What type of tear is classified as a partial thickness tear?

A partial thickness tear refers to an injury that penetrates only part of the thickness of a tissue, such as a tendon, ligament, or muscle, but does not go all the way through. This classification is important in medical contexts, especially in sports medicine and orthopedics, where the degree of tissue damage informs treatment decisions and recovery protocols.

In contrast, other options describe different severities of tissue damage. A full thickness tear indicates that the tissue is completely severed through its entire thickness, which can result in more significant loss of function and necessitate different approaches for repair. A complete tear is synonymous with a full thickness tear and also denotes total tissue disruption. The term minor tear is generally vague and does not specifically correspond to the established classifications of tear severity; it can refer to varying degrees of damage but lacks the precision needed for medical diagnosis or treatment planning.