injuries poisoning
Knee Sprains and Meniscal Injuries
Symptoms and Signs of Knee Sprains and Meniscal Injuries
Swelling and muscle spasm progress over the first few hours. With 2nd-degree sprains, pain is typically moderate or severe. With 3rd-degree sprains, pain may be mild, and surprisingly, some patients can walk unaided. Some patients hear or feel a pop when the injury occurs. This finding suggests an anterior cruciate ligament tear but is not a reliable indicator. Location of the tenderness and pain depends on the injury: Sprained medial or lateral ligaments: Tenderness over the damaged ligament Medial meniscal injuries: Tenderness in the joint plane (joint line tenderness) medially Lateral meniscal injuries: Tenderness in the joint plane laterally Medial and lateral meniscal injuries: Pain made worse by extreme flexion or extension and restricted passive knee motion (locking) Injuries of any of the knee ligaments or menisci cause a visible and palpable joint effusion. The ballottement (patellar tap) test can be used to check for joint effusion. It is best done when the patient lies supine. The examiner uses one hand to firmly slide down the quadriceps muscles toward the knee and stops several centimeters above the knee joint. With the other hand, the examiner taps on the patella. If the patella bounces (ballottes), the patella is floating in fluid, indicating a significant knee joint effusion. 