Collateral Ligaments and other non-cruciate tendons & ligaments around the knee :
MCL strain or tear?? - - Posted by MWC (MWC), 13 January 2005
I injured my knee a month or so ago. I was sitting cross-legged holding my dog and got up awkwardly. My right knee twisted, I heard a pop, and immediately could not put any weight on it. The pain was on the outside of the knee and I had a difficult time straightening it out. I elevated and iced it to keep the swelling down and after about 36 hours the pain went away and it felt fine. Incidentally, it improved after I got up from the couch and heard (and felt) a loud pop.
Yesterday, I was simply sitting in a golf cart and turned my torso to my left. My right femur went with me, but my tibia stayed put and I have the exact same situation I just described above. It has been about 24 hours and I still cannot walk on it despite a lot of icing and elevating. The pain is bearable when the knee is at about a 90 degree angle, but straightening it out is extremely painful.
I tore the ACL and a good deal of cartilage in this knee 5 or 6 years ago and had a patellar tendon transplant. I don't know if I've reinjured that or if I've torn the MCL (or just sprained it).
Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks a lot!
Posted by Lizzie (Lizzie - UK), 15 January 2005
To me it sounds more like you have damaged your meniscus. Do you remember whether it was the lateral or medial meniscus you have damaged before. From the action of twisting with the knee bent can easily cause meniscus damage.
You might also have damaged your MCL too, as I have been told that this can go hand in hand with each other. You say that your femur went with you and the tibia stayed the same would sound like it is an instability problem, such as your collateral ligament.
I would suggest that you see your GP or your OS if your pain gets any worse or there is further instability within your knee.
I'm not medically trained, but I have suffered from knee problems for over 23 years now - luckily not all of that time! 
Posted by MWC (MWC), 17 January 2005
Thanks for the reply, Lizzie.
I don't remember for sure whether he mentioned the tear being the lateral or medial meniscus. He did, however, say that I had very little left at all as a result of the injury. So, the answer is probably both.
I have had a lot of trouble getting the swelling down completely. Icing and elevating helps but not enough for me to fully straighten the leg. I still can't walk without at least one crutch (and that's very difficult).
I'd like to avoid the OS at almost all costs. I doubt I'd undergo another surgery on the knee anyway. My goal now is to get to where I can walk normally again. If I can't do that, I guess I'll make the dreaded trip 
.
By the way, I sure hope you are currently in one of the "non-knee trouble" periods of those 23 years, Lizzie!
Posted by heather_k (heather k from wales), 17 January 2005
With the little Ive heard about your injury and comparing it with what I personally felt with a locked knee, it sounds as if your knee may be locked with a meniscus tear or a loose body.
I too am not qualified, just have many years experience of knee problems.
If thats the case then you WILL have to see an orthopaedic surgeon to get it sorted out!.
Hopefully thats not the case and it will heal unaided, but if I were in your shoes right now, Id get it checked out properly without delay!.
You may be causing more problems down the road if this is not resolved soon 
I dont know??
Good luck and keep us posted on the outcome,
Heather
Posted by Lizzie (Lizzie - UK), 17 January 2005
on 01/17/05 at 00:38:03, MWC wrote:Thanks for the reply, Lizzie.
By the way, I sure hope you are currently in one of the "non-knee trouble" periods of those 23 years, Lizzie!
Thanks for your comments about the "non-knee trouble" unfortunately I had an accident at the end of December 2001, which has triggered off Fibromyalgia (Chronic pain and fatigue syndrome). I also have bilateral OA in my knees. I am awaiting an MRI to see whether or not I would be a candidate for an ACI on my right knee. I'm also suffering fromthe extended use of crutches and have bicep tendonitis. I am in a lot of pain at the moment. I am currently using Fentanyl patches. They last 72 hours and are equivalent to having 280 mg of Morphine over the 3 days! This helps, but doesn't take away all the pain. I'm just hoping that I will be able to have ACI. Although I will have to have an ACI and a HTO!! Not looking forward to the surgery, nor the rehabilitation.
Posted by MWC (MWC), 18 January 2005
Lizzie,
I'm very sorry to hear that you are having so much trouble. I sure hope the MRI shows you to be an ACI candidate. It sounds like an ACI would help you tremendously and alleviate some of your other problems as well. Let me know the results if you have time. Good Luck!
I'm a bit embarassed about my comparatively minor trouble, but I'll update you just the same. I went to see the OS today. After an x-ray and some prodding, poking, and pulling he seemed to think that I most likely damaged the meniscus and am probably also having more trouble relating to my osteochondritis dessicans as the x-ray showed a fair amount of "debris". So, a very good amateur diagnosis on your part! I was happy to hear that although the knee is fairly loose, he suspected that the patellar tendon graft was still holding up from my previous surgery. I'll have an arthroscopy done some time soon so that he can look around and see for sure what damage has been done. Hopefully he will be able to simply clean up the meniscus damage, remove the bone chips, and I'll be done with it. We shall see.
Thanks again for the replies and best of luck on that MRI.
MWC
Posted by MWC (MWC), 18 January 2005
Thanks Heather,
You pretty much nailed my problems! I sucked it up and went to the OS yesterday. My above post has info on what I found out. Thanks for taking the time to reply. I appreciate it very much and hope everything is going ok with you.
MWC
Updated Sat Sep 6 2008