Objective: To report a horizontal medial meniscal tear in a young athlete following acute knee trauma and to emphasize the importance of timely diagnosis and appropriate referral following unsuccessful conservative management.
Clinical Features: A 24-year-old female presented with persistent right knee pain following a volleyball-related injury. A six-month course of conservative treatment failed to improve symptoms, prompting further evaluation with radiography and Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI).
Intervention/Outcome: MRI revealed a horizontal tear of the medial meniscus with associated chondromalacia patella. Following arthroscopic medial meniscal repair and three months of postoperative rehabilitation, the patient was able to return to full athletic participation without limitations.
Conclusion: This case highlights that horizontal meniscal tears and associated chondromalacia patella, though typically degenerative, can occur in young and active individuals following acute knee trauma. Persistent medial knee pain unresponsive to conservative management should prompt advanced imaging to avoid delayed diagnosis. Early recognition and appropriate surgical intervention resulted in excellent functional recovery for this patient.
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