“I may have a meniscus injury, do I need to go in to the office?”
I was wrestling with my brother this last Saturday and ended up hurting my knee. Initially, I heard a pop, and then the back of my knee and left side of my knee had sharp pains radiating anytime I put weight on it. About 20 minutes later all pain went away and I didn’t feel any more until 6+ hours later. The same symptoms are present but now I’ve noticed it slips or buckles a little bit when I walk without a brace. I have a barred brace I used when I dislocated my knee a few years ago and that has helped steady it. Monday-today (Wednesday) has been much better than over the weekend, but I’m still in pain. My knee isn’t slipping as much but it’s still unsteady. I have alternated Tylenol and ibuprofen and ice and heat. The heat didn’t start until yesterday. I have seen improvement, but I want to make sure I don’t permanently injure myself if I’m not doing things right. Should I go in for an exam?
Female | 22 years old
Complaint duration: 4-5 days
Medications: Tylenol/ibuprofen
Conditions: None
3 Answers
If you did indeed hear/feel a pop in your knee and still have pain and feelings of instability weeks later, I would recommend going to see an orthopedic surgeon to evaluate your knee.
Yes. Primary care first for eval and X-rays. Referral to orthopedic specialist for knee MRI.
Good morning. The meniscus has several important functions in the knee. These include stability, cartilage nourishment, lubrication. With the symptoms you describe I would recommend seeing your Orthopedic surgeon, perhaps after exam having an MRI to better determine type of tear. Some peripheral tears can heal on there own and others require surgery. We know that the longer the meniscus tears cause symptoms the more likely you are to develop arthritic changes. Especially at your young age early definition of tear type and appropriate treatment is the best care. Good luck.
