Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger seeks treatment for knee injury

Schwarzenegger, who turned 61 last month, tore the shock-absorbing cartilage in his knee several weeks ago while working out, said spokesman Aaron McLear.

The governor has been able to work this week, but "it was bothering him at the point where he needed to get it checked out" again, McLear said.

The tear has not hampered Schwarzenegger's ability to walk, said McLear, who did not know which knee the governor had injured.

"I think he just experiences discomfort," McLear said.

Schwarzenegger had planned to co-host a summit on environmental issues in Lake Tahoe today with Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.). Feinstein told the audience there that the governor had called her early this morning and was on his way to a Los Angeles hospital, the Associated Press reported.

Schwarzenegger, who rose to fame as a champion bodybuilder before becoming a movie star best known for his action-hero roles, has sustained a series of injuries through the years.

In 2006, Schwarzenegger slipped on skis while on a trip in Idaho and broke a leg that already had an artificial hip, causing him to use crutches for weeks. McLear said the governor's knee injury was unrelated to the slip he had while skiing.

Earlier that year, the governor collided with a car pulling out of a driveway while he was riding his Harley-Davidson motorcycle in Brentwood. He received 15 stitches in his lips.

ron.lin@latimes.com