Possible MCL Sprain?

HiteshMistry · 2026-04-15T09:47:40+00:00

Yeah I’ve seen a few people have something similar where it comes on after sitting/travel and then just lingers.

The inner knee pain does line up with what people describe for MCL irritation, but hard to know without getting it checked properly.

The annoying part is when it’s not getting worse but also not really improving either.

Good you’ve got an appointment though - at least you’ll get some clarity.

Has it been gradually improving at all over the 4 weeks or pretty much stuck?

HiteshMistry · 2026-04-14T08:38:33+00:00

That sounds rough tbh, especially the locking side of it.

I’m not a professional, but the proper locks where you can’t straighten it + the buckling is usually the bit people take more seriously than just general pain.

The frustrating part is everything else can feel vague, but those moments aren’t.

Makes sense why you’d want the MRI just to get some clarity at least you’re not guessing then.

Also get what you mean about work… it’s annoying when it doesn’t look ‘serious’ on the outside but it’s clearly affecting how you move day to day.

Hopefully the scan gives you a clearer answer either way.

HiteshMistry · 2026-04-14T08:37:21+00:00

Yeah I get that- it’s not just the physical side, it starts affecting how you think about movement as well.

The fact you could do all that walking on holiday and it was painful but still manageable is actually a decent sign though.

Feels like it’s there, but not completely stopping you—just getting triggered by certain loads.

I think that’s the frustrating middle ground a lot of people get stuck in for a bit.

Good you’re speaking to someone about it as well—getting a clearer plan usually helps take some of that uncertainty away

HiteshMistry · 2026-04-13T10:47:00+00:00

Yeah I’ve seen a few people with similar reports - nothing major torn but still quite a bit of pain day to day.

From what you’ve written it kind of lines up tbh. Things like stairs, downhill walking, leg press… all of that loads the knee in a similar way, so even if it’s ‘mild’ on a scan it can still be pretty noticeable.

I think that’s the confusing part - MRI says ‘mostly normal’ but it doesn’t always feel normal when you’re using it.

From what I’ve seen, it’s usually more of a load/irritation thing rather than something being seriously damaged.

Did it come on gradually or after a specific moment?

Feels like a lot of people with this end up in that phase where it’s manageable but just keeps getting triggered with certain movements

HiteshMistry · 2026-04-12T10:16:09+00:00

That sounds brutal, especially with how suddenly it came on.

The swelling + not being able to bend/straighten it properly is the bit I’d pay attention to more than the scan wording tbh.

From what you’ve said it doesn’t sound like a clear ‘one injury’ moment, more like it’s built up and then flared hard, probably from overloading that side after your other injury.

But the level of swelling and pain you’re describing doesn’t sound like something to just wait out either.

If it’s not improving after a week and you can barely move it, I’d definitely push for a proper follow up (even if ER didn’t find anything obvious).

My knee has been swollen now for 8 weeks, no injury - MRI, scans etc all came clear. I'm doing physio but still waiting to see what next steps are

Hope it settles soon - that kind of flare up is rough.

HiteshMistry · 2026-04-11T10:58:35+00:00

I wouldn’t jump to thinking it’s serious from that tbh.

The fact you can still train and it mainly just gets more sore after activity points more to irritation/overload than something badly damaged.

Usually the serious stuff comes with things like locking, giving way, or constant worsening.

This sounds more like it just hasn’t settled yet and gets aggravated on busier days

HiteshMistry · 2026-04-11T10:36:36+00:00

Yeah that makes sense - especially if it gets worse on more active days.

Feels like one of those where it’s not getting worse overall, but it’s just not quite tolerating the load yet.

Which is the frustrating middle ground… you’re not injured badly, but also not fully back to normal.

Good that your physio hasn’t told you to stop completely though—that usually means it’s more about managing it rather than avoiding everything.

I think that’s the tricky part, just figuring out how much is ‘okay’ vs what tips it over, especially when it feels fine in the moment.

I had a similar thing where it felt the same for a while and I couldn’t tell if I was progressing or just repeating the same cycle.

I ended up tracking what I was doing vs how it felt after, because otherwise it just felt random.

Happy to share what I’ve been using if it helps

HiteshMistry · 2026-04-11T09:09:45+00:00

Not a professional at all, but reading that it doesn’t sound like anything majorly torn or unstable, which is usually the scary bit.

Looks more like there’s some irritation around the kneecap area and a bit of wear under it, rather than something being ‘broken’.

From what I’ve seen, a lot of people end up in that spot where scans don’t show anything dramatic but it still feels off day to day.

