How is the shock absorption capacity affected after a meniscectomy?

How is the shock absorption capacity affected after a meniscectomy?

• A. Not affected
• B. Reduced by 230%
• C. Increased
• D. Reduced by 50%

Answer: (B)

The key idea is that the menisci are crucial for cushioning and load distribution in the knee. They increase contact area and transform compressive load into hoop stress, which dampens impact and lowers peak stresses on the articular cartilage. When a meniscectomy is performed, this cushioning is greatly diminished, so the joint bears higher peak stresses and absorbs less energy with each step. That loss of damping capacity is typically large, and many biomechanical sources describe it as a substantial reduction—often quoted as around twofold or more in the measured shock-absorbing capacity, sometimes cited near 230% in relative terms. Clinically, this translates to faster cartilage wear and a higher risk of degenerative changes because the knee can’t cushion impacts as effectively as before. The idea that shock absorption is unchanged, increases, or only modestly decreases doesn’t align with the loss of the meniscal cushioning function after removal.

The key idea is that the menisci are crucial for cushioning and load distribution in the knee. They increase contact area and transform compressive load into hoop stress, which dampens impact and lowers peak stresses on the articular cartilage. When a meniscectomy is performed, this cushioning is greatly diminished, so the joint bears higher peak stresses and absorbs less energy with each step. That loss of damping capacity is typically large, and many biomechanical sources describe it as a substantial reduction—often quoted as around twofold or more in the measured shock-absorbing capacity, sometimes cited near 230% in relative terms. Clinically, this translates to faster cartilage wear and a higher risk of degenerative changes because the knee can’t cushion impacts as effectively as before. The idea that shock absorption is unchanged, increases, or only modestly decreases doesn’t align with the loss of the meniscal cushioning function after removal.