Which best describes a Grade 2 medial knee injury?

Which best describes a Grade 2 medial knee injury?

• A. Tenderness, no instability
• B. Broad tenderness, partially torn medial knee structures
• C. Complete medial knee disruption
• D. Instability with valgus stress at 0 degrees

Answer: (B)

Grade II medial knee injury reflects a partial tear of the medial structures with some, but not gross, instability. The diffuse, broad tenderness along the medial side signals that more than a single point is injured, and “partially torn” confirms it isn’t a complete rupture. This sits between a mild sprain (tenderness with no instability) and a complete disruption (gross instability). So the description of broad tenderness with a partial tear fits this middle grade best. The other patterns describe milder or more severe injuries: tenderness with no instability corresponds to a Grade I sprain; complete medial disruption implies a Grade III rupture with heavy instability; instability under valgus stress at 0 degrees suggests a more severe or multi-structure injury beyond a partial MCL tear.

Grade II medial knee injury reflects a partial tear of the medial structures with some, but not gross, instability. The diffuse, broad tenderness along the medial side signals that more than a single point is injured, and “partially torn” confirms it isn’t a complete rupture. This sits between a mild sprain (tenderness with no instability) and a complete disruption (gross instability). So the description of broad tenderness with a partial tear fits this middle grade best.

The other patterns describe milder or more severe injuries: tenderness with no instability corresponds to a Grade I sprain; complete medial disruption implies a Grade III rupture with heavy instability; instability under valgus stress at 0 degrees suggests a more severe or multi-structure injury beyond a partial MCL tear.