Which best describes a Grade 1 medial knee injury?

• A. Tenderness, no instability
• B. Broad tenderness, partially torn medial knee structures
• C. Complete medial knee disruption
• D. Audible pop with pivot shift

Answer: (A)

Grade I medial knee injuries are mild sprains of the medial collateral ligament with no instability. The hallmark is tenderness along the medial knee but the knee remains stable on examination—no abnormal widening with valgus stress and no laxity detected. This reflects only minor fiber disruption, preserving overall ligament function.

The other descriptions align with more severe injury patterns: broader tenderness with partial tearing suggests a Grade II sprain with some laxity; complete medial disruption corresponds to a Grade III sprain with noticeable instability; an audible pop with a pivot shift points to an ACL injury (often with associated structures), not a isolated MCL injury.