The lateral collateral ligament is one of the four main stabilizing ligaments of the knee, along with the anterior cruciate ligament, posterior cruciate ligament, and medial collateral ligament. It is a small ligament on the lateral side of the knee the side away from the midline of the body. LCL tears are unusual as isolated injuries.
Frequently the LCL and the other supporting ligaments on the outside and back of the knee the posterolateral corner are torn in multi-ligament knee injuries. An isolated lateral collateral ligament injury, especially one found to be a Grade 1 sprain, does not require surgery. Often a knee brace provides side-to-side stability while the ligament heals. The knee is the largest joint in your body and one of the most complex.
Three bones meet to form the knee joint: the thighbone femur , shinbone tibia , and kneecap patella. The kneecap sits in front of the joint to provide some protection. Knee ligaments connect the thighbone to the lower leg. The four primary ligaments in the knee act like strong ropes, holding the bones together and keeping the knee stable. The knee joint relies only on ligaments and surrounding muscles for stability, so it is easily injured.
In fact, the MCL is the most commonly injured ligament in the knee. However, due to the complex anatomy of the outside of the knee, an injury to the LCL usually includes injury to other structures in the joint, as well. Athletes who participate in direct contact sports like football or soccer are more likely to injure their collateral ligaments.
An injured ligament is considered a sprain , and is graded on following severity scale:. Common symptoms of collateral ligament injuries include: pain on the inside of the knee with an MCL injury; pain on the outside of the knee with an LCL injury; swelling over the site of the injury; and a feeling of instability, as if the knee may give out from under you.
Because the knee joint relies just on ligaments and surrounding muscles for stability, it is easily injured. Direct contact to the knee or hard muscle contraction, such as changing direction rapidly while running, can injure a knee ligament. Injuries to the collateral ligaments are usually caused by a force that pushes the knee sideways. These are often contact injuries, but not always.
Medial collateral ligament tears often occur as a result of a direct blow to the outside of the knee, which pushes the knee inwards toward the other knee. Blows to the inside of the knee that push the knee outwards may injure the lateral collateral ligament. Your physician will examine all the structures of your injured knee and compare them to your uninjured knee. Most ligament injuries can be diagnosed with a thorough physical examination.
Other tests which may help confirm your diagnosis include magnetic resonance imaging MRI , and X-rays , which can reveal any injury to the bone. It is possible, however, for these images to appear normal, especially if the injury occurred more than three months prior to testing. Injuries to the MCL rarely require surgery. If your LCL injury also involves other structures in your knee, treatment will address those, as well.
Most isolated collateral ligament injuries can be successfully treated without surgery. If the collateral ligament is torn in such a way that it cannot heal or is associated with other ligament injuries, your doctor may suggest surgery to repair it. A study notes that isolated collateral ligament injuries are rare. Due to complexity of the knee, injuries are more likely to involve other structures in the knee. A person with an LCL injury will typically experience sudden pain on the outside of the knee after a traumatic event to the area, such as a blow to the knee, sudden twist, or a fall.