What happens when an athlete "blows out" their knee?
Using the diagnosis "blown out" knee is not terribly helpful in understanding exactly what structures were damaged nor what the injury prognosis will be. Saying a patient "blows out" their knee is much like saying the patient sustained a "knee sprain". Neither of these terms is a medical diagnosis.
The proper way to describe this condition is by stating which knee ligaments were damaged at the time of the injury. In the case of Daunte Culpepper's injury, he sustained damage to three of the four major ligaments in the knee; the anterior cruciate ligament, the posterior cruciate ligament, and the medial collateral ligament. This extent of damage to the knee and the treatment that will be required will certainly end the football season of this athlete.
Comments
how soon after an acute acl/pcl/mcl injury do athletes get their mri studies done?
It depends. An MRI can be performed at any time. Some physicians may recommend waiting for the swelling to subside after the injury to determine if the MRI is necessary. If you have an injury, ask your doctor when the right time to have an MRI would be. You may also find this helpful: Do I need a MRI?
i have a acl rupture and partial tear to the pcl would i need surgery, knee is painful and clunks all the time
You can read about the decision process for this type of surgery on the following page:
Deciding if ACL surgery is necessary
Good luck!