Torn ACL. The anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) is a major ligament in the knee. Torn ACLs usually occur from sudden stops or changes in direction, but they can also occur from awkward landings or contact.
Knee Anatomy
While any of these components could incur an injury, the 3 most common injuries are patellar tendonitis, a ligament injury (ACL, MCL, LCL, PCL), or a meniscus (cartilage) injury.
The pain from an ACL tear usually will be more severe than that of a PCL tear. There also may be significant (or total) loss of range of motion of the knee. Swelling from an ACL tear tends to develop slowly, over the course of 24 hours.
Conclusion: Patients with MPFL reconstruction experience worse persistent patient-reported and functional deficits during the terminal phases of rehabilitation as compared to individuals with ACLR.
While not always the case, an ACL tear is in most cases going to be the more severe injury. It is considered worse than tearing the MCL because ACL tears are in general more complex to treat and require a longer recovery time after surgery.
Removal or repair of a torn meniscus — a type of cartilage in your knee that cushions and stabilizes the joint. Reconstruction of a torn anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), which is a ligament that helps stabilize the knee joint. Removal of inflamed synovial (connective) tissue. Trimming of damaged articular cartilage.
ACL (Anterior Cruciate Ligament) Injury
This common knee injury happens when the ACL is either sprained or torn. It happens most often while playing sports that have sudden starts, stops, and movement changes, such as football or soccer. If you injure your ACL, you might feel — or even hear — a popping sound.
Sudden severe pain with no apparent cause can indicate a serious knee injury. This could include a meniscus tear, torn ligament, fractured bone, or a dislocated kneecap. Seek immediate professional help if the sudden severe pin limits your movement or ability to bear weight on the affected knee.
Synovial chondromatosis (also called synovial osteochondromatosis) is a rare, benign (noncancerous) condition that involves the synovium, which is the thin layer of tissue that lines the joints.
Osteoarthritis is the most common form of arthritis in the knee. It is a degenerative, wear-and-tear type of arthritis that occurs most often in people 50 years of age and older, although it may occur in younger people, too. In osteoarthritis, the cartilage in the knee joint gradually wears away.
MCL and LCL Injuries
This can cause significant pain and difficulty walking as the body tries to protect the knee, but there is usually little swelling within the knee.
A minor knee sprain may take up to 6 weeks to heal, while a severe sprain may take months. Follow-up care is a key part of your treatment and safety.
Post-Traumatic Arthritis: Post-traumatic osteoarthritis is a common permanent consequence of trauma to any joint, especially the knee. Post-traumatic arthritis can cause fluid accumulation in the knee, pain, and difficulty walking.
Knee bursitis signs and symptoms vary, depending on which bursa is affected and what's causing the inflammation. In general, the affected portion of your knee might feel warm, tender and swollen when you put pressure on it. You might also feel pain when you move or even at rest.
Over-the-counter medications — such as ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin IB, others) and naproxen sodium (Aleve) — may help ease knee pain. Some people find relief by rubbing the affected knee with creams containing a numbing agent, such as lidocaine, or capsaicin, the substance that makes chili peppers hot.
Knee bursitis is inflammation of a small fluid-filled sac (bursa) situated near your knee joint. Bursae reduce friction and cushion pressure points between your bones and the tendons, muscles and skin near your joints.
The decision to have a joint replacement depends more on your circumstances, such as how much pain you have, whether the problem is causing you significant disability, and your overall health, not just how old you are. There is no set age cutoff for a knee replacement, as each patient's case is different.
Make an appointment with your doctor if your knee pain was caused by a particularly forceful impact or if it's accompanied by: Significant swelling. Redness. Tenderness and warmth around the joint.
When quantifying how much pain there is after surgery, it is relative to the patient. The pain after a knee replacement is typically no worse than one of your worst days before you had surgery. However, you can feel this way for the first two to three weeks after the day of surgery.
Many ACL tears we see only have problems ascending stairs, jogging, or walking downhill but can walk up hills and on flat roads without an increase in pain. A meniscus tear, on the other hand, will cause fairly severe pain even just standing on it.
If you're able to put pressure on your hurt leg, you may notice that it's harder than normal to walk. Some people find that the knee joint feels looser than it should. Less range of motion. After you damage your ACL, it's very likely that you won't be able to bend and flex your knee like you normally would.
Meniscus tears generally heal in approximately three months or sooner (with and without surgery), while ACL tears take longer. If you don't need surgery, recover takes about three to six months. Recovering from ACL surgery can take six months to a year.