what is a meniscus

A meniscus is a curved piece of cartilage that acts as a cushion and stabilizer inside a joint, most famously in the knee where it sits between the thighbone (femur) and shinbone (tibia) to absorb shock and spread out load when you move. It’s crescent-shaped (like a small half‑moon), and each knee has two of them—one on the inner side (medial) and one on the outer side (lateral)—which help protect the joint surfaces and reduce friction during walking, running, and jumping.