About this video
Last updated: 9 October 2026
The video says that after a knee injury the first step is usually an X-ray, which it calls a quick tool for ruling out a fracture or a bone-related issue. It says an X-ray shows only the bones, as a two-dimensional image, and cannot show the soft tissues inside the joint.
Key points
- It names the soft tissues as ligaments such as the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) and the medial collateral ligament (MCL), the meniscus (the cartilage cushion) and the smooth articular cartilage covering the bones.
- It says these are the structures most often injured in a sports-related or twisting injury.
- It describes an MRI (a scan that shows soft tissues) as a way to see these tissues in detail, revealing tears, inflammation and other abnormalities that an X-ray cannot show.
- It says that when pain continues although the X-ray is clear, it is worth looking beyond the X-ray.
Questions this video answers
What is the difference between an X-ray and an MRI for a knee injury?
The video says an X-ray is a quick tool for ruling out a fracture or bone-related issue, but shows only the bones. It says an MRI (a scan that shows soft tissues) can show ligaments, the meniscus and cartilage in detail, including tears and inflammation that an X-ray cannot show.
Which parts of the knee does the video say an X-ray cannot show?
It says an X-ray cannot show the soft tissues inside the joint: ligaments such as the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) and the medial collateral ligament (MCL), the meniscus (the cartilage cushion) and the smooth articular cartilage that covers the bones.
What does the video say to do if the pain continues but the X-ray is clear?
It says that when pain continues although the X-ray comes back clear, it is worth looking beyond the X-ray.
