A new study using MRI scans of more than 13,000 people has found that men and women often have different types of knee injuries.
The study looked at patients who had knee pain and discovered some surprising results about how injuries vary by age and gender. These findings could help doctors better prevent and treat knee problems in the future.
Researchers from Johns Hopkins Medical Institute in the United States led the study, along with other partners in the US and UK. Dr. Jenifer Pitman, an assistant professor of radiology, said that in the past, most research focused on men. But now that more women are being studied, it’s clear that they have different injury risks.
The study involved 13,549 people who had MRI scans between 2019 and 2024 at clinics connected to Johns Hopkins Hospital. All of the patients had knee pain. The researchers examined the reports for signs of damage to key parts of the knee, including the ACL, menisci, and other important ligaments.
The ACL is a key ligament that helps keep the knee stable, especially during sudden moves like twisting, jumping, or quick stops. ACL injuries are common in sports. The menisci are pieces of cartilage that help cushion the knee and support its movement. These can get torn either suddenly or slowly over time.
The study showed that certain injuries, such as ACL tears, happened more often in men. This was especially true for men aged 20 to 40.
This result was surprising because earlier research—mostly focused on sports—had found that young women athletes had more ACL injuries. But this new study included all types of patients, not just athletes, and showed that ACL injuries were more common in men of all ages.
Dr. Ali Ghasemi, the lead author, noted that looking beyond just sports injuries gives a fuller picture of how knee injuries happen. In fact, men had more knee injuries overall than women in this study.
Another key finding was about tears in the meniscus and the MCL (a ligament on the inner side of the knee). These injuries were more common in younger men, but they were also seen more in older women. This suggests that as women age, they may be at higher risk for knee damage that could lead to arthritis or other joint problems.
Dr. Pitman said that both men and women should protect their knees, especially when playing sports or doing other physical activities. For women over 40, she recommends paying close attention to knee health and doing exercises to strengthen the muscles around the knee.
These findings may help doctors improve how they assess risk and plan treatment for knee injuries. Radiologists—the doctors who read MRI scans—can also use this information to better understand what types of knee problems to look for in men and women of different ages.
In the end, Dr. Pitman gave simple advice: If you have knee pain, don’t ignore it or assume it’s just part of getting older. It could be a sign of a more serious injury, especially for women over 40, who seem to be more likely to have meniscal tears.
The team is continuing their research and plans to study more patient histories and other factors to learn more about why these gender differences exist. Other researchers involved in the study include Dr. Shivani Ahlawat and Dr. Laura M. Fayad.
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