Possible ACL injury seen in the MRI

Dear Ask The Doctor: I went and had an MRI done and the dr. said there was nothing wrong. He gave me a shot in the knee and said it would stop the pain, however a week later I am still in pain. on the paper he gave me it small fluid signal intesity lesion anterior to the distal margin of the anterior cruciate ligament is present. What does that mean. He also said I had a small sisk and it was nothing to be concerned about and it was not causing any problem.

Dear Robyn: The finding described in the MRI might correspond to a minor lesion of the ACL, that may produce pain and a sensation of giving away is due to a joint instability because the ACL is one of the main factors that provide the stability on the knee joint. Both ligaments ACL and PCL are very important to stabilize the knee joint backwards and forwards, the lateral ones stabilize it side to side, the menisci give cushion between femur and tibia, and the synovial fluid lubricates all the surfaces minimizing the friction during the movements, so as you can see every element is important for the correct function of the knee joint. The heat and cold treatments are indicated to basically control pain and inflammation and they help to increase the blood flow in the area when there is a partial rupture of the ligaments. Try to avoid painful movements and/or activities, elevation of the leg, anti-inflammatory over the counter medication (as “advil”, “motrin”) and the use of a knee immobilizer if you need it. If all these directions are followed, then the normal function should return in few days to weeks, the healing time depends on the severity of the initial injury and on every patient in particular, but if there is still pain, swelling and/or limitation on the movements, then, I strongly recommend a reevaluation by an Orthopedic Surgeon to decide about the imaging studies to order and determine the best treatment option for you.