |
| TA98 | A03.0.00.033 |
| TA2 | 1544 |
| Anatomical terminology | |
A meniscus (pl.: menisci or meniscuses) is a crescent-shaped fibrocartilaginous anatomical structure that, in contrast to an articular disc, only partly divides a joint cavity.[1] In humans, menisci are present in the knee, wrist, acromioclavicular, sternoclavicular, and temporomandibular joints.[2]
Generally, the term "meniscus" is used to refer to the cartilage of the knee, either to the lateral or medial meniscus. Both are cartilaginous tissues that provide structural integrity to the knee when it undergoes tension and torsion.[3][4]
The menisci are also known as "semi-lunar" cartilages, referring to their half-moon, crescent shape. The term "meniscus" is from the Ancient Greek word μηνίσκος (meniskos), meaning "crescent".[5]
- ^ Platzer (2004), p 208
- ^ "Meniscus", Stedman's (27th ed.)
- ^ Fox AJ, Bedi A, Rodeo SA (July 2012). "The basic science of human knee menisci: structure, composition, and function". Sports Health. 4 (4): 340–51. doi:10.1177/1941738111429419. PMC 3435920. PMID 23016106.
- ^ Raj MA, Bubnis MA (17 July 2023). "Knee meniscal tears". StatPearls, US National Library of Medicine. Retrieved 8 September 2025.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
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