What is the biggest mistake patients make after a knee injury?

One mistake I see fairly often is assuming that knee pain will simply disappear if you give it enough time.

Sometimes it does. A minor strain may settle with rest and gradual activity.

But repeatedly pushing through pain, ignoring swelling or instability, or returning to sport before the knee is ready can turn a relatively manageable problem into a much longer recovery.

The opposite can happen too. Some people become so worried about hurting the knee again that they stop moving altogether, even when gradual rehabilitation would help.

Not every knee injury needs an MRI. And certainly not every knee injury needs surgery.

But if pain, swelling, locking, instability or difficulty with normal activities persists, getting the problem properly assessed is usually better than guessing what has happened.

If you've dealt with a knee injury, what's something you would do differently if it happened again?