Pain or instability in back corner of knee??

[allyd]

Hi Everyone - I'm hoping someone can maybe shed some light on my latest knee issue.

SHort history - Over a year ago I Injuered my knee with a Grade 3 MCL tear and possible ACL injury. Visited the OS, we did PT and everything tightened up good and I was fine until 3 weeks ago when it went out again. I had been experiencing instability and catching in the front of the knee, so I went back to the OS. He felt the ACL was a little lax but said to give it a couple weeks and see how it feels. If it's still unstable then we need to do an MRI and find out what the extent of the problem was. I'm avoiding an MRI at this point due to money if at all possible.

Everything was starting to feel great and tightening up in the front of the knee, but then this past weekend I had something happen that seems to be unrelated to all of this though? I was climbing out of the pool and felt a small pop in the back of the knee. It didn't give out or anything, or bother me after. Later in the night it tightened up and I started to feel it pop in the back outside corner every time I extended my leg to plant my foot when walking. I feel somthing shift or pop, but it doesn't seem like it's in the joint itself? It's just upon extension, as when i flex the knee I have no problems. Have I just pulled a muscle or strained a tendon? I've never had a problem in this area before and am just confused as to what might be going on...

Any Ideas on what this could be would be appreciated.

[fultonius]

Could be the meniscus?  Impossible to diagnose over the internet. Doctors love MRIs, but usually they are just confirming what they already know (or think) is wrong. Sometimes I wonder if it would cheaper and easier just to go straight for an op!

[atkpilot]

I too had/ have instability in the back/ outside of my knee which has been diagnosed as LCL (lateral colateral ligament) damage.  Seems that this type of ligament damage often occurs in conjunction with other ligament damage within/ around the knee.  In my case, my OS never caught the LCL damage during his repair of my tibia plateau fracture.  Only after consulting a sports medicine surgeon was my LCL damage found.  Bsically (in my case), my LCL was torn (probably when I broke my tibia plateau).  My sports medicine surgeon has said that the ligament will never heal on it's own and can only be treated/ repaired surgically.  The good news however is that I was given several great exercises to strengthen the other tendons. muscles, and ligaments in/ around my knee to (somewhat) improve my stability (only until my LCL surgery).  So far, the exercises are working great.  Hope this helps.