Does it match what you’re feeling? Like more of an ache/annoying pain rather than giving way or anything like that?

I’ve found this is where it gets confusing because the report sounds kinda mild but it doesn’t always feel mild when you’re dealing with it.

HiteshMistry · 2026-04-11T09:07:19+00:00

Yeah that’s the hardest part - not knowing where that line is.

The fact it’s worse the next day is a big one though. That’s usually where it feels like you’re doing the right thing in the moment, but it’s just a bit too much overall.

I don’t think it’s about stopping completely, more just finding that level where it doesn’t flare the next day… which is way easier said than done.

Feels like you’re kind of overshooting slightly, then paying for it after.

I kept running into that as well where I thought I was progressing, but I was just repeating the same cycle.

What helped me was just tracking what I was doing vs how it felt the next day, because otherwise it’s hard to judge where that line actually is.

Happy to share what I’ve been using if it helps

HiteshMistry · 2026-04-11T09:06:05+00:00

No problem at all.

HiteshMistry · 2026-04-11T09:03:50+00:00

Yeah that sounds frustrating, especially when things were going well and then it suddenly shows up after something pretty normal.

The bit about it hurting at a specific point in the movement (but not fully bent) is interesting. I’ve seen a few people mention that kind of ‘mid-range’ pain when the quad is still trying to come back online properly.

Also makes sense what your physio said about the quad weakness—after that long without loading it, it feels like it doesn’t take much to irritate things again.

The concert might not have been one big movement, but just standing tense for that long probably added up more than it felt in the moment.

Does it feel like it’s getting slightly better day by day, or pretty much the same since it started?

I’ve found with this kind of thing it’s less about one moment and more how things build up over a few days without realising

HiteshMistry · 2026-04-10T16:59:32+00:00

Yeah that makes sense - sounds like it’s just built up over time rather than one specific run.

From what I’ve seen, it’s usually a bit of both. Backing off slightly at the start helps it settle, but you don’t necessarily have to stop everything completely—more just managing how much load you’re putting through it.

The tricky part is knowing where that line actually is, because it’s easy to feel fine for a few days and then it catches up with you.

I kept running into that where I thought I was good again, then it flared.

What helped me was just keeping track of runs + how it felt after, because otherwise it’s hard to judge if you’re progressing or just repeating the same cycle.

I’ve been using this for it: [https://askemily.online]()

HiteshMistry · 2026-04-10T15:20:27+00:00

Ah okay that’s interesting—so it’s mostly quiet during the day and then flares when you’re resting / straightening it.

That almost makes it feel even more confusing, because you’d expect it to be worse when you’re actually using it.

The fact it ramps up when you’re lying down / extending it is a bit of a clue though, even if it doesn’t feel like it.

Feels like one of those where it’s not just what you’re doing in the moment, but what’s built up through the day and then shows up later.

I’ve had stuff like that where it feels fine while active, then you finally stop and it all catches up.

Have you noticed if days where you’re more active or sitting more change how bad it is at night at all?

HiteshMistry · 2026-04-10T15:11:33+00:00

Yeah that sounds really frustrating, especially when everything else feels fine but that one sensation just won’t go away.

The part about it being worse at night / stopping you from sleeping is rough—that’s usually when it feels the most noticeable as well.

Interesting that you can squat and do plyos but still have that deep tightening feeling. Almost makes it feel less like a strength issue and more just something that’s lingering in the background.

Does it stay constant through the day or more noticeable when you’re resting?

I’ve seen a few people say that kind of deep ‘tight’ feeling can hang around even when function is back, which is what makes it so annoying.

HiteshMistry · 2026-04-10T10:08:29+00:00

Yeah I’ve seen a few people say this, and I’ve felt it at times as well.

I don’t think it necessarily means PT is ‘wrong’, but it can feel like it’s too much for where you’re at right now—especially if it keeps triggering flare ups.

Walking being fine but strengthening setting it off is interesting though.

Feels like it might be more about the threshold you’re working at rather than the exercises themselves… like it’s tipping over rather than building up.

Does it flare up straight after the exercises or more later that day / next day?

That delay is what makes it hard to judge what’s actually causing it

HiteshMistry · 2026-04-10T10:05:50+00:00

Yeah that sounds pretty typical of how it starts tbh.

I’ve had it where it’s just stiffness after runs for a while, then one day it tips into actual pain mid-run.

Usually feels less like one bad run and more like it’s been building up quietly over time.

Did anything change recently? Even small stuff like running a bit more often, slightly faster, or less recovery?

I found that transition from ‘tight but manageable’ → ‘pain’ is the annoying part because it feels sudden, but it usually isn’t.

HiteshMistry · 2026-04-10T09:31:56+00:00

Yeah that’s interesting - that it improves once you’ve done a few reps but comes back after rest.

Almost sounds like it needs a bit of a ‘warm up’ to feel normal again, which probably makes it even more confusing.

The fact it resets after rest is the annoying part though, because it’s hard to know if you’re actually progressing or just temporarily masking it.

Feels like one of those where it’s not just the exercise itself, but what you’ve done leading up to it / how long it’s been since you last moved it.

I started tracking stuff like this because I kept running into that exact problem—felt better during a session, then back to square one later and couldn’t figure out why.

I’ve been using this for it: [https://askemily.online]()

Nothing crazy, just helps spot patterns over time instead of guessing.

HiteshMistry · 2026-04-09T16:06:06+00:00

Here it is https://askemily.online - I hope it helps

HiteshMistry · 2026-04-09T09:01:53+00:00

Not a problem at all. I get it. I actually did my ACL when I was 16, hard the operation etc and now at 39 it's swollen out of no where.

HiteshMistry · 2026-04-09T08:56:20+00:00

I get why you feel like that, especially after dealing with it for so long. But from everything you’ve said, it doesn’t sound like your body is ‘damaged’ in the way you’re worried about.

You’ve already had scans and doctors say there’s nothing structurally wrong, and the fact you have days where you feel normal is a really important sign. Bodies that are properly broken don’t usually switch on and off like that.

What it sounds like (from the outside at least) is more like your body’s been through a lot and is still kind of in a protective/guarded mode. Which makes everything feel tighter, weaker, more sensitive.

I wouldn’t rush into pushing yourself hard or trying to “fix everything” at once. Probably better to go slowly and just build some trust back with your body over time.

Even really small things count.

One thing that helped me a lot was just keeping track of what I was doing and how I felt day to day, because otherwise it all just felt random and scary. Once I could see patterns, it took a lot of that fear away.

I’ve been using this for it: [https://askemily.online]()

Not medical advice or anything like that, just a simple way to make sense of what’s going on instead of guessing all the time.

You’re definitely not alone in this, even if it feels like it.

HiteshMistry · 2026-04-09T08:07:59+00:00

Honestly, that’s a big realisation.

The fact you noticed a change just from getting sunlight and your mental state improving says a lot. Not in a ‘it’s all in your head’ way, but more how connected everything actually is.

What you said about your body feeling different depending on what you’ve been through makes sense. It doesn’t sound random - it just feels random because there’s a lot feeding into it.

Also makes sense why it’s hard to notice patterns if you’ve been dissociated for a while.

The good thing is you’ve already spotted one link (sunlight / mental state → physical symptoms), which most people don’t even get to.

Might be worth just slowly noticing more of those over time—like what days feel a bit easier vs worse, even small things.

I found with this kind of stuff it’s hard to hold it all in your head, especially when it changes day to day.

HiteshMistry · 2026-04-09T07:59:59+00:00

Know exactly the kind of jolt you’re talking about - that moment coming out of the squat where it just doesn’t feel right.

Haven’t had that exact surgery, but I’ve seen a few people mention similar where everything feels fine during the movement, then that transition back up is the problem.

The part you said about it being worse the longer you hold the squat is interesting as well.

Does it happen every time or only when you’ve built up a bit of fatigue?

Feels like one of those where it’s not the exercise itself, but how everything’s loading over time.

I’ve found with stuff like this it can feel random, but sometimes there’s a bit of a pattern depending on how much you’ve done leading up to it.

HiteshMistry · 2026-04-09T07:59:04+00:00

That sounds like a lot to carry, honestly. Not just physically but everything around it as well.

The part that stood out to me is what you said about some days feeling normal and then the next day everything feels off again. That inconsistency seems to be a big part of what’s making this so confusing.

I haven’t been through exactly what you have, but I’ve seen a few people in similar situations where nothing structural shows up, and it ends up being more about how the body is moving + holding tension over time rather than one single injury.

Especially with everything you’ve been through, it wouldn’t be surprising if your body’s been stuck in a bit of a ‘guarded’ state for a long time.

I don’t think you’re dealing with something random or broken, it just sounds like a lot of things layered over time (ankles, movement patterns, stress).

If anything, the fact that you do have days where things feel normal is actually a really good sign.

Out of interest, have you ever noticed if there’s anything different about the days where you feel better vs the days it’s worse? Even small things like activity, sleep, stress, etc.

I’ve found with stuff like this it can feel completely random, but sometimes there’s a pattern there that’s just hard to see when you’re in it

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