Diagnosis

Your physician will take your history and perform a physical exam, which will aid in making the proper diagnosis. During the exam your physician may also perform a variety of tests to determine if your knee is unstable.

Because blood vessels often tear during an ACL tear, blood will likely be in the joint mixed with the synovial fluid. The physician may give you a local anesthetic and drain some of the fluid from the joint. This helps decrease the swelling and allow the physician to confirm if blood is in the synovial fluid. Your physician may also use X-ray and MRI images to help with the diagnosis.