Brief Answer:
MRI is needed soon if locking feeling (explained below) in the knee otherwise no need to be done soon

Detailed Answer:
Hello,
Thank you for asking at HealthcareMagic.

I carefully read your question and understand your concern.

The steroids (methylprednisolone) can reduce pain and inflammation and might be the reason you are greatly improved. It does not generally fix the problem but makes you feel much better while the body heals itself.

The decision whether the MRI is needed or not depends on a few factors. If you have locking of the knee, which means the knee gets locked, you cant stretch it as it feels something preventing it to stretch but in a while later you can do it then you will need an MRI. In this case, you need to rule out the presence of ruptured pieces of the meniscus in the joint space that causes this lock symptom.

Otherwise, if you can easily walk and no pain and the knee feels stable than you can wait and not have the MRI. Unless you have the lock feeling explained above, all the rest of the issues do not need urgent MRI but can give a few days to the patient and then decide.

Meanwhile be cautious and not overuse the knee so you don't hurt it again soon and cause even a bigger damage to the structures of the knee.

Steriods mask pain and might make you feel like nothing wrong is there anymore and not feel the need to be cautious so you are at risk of hurting it again if not careful.


I hope this is helpful and answers to your question but please feel free to reply in case more clarification is needed on this.

Kind regards,

Antoneta Zotaj, MD

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