New MRI Study Reveals Crucial Differences in Knee Injuries between men and women
- 6 days ago
- 3 min read
A large-scale MRI study, presented at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA 2025), has revealed surprising Differences in Knee Injuries between men and women based on gender and age. The analysis, which included 13,549 consecutive routine knee MRI exams performed between 2019 and 2024 at four outpatient facilities affiliated with Johns Hopkins Hospital, suggests that men suffer more knee injuries from trauma, while older women are more prone to injury from joint degeneration over time. All patients included in the study reported knee pain as their chief complaint.
Co-author Jenifer Pitman, M.D., noted that in recent years, interest in the Differences in Knee Injuries between men and women has grown. She explained that because the majority of past research has historically focused on men, researchers are now realizing that women have different risk profiles and are prone to different injuries. The study focused on extracting data concerning the presence or absence of tears in key structures like the menisci (C-shaped cartilage that acts as a shock absorber) and the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), a major ligament providing stability.
The most unexpected findings focused on ACL tears. The analysis showed that specific injuries—including ACL tears alone, ACL tears combined with medial meniscal (MM) tears, or ACL tears combined with lateral meniscal (LM) tears—were observed more often in men than in women, except for individuals over 60 years old. First author Ali Ghasemi, M.D., noted that they saw more ACL tears in men, especially in the 20- to 40-year-old age group, a finding that is contrary to what has been reported in the literature. Dr. Ghasemi explained that prior studies focused on sports-related injuries often showed that young women athletes had increased rates and a greater risk for ACL tears, but the Johns Hopkins results show a significantly higher prevalence of ACL injuries in male patients across all age groups. Men had a greater number of injuries overall. Dr. Pitman theorized that this discrepancy might be due to the study’s decision to broaden its focus beyond sports-related knee injuries to include all patients with knee pain, regardless of age or cause. This means that the pre-established notion that ACL tears are more common in younger women may not be accurate 100% of the time.
The researchers also found a critical age-related reversal in injury patterns regarding meniscal and medial collateral ligament (MCL) tears. Men under 41 had more meniscal and MCL tears than women, but this pattern changed in older patients. Dr. Ghasemi called it "unexpected" that women over 41 had more of these types of tears than men. These specific Differences in Knee Injuries strongly suggest that older women are more prone to injuries that lead to joint degeneration over time. Consequently, Dr. Pitman suggests that radiologists can expect to see more frequent meniscal pathology and arthritis in older women. The findings are designed to help radiologists and clinicians tailor imaging protocols, risk assessments, and early intervention strategies to optimize patient outcomes. Dr. Pitman advised that women, especially those over 40, should pay attention to joint health and consider incorporating dedicated strength training to help protect their knees as they age. She stressed that individuals with knee pain, especially older patients, should see their physician and not just brush it off or attribute it to old age, as higher rates of meniscal tears were seen in women 40 years and older.
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Differences in Knee Injuries
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