I injured my knee in May 2022. I did not receive the first specific diagnosis until 18 October. Along the way, I lost several months, dealt with persistent pain and made a few decisions that only prolonged the story. This is my journey from the first symptoms to the decision to undergo knee arthroscopy.
Important: this is my personal experience, not a universal diagnostic pathway. A doctor should determine the appropriate tests and treatment based on symptoms and examination. Materials from the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons explain that meniscus injuries are assessed through clinical examination and that MRI can help confirm the diagnosis.
The first symptoms after the race
I described what happened before the injury in “Knee Arthroscopy: My Road to Injury”. I felt no pain during the race and reached the finish normally. Only two or three days later did my knee become visibly swollen. I assumed it was overuse and that rest would be enough.
I was not very good at resting. A few days later, I ran 10 kilometres, and one week after the race in Cisna I started a duathlon. My knee quickly showed me that this was a poor decision.
After about two weeks, the swelling began to decrease, but severe pain appeared and made walking difficult. I stopped running in May and decided that it was time to seek medical advice.
Knee diagnosis: the first consultations and tests
May and June 2022
- 18 May: an orthopaedist at Lux Med told me to stop running, ordered an ultrasound and recommended anti-inflammatory and pain medication as well as Structum.
- 23 May: the first ultrasound showed no abnormalities apart from fluid in the knee, without traces of blood.
- 25 May: another orthopaedic consultation ended with similar recommendations and a follow-up in six to eight weeks.
- 14 June: because the pain continued, I saw another orthopaedist earlier than planned. I still received no new diagnosis or additional recommendations.
July and physiotherapy
- 7 July: the third orthopaedist referred me to a physiotherapist.
- 16 July: I had a remote consultation, followed by an in-person appointment on 20 July. I was advised to consider an assessment for insoles and received a series of treatments: cryotherapy, laser therapy and ultrasound therapy.
- From 8 August: I attended the prescribed treatments for ten working days. In my case, they did not improve the problem.
Movement and running-form analysis
On 10 August, I visited physiotherapist Paweł Kaczmarczyk to find out whether I needed insoles. After the examination, I was told that I should focus more on exercise and have my running form checked. We completed that analysis a few days later.
A second ultrasound and an MRI scan
- 17 August: another orthopaedic appointment and a referral for a second ultrasound.
- 22 August: the second ultrasound again failed to provide a clear answer.
- 31 August: I received a referral for an MRI scan.
- 20 September: I underwent the MRI. The report described, among other findings, oblique and radial tearing in the posterior horn of the medial meniscus.
- 28 September: I received a hospital referral for arthroscopy.
The race that became my first DNF
By the end of September, the pain had eased, so I decided that I could run the Silesia Half Marathon at an easy pace. After 7 kilometres, I had to leave the course. It was my first DNF and another sign that I should not have been testing my knee through racing.
I briefly returned to physiotherapy at Lux Med and completed five manual-therapy sessions. Afterwards, I decided to seek another opinion.
A diagnosis after five months
That is how I met Marcin Komorowicz from Galen Rehabilitation. During our first appointment, he performed several meniscus tests and referred me to Dr Jakub Liberski at Galen Orthopaedics.
On 18 October, the doctor performed an ultrasound and reviewed the MRI. I finally received a specific diagnosis: internal damage to the knee joint and a chronic meniscus injury associated with a previous trauma, considered suitable for surgery.
I was still unsure whether to have the operation because I was simply afraid of it. I sought a second opinion from Dr Smolik at a clinic in Nieborowice. The diagnosis was the same. The remaining decision concerned where and when to have the procedure — that is the subject of the next part.
What I learned from the diagnostic process before arthroscopy
A comprehensive consultation could have saved me time
Looking back, I believe that in my case an earlier consultation at a centre combining specialist examination with access to diagnostic imaging could have shortened months of uncertainty. Having a medical package did not prevent me from moving between appointments and tests. This is my personal conclusion, not a rule that applies to every injury.
I should not have tested the knee through more races
The most obvious mistakes were my own: I tried to return to running before the problem had been identified. The duathlon and half marathon gave me no answers — they only added pain and frustration.
The dispute with my insurer
I also filed a claim with UNIQA. In my particular case, the insurer decided that the problem resulted from overuse rather than an accident, despite the doctor’s wording that the damage was associated with a previous injury. The experience taught me to check policy coverage and definitions carefully.
Summary
Five months passed between the injury in May and the specific diagnosis on 18 October. The main stages were repeated consultations, two ultrasound scans, physiotherapy, a running analysis, an MRI and two matching specialist opinions. The next article will cover my choice of surgical centre, the costs and the knee arthroscopy itself.
Originally published in Polish on 25 February 2023. English translation updated on 26 September 2026.