Knee meniscus injury. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan of a sagittal section of the left knee of a 27-year-old professional footballer with a meniscal tear (centre right). The tear extends towards the posterior horn of the lateral meniscus (spans the outside edge of the top of the shin bone). The menisci are fibrocartilage crescents that act as shock absorbers between the femur (thigh bone, top) and tibia (shin bone, bottom). A tear in a meniscus can be caused by trauma, most often a sports injury, or by wear and tear. Treatment depends on the severity of the tear. Minor tears may respond to physical therapy and anti-inflammatory drugs, but more serious injuries require surgical treatment. This is a T2-weighted MRI scan, with fat saturation.