Knee injury while swimming, possible meniscus tear?
24 M 5’11 155lb. Prescribed antibiotics for cut, taking generic Tylenol and Advil for inflammation/pain.
I was swimming last week (snorkeling) and hit a shallow rock outcrop with my left knee full force resulting in a small but deep laceration left lateral above the knee cap. Was able to limp to my car and drive to the ER for stitches, got discharged with no X-ray, prescribed antibiotics.
Experienced nearly debilitating pain the night of the injury after discharge however pain and swelling substantially reduced the following day, and range of motion improved and ability to bear weight and walk on the leg improved the day following that. No visible bruising or outward swelling or signs of infection.
Knee can fully extend with minor pain when not bearing weight, but hurts intensely with rotation and flexion, difficult to flex beyond 45°. Stitches are slightly sensitive to touch/pressure but very little pain when touching my knee elsewhere. Pain is both general and localized to the right lateral side of the knee cap, radiating downwards when rotating or flexing the knee. (I think this is odd since it is not where the impact was.)
Unfortunately, I was scheduled to move out of my apartment 4 days post accident (terrible timing) which aggravated my injury, and now it is difficult to walk on, where as before I felt like I was possibly recovering.
Currently it is 8 days post injury and it still hurts and limited range of motion.. I would love to hear some advice on what is possibly wrong with my knee while I try to schedule a doctors visit and get an x-ray or mri scheduled.
I am hoping that is a minor fracture and not a meniscus tear or something serious like that. I think it is possibly the latter given the range of motion limitations and the lack of sensitivity to touch, however the mechanism of injury doesn’t seem to line up with what I know about meniscus tears.