Acute injury to the medial meniscus frequently accompanies an injury to the ACL (anterior cruciate ligament) or MCL (medial collateral ligament). A person occasionally injures the medial meniscus without harming the ligaments. Healing of the medial meniscus is generally not possible unless the patient is very young, usually <15 years old. Damage to the outer third of the meniscus has the best healing potential because of the blood supply, but the inner two thirds of the medial meniscus has a limited blood supply and thus limited healing ability. Large tears to the meniscus may require surgical repair or removal. In terms of a meniscus tear, the doctor can categorize the injury in a plethora of ways. For example, a tear on the outer edge of the meniscus has great chance of healing. Doctors call this site the “red zone” because this outer portion of the meniscus is highly vascularized; therefore, it receives the amount of nutrients and support needed for a successful recovery. Conversely, the inner two-thirds of the meniscus are called the “white zone.” This portion of the meniscus is not highly vascularized; it receives its nourishment from only the synovial fluid via diffusion. Considering these facts, doctors consider different treatments to different kinds of tears: