Medical History for a Knee Injury
To determine the history of a knee injury, such as an
anterior cruciate ligament injury or
meniscus tear, your doctor will ask the
following:
- When did the injury occur?
- Where is
the pain located?
- What position was your leg in when you injured
it? Was the knee bent (flexed) or straight (extended)?
- What type of
motion caused the injury (cutting, stopping, twisting, jumping, landing, or
falling)?
- Was external force, such as a direct blow, applied to
your knee as part of this injury?
- Did you feel or hear a pop at the
time of the injury?
- When did your knee start to
hurt—immediately or later?
- Did your knee joint
feel stable after the injury?
- Were you able to walk? What caused
difficulty or an inability to walk?
- When did your knee start to
swell—how many minutes or hours after the injury?
- Have you had knee
problems before? Have you ever had treatment for knee
problems?
- What home treatment have you done between the time of the
injury and the current exam?
Because knee pain may be caused by a problem elsewhere (referred pain), your doctor may ask
questions about other body parts, especially about your hip.
Your doctor will also ask you general questions about
your health, such as past and current health problems and about any medicines
you are currently using.
Credits
| By | Healthwise Staff |
| Primary Medical Reviewer | William H. Blahd, Jr., MD, FACEP - Emergency Medicine |
| Specialist Medical Reviewer | Freddie H. Fu, MD - Orthopedic Surgery |
| Last Revised | April 5, 2012 |