What are symptoms and signs of a torn meniscus?
When a meniscus is torn, there may be an acute onset of pain in the knee and it may cause a “pop” sensation. Over a period of a few hours, swelling may occur within the knee, but this may not necessarily be noticed. Sometimes, though, the patient may not be aware that an injury occurred. After the injury, the knee joint may gradually settle down and feel relatively normal. However, other symptoms may develop, such as, • pain with running or walking longer distances; • intermittent swelling of the knee joint. Many times, the patient may feel that the knee feels “tight”; • popping, especially when climbing up or down stairs; • giving way (the sensation that the knee is unstable and a sense that the knee will give way); or • locking (a mechanical block where the knee cannot be fully extended or straightened). This occurs when a piece of torn meniscus folds on itself and blocks full range of motion.
