I think I may have torn a cartilage in my knee. What are the symptoms?

Physical Therapy in Seattle for Knee

Q: I think I may have torn a cartilage in my knee. What are the symptoms?

A: If you feel you have injured the cartilage in your knee, it is important to have this checked by a doctor. Self-diagnosis could lead to other knee problems because you could be wrong. In any case, these are the most common and probable signs and symptoms of an injured cartilage of the knee:

  • Pain in your knee
  • Swelling of the knee
  • Tenderness when pressing on certain spots
  • Limited knee motion
  • Popping or clicking sound from within the knee when it is moved


Reference: Asheesh Bedi, MD, Brian T. Feeley, MD, and Riley J. Williams III, MD. Managements of Articular Cartilage Defects of the Knee. In The Journal of Bone & Joint Surgery. Feb. 2010. Vol. 92. No. 4. Pp. 994-1009.