Well the results are in from the MRI.
While the problem will remain chronic, the cartilage is not free floating and doesn't really warranty surgical intervention at this time.
And since the swelling has been going down the past 3 days... and the pain is disappearing... I'd be better off waiting to see how things progress over the next few weeks.
I'll stay clear of the gym for another week and any major activity that could impact the joint and hopefully it'll reset to where it was before.
If it the swelling and pain begins to occur more often, then surgery will be an option.
One thing that was unexpected from the MRI, and something that I think I may have just thought was the on-again off-again pain is that I have a heal scar on my ACL.
Apparently, sometime in the past 10 years or so, I had an ACL injury and probably should have had it repaired. I either confused the pain with the chronic problem or it never caused me severe enough pain to think something else had happened.
The scar may actually cause problems and also be a contributor to the recent trauma, but there is no way to say for certain.
So.
I'm going to wait and see how it goes.
There's nothing quite as alarming as discovering that some portion of the human body we normally take for granted is now operating abnormally; and conversely, nothing quite as charming as discovering that medically it wasn't quite a big deal after all. :)
Glad to hear all is well ...