A 20-year-old male reports knee pain after twisting it while playing soccer. Which injury is most likely?

In a scenario where a 20-year-old male experiences knee pain following a twisting motion while playing soccer, an injury to the meniscus of the knee is most likely. This is primarily due to the mechanics of how meniscal injuries typically occur. The meniscus consists of cartilage that acts as a cushion between the thigh bone (femur) and shin bone (tibia). A twisting motion coupled with weight-bearing can easily lead to a tear in the meniscus, especially in sports that involve rapid changes in direction, like soccer.

Symptomatically, meniscus injuries often present with joint pain, swelling, and possible locking or catching sensations in the knee. These signs align well with the described injury mechanism.

While injuries to the ligaments, such as an ACL (anterior cruciate ligament) tear, could also be present with a twisting motion, the specific characteristics of the patient's symptoms and the fact that meniscal injuries are quite common in young athletes make meniscal injury the most likely scenario in this case. Injuries to the patella or quadriceps tendon, although possible, are less common from a twisting motion during activities like soccer.