Possible meniscal injury

Dear Ask The Doctor: Before I ask my question you should know that I am a photographer, because of the job, I have to move very fast and get up and down from my knees. So I spend a little too much time on my knees every day. The other day I was actually cleaning the studio that I work at, lifting heavy objects moving them back and forth. I heard my knees crack a few times, but it didn't really concern me, because there was no pain. But I then continued to pick up even more objects, probably a little too heavy for my strength, I jerked to the side, what it felt like, was my knee popping out of place, and then back in very fast. The pain was so sudden and unbearable, I sat down and put ice on it right away. It has been a few days now, and I have an unbelievable amount of pressure and pain in my left knee. (Of course the one I injured). What it feels like is as if there is a giant bubble underneath my knee cap causing a lot of pressure, and there is a spot on my knee, (on the out side) when there is obvious swelling. When I walk, I can hardly bend my leg, and there is crunching and it also feels as if my knee is twisting to the side with every step I take. Before any diagnosis, you should know that pretty much everyone on my fathers side of the family, and my brother, have all had knee surgery for straining,tearing their ACL and meniscus (spelling?). Should I be concerned that I have unfortunately inflicted the same damage to my knee(s? (ACL and all the good stuff that makes my knees work).

Dear Jordan: The menisci are C-shaped wedges of fibro cartilage located between the tibia and femur, and very close related to knee ligaments and attached also to the joint capsule. They are susceptible to get injured with leg rotation movements or rotational forces applied to them, and the lesion produced can be partial or complete tear. Meniscus injuries are common in young and active people as you, who are involved in sporting or physical activities. Locking or buckling is a common symptom after a meniscus lesion develops. Locking usually occurs at 20-45° of joint extension. If a torn fragment has been trapped within the joint, extension may feel limited against a rubbery resistance. Joint inflammation or capsular involvement also may resemble locking. A more reliable indicator of meniscus lesion is a click or snaps after the joint unlocks, it can be or not associated with pain. A sensation of giving way may occur when the loose fragment becomes lodged for a moment in the knee joint, causing a sense of buckling. Spontaneous healing is common because of the rich blood supply in the meniscal periphery. Successful recovery from a meniscal tear is helped by a gradual resolution of symptoms over 6 weeks with a return to normal activity by 3 months. Many meniscal tears heal spontaneously, this might be your particular case with just 5% tear. Also, can be treated with casting depending of the severity of the tear. With time the symptoms improve. If there is no significative improvement you should get a clinical (orthopedic surgeon) and Imaging (MRI) evaluation of your knee.