Oftentimes torn knee ligaments will reduce the strength in the affected leg, causing difficulty walking and moving. Other symptoms include swelling, instability, loss of feeling and potential bleeding from other tissues near the area of injury.
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.
What are the symptoms of a torn knee ligament? Symptoms may vary, however a popping sound, followed by limited knee movement and swelling is common. Pain, if it occurs, is often sudden and severe. The knee may feel loose, and you may be unable to put any weight on it.
The pain often is worse during twisting or squatting motions. Unless the torn meniscus has locked the knee, many people with a torn meniscus can walk, stand, sit, and sleep without pain.
In a typical moderate tear, you feel pain at the side or in the center of the knee, depending on where the tear is. Often, you are still able to walk. Swelling usually increases slowly over a few days and may make the knee feel stiff and limit bending. There is often sharp pain when you twist or squat.
A torn meniscus causes pain, swelling and stiffness. You also might feel a block to knee motion and have trouble extending your knee fully.
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).
How It's Done: The test is performed while you are lying on your back with your knee bent at a 90-degree angle and your foot placed flatly on the table. The healthcare provider takes hold of your lower leg just behind the knee and gently tugs your leg forward.
You need urgent medical attention if: Your knee joint is bent or deformed. There was a "popping" sound at the time of injury. Your knee can't bear weight.
A ligament injury is sometimes indicated by a “popping” sound and can be very painful, often accompanied by swelling and bruising. This popping sound is usually heard when an ACL (anterior cruciate ligament) is torn. A tear to the ACL in the knee is one of the most common ligament injuries in sports.
You can usually treat knee pain at home with the RICE method: Rest: Stop the physical activity that caused the pain to avoid making the injury worse. Ice: Apply an ice pack or cold compress for 15 to 20 minutes every hour for the first day after your injury. After one day, you can apply ice every three to four hours.
If it is an MCL injury, the pain is on the inside of the knee. An LCL injury may cause pain on the outside of the knee. The knee will also feel unstable, like it is going to give way.
Normally, braces are used to stabilize a joint. Since menisci are not crucial for knee stability, you might not need a brace to help your injury heal. However, if there is damage to the surrounding ligaments as well, a brace may be necessary because ligaments are important for joint stability.
Try gently bending and straightening your knee. Notice if you encounter any resistance, discomfort, or pain. If you find those movements challenging, this could indicate a potential ligament injury. If you cannot move your leg in any direction, contact your doctor as soon as possible.
If you have a small or moderate tear, the pain could go away but return if you do a twisting motion or continue to overuse your knees without treatment. If you have a large tear, then swelling will come right away, you'll have a lot of pain, and it'll be hard to walk or straighten your knee.
Rest and elevation
Keep your injured area elevated as much as possible during the first 24 to 72 hours. If you have been given a sling, use it to keep your injured area elevated. You may find it more comfortable to use pillows to elevate it during the evening and at night.
Often, it's possible to walk on a knee with a torn meniscus, leading many people to skip a doctor's visit. However, within several days, the knee can get progressively worse, becoming stiff, swollen, and painful.
Common extra-articular pathologies that can mimic lateral meniscal tears include iliotibial band syndrome, proximal tibiofibular joint instability, snapping biceps femoris or popliteus tendons, and peroneal nerve compression syndrome or neuritis.
Left untreated, a meniscus tear can limit your daily life and ability to participate in exercise and sports. In serious cases, it can develop into long-term knee problems, like arthritis.
Some people can walk with a torn ACL. But don't force yourself to move or use your knee if it hurts. Visit a healthcare provider if you feel pain or have other knee injury symptoms. Putting more stress on your injured ACL can make a small tear worse.
When you have a meniscus tear and arthritis, you tend you have swelling and pain from inflammation. Cold helps decrease swelling and inflammation. If heat feels better on your knee, however, there's no downside to using it.