Looking for diagnostic help, here, plus recovery anecdotes. Out for a run a few days ago, I felt a little pop along the inside of my left knee, sort of where the medial collateral ligament would be. Then a sharp little pain with each step. I stopped running and walked home just fine. I haven’t run since (that was Saturday) because I don’t want to exacerbate. But I’m realizing I’ve had this little injury before, without ever diagnosing it. Feels sort of like a pinching pain when I weight the leg, and it only happens with a bent leg. If I keep the leg straight, no pain at all. Ibuprofen has kept the pain away for the last couple days–I can do unweighted squats just fine, without pain. And trot (carefully) down the block. So here are my questions: has anybody experienced this? Got a clue if it’s an MCL sprain or tear, or something else? Is it possible to train through this stuff? Whatever it is, it’s not bad now. Reading about MCL injuries, it’s definitely Grade 1: no inflammation, no bruising, full range of motion. But I’m in the middle of a training cycle for my A race and I’d sure hate to blow the whole race by being a fool with this little injury. Anybody know if you can train through this? Or is it like an achilles deal, where it only heals if you 100% stop?
Holiday Inn Express opinion: Without hearing about a trauma/impact to the knee, I’d guess pes anserine bursitis before I’d go MCL injury.
How low was the “pop”? I had this “pop” in my lower/medial knee in May and the thing still bothers me. Too low to be MCL and I was diagnosed with anserine bursitis. Had the steroid shot, did the PT, had an MRI, ect… Have no idea what it was/is but time off of running is the only thing that made it feel better.
it was right on the joint, I think, not down below it. but it’s sort of weird–the pain stopped as soon as I stopped running so I don’t think it’s a traumatic tear.
You may also have meniscal damage, (weight bearing on bent knee and the pop), but obviously not enough info to really know. Definitely go see a doc for something acute like that, and I can’t imagine it would be good to “train through” any pain until you get a good diagnosis. Good luck and keep us posted.
Yeah, I doubt you tore anything in that area but…anything is possible. Few days off, ice/motrin and re-eval. The popping sensation is hard to get past and you know the pain is there but its nothing obvious (likely). Im sure someone much more qualified will chime in for ya but it sounds like the same thing that happened to me and it was nothing serious…
It sounds exactly like an issue I had a few years back.
You might have some junk in your knee, a piece of torn cartilage or torn meniscus, floating around that occasionally gets caught in the joint and causes a sharp pain. When it floats out of the joint… there is no pain. That’s what I had.
The Doc diagnosed a problem (junk or a tear) with a few “range of motion” exercises. Each exercise hurt. So I skipped the MRI and went ahead with surgery. A MRI might not show junk because we’re talking teenie tiny pieces that could hide in other soft tissue.
6 weeks was when I ran the first 100 yards. But I was walking in three days, on a stationary bike in 5 days, and swimming in 10 days. I walked a lot over the 6 weeks.
Could be plica syndrome if it is medial like you said. I learned a very tough lesson that lasted a year and change with the knee. That is don’t train through it if pinching or stabbing pain. Plica can catch when knee is bend.
+1 on possible plica syndrome. The downstroke of the pedal REALLY lit mine up. Running was out of question as well.
Seriously doubt MCL tear, sounds like meniscus or something. I would think your knee would be super unstable with an MCL tear.
yeah, it’s not really unstable. I really appreciate the insights here. I’ve been a fool in the past, with injuries (like trying to “run through” serious achilles tendinitis) so I’m wanting to be conservative this time. Priority number one is just making it to the starting line intact.
Since there was a “pop” I’m almost willing to bet meniscus tear. Sounds exactly like what I had. If you haven’t had any trauma to the knee, MCL tear/sprain is unlikely. You should see your doctor. You will probably end up with an orthopedic surgeon who can order an MRI to confirm. If you get your knee scoped you should cut down on your running or (like me) you’ll be in for a second surgery pretty quick.
I recently hurt my knee doing the same thing. It turned out to be an ACL sprain and I was off of it for 2 months. My advice is to RICE (rest, ice compress, elevate) and try to get it checked out by a dr. since you can squat and still walk, my experience says the injury is not catastrophic but definitely be careful until you can get a professional opinion.
I tore BOTH MCLs skiing last year and it was a very clear tearing sound, not a pop. It sounded like someone tore a piece of fabric. My doc said that is classic MCL sound so hopefully you avoided an MCL injury.