Older Adults And the Meniscus Tear | Premier Health

Symptoms and Diagnosis of a Swollen Knee

This is what an arthritic knee actually looks like up close — and it tells a powerful story. Healthy cartilage should be smooth and glossy. What you’re seeing here is rough, worn down, and degenerating. The patella, the menisci, the joint surfaces — all showing significant damage. The medial meniscus is almost completely gone, leaving barely a ridge where there should be a thick, cushioning pad of fibrocartilage. This is what years of degenerative change does to a knee. Two types of cartilage —