You know you might have torn something behind your knee (like a ligament or meniscus) if you heard a pop, have sudden pain, significant swelling, feel instability (knee "giving out"), can't fully bend/straighten it, or it locks/catches, especially after twisting or a sudden movement; however, a doctor must diagnose it for proper treatment.
Symptoms
A torn meniscus causes pain, swelling and stiffness. You also might feel a block to knee motion and have trouble extending your knee fully.
Some people can walk short distances on a torn knee ligament without severe pain. That does not mean it is safe to push through. Walking too far or too fast may worsen the ligament damage or slow your recovery.
Symptoms of a knee muscle tear typically include sudden knee pain, swelling, and tenderness in the affected area. You might also experience difficulty bearing weight on the injured leg and a limited range of motion. These signs often worsen with activity and can significantly impact daily functioning and mobility.
Mild knee strains usually take 1-2 weeks to recover, while moderate knee strains can take 3-6 weeks. The most severe knee strains commonly take 3 months to fully heal. A knee strain will heal faster if the person who hurts it does what the doctor tells them to do, stays away from more stress, and exercises the knee.
They'll gently feel it for tenderness and test the muscle for strength and range of motion. A physical exam is often enough to diagnose a pulled muscle. But in some cases, your provider might want to take an MRI to rule out other conditions, or to determine the extent of the tear and grade it.
Medial Collateral Ligament (MCL) – Valgus Stress Test
What are MCL tear symptoms? The most noticeable MCL tear symptom is pain on the inside of your knee directly over the ligament. You may also hear and feel a “popping” sensation in your knee at the time of injury. Other common symptoms include bruising, knee instability, swelling, and the inability to hold your weight.
A fully torn ligament, or grade 3 tear, can cause chronic pain and joint instability. Complete tears rarely heal naturally. Since there's a disconnect between the tissue and any chance of blood supply, surgery is needed. Surgery also helps the joint heal correctly and reduces the chances of re-injury.
A meniscus tear can cause pain in the back of your knee, especially when you bend or twist your knee. You may feel a 'pop' if you tear your meniscus. You may have some swelling, usually several hours after you injure the injury to your meniscus. Your knee may feel like it's catching or locking too.
People who tear a meniscus often feel like something has popped in their knees at the time of the injury. Other meniscus tear symptoms include: Feeling like your knee might give out beneath you. Having knee pain or stiffness or a swollen knee.
A torn ligament severely limits correct knee movement. This results in the inability to pivot, turn, or twist the leg. Surgery is a choice to fix a torn ligament if other treatment does not work. The ligaments in the knee connect the femur (thighbone) to the tibia (shin bone).
What are symptoms of cartilage damage in the knee? With knee cartilage injuries, pain and locking of the knee can lead to difficulty with walking, running, and other activities. Pain is the most obvious knee cartilage damage symptom, but an equally frequent warning sign is recurring knee swelling.
What causes pain behind the knee? There are many different causes of posterior knee pain, including injury, inflammation or infection of the knee joint, overuse, wear and tear with age, osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, cysts or in very rare cases, cancer. Leg cramps occur when your leg muscles tighten up.
Signs of a Tendon Tear Rupture
Your healthcare provider may use one or more of the following tests to diagnose an MCL tear: Physical exam: Your provider will examine your knee to see if you have pain with palpation on the inside of your knee. They'll also apply pressure (stress) your MCL to see if it's loose, which often means your MCL is torn.
Injuries of the medial collateral ligament (MCL) are often confused with a lateral meniscus tear and vice versa. However, it's possible to have both injuries at the same time.
If you are experiencing localized pain, swelling, instability or tenderness around the knee joint, it is likely that you have a torn ligament. Getting an accurate diagnosis from a medical professional through imaging tests such as MRIs can help determine what type of treatment you require.
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).
A diagnostic procedure that uses a combination of large magnets, radiofrequencies, and a computer to produce detailed images of organs and structures within the body; can often determine damage or disease in bones and a surrounding ligament or muscle.
The short answer is yes. After the pain and swelling subsides and if there is no other injury to your knee, you may be able to walk in straight lines, go up and down stairs and even potentially jog in a straight line. The ACL (anterior cruciate ligament) is an important ligament that provides stability to the knee.
Valgus Stress Test: This involves applying sideways pressure to the outside of your knee. Increased movement or “laxity” of the knee joint compared to the uninjured side may indicate an MCL tear.
You may want to consider going to urgent care if: Pain isn't going away after a few days or getting worse. Symptoms include numbness or tingling. You heard a “pop” when the injury occurred.
Most of the muscle activity in running and sprinting is eccentric, explaining why such strains most often occur in sprinters or 'speed athletes'. The hamstrings, gastrocnemius, quadriceps, hip flexors, hip adductors, Erector Spinae, deltoid, and rotator cuff are most commonly injured.
In severe cases, ignoring a muscle injury can result in permanent damage. Muscles may atrophy or deteriorate, leading to irreversible weakness. This can greatly impact your overall physical function and may require surgical intervention to repair the damage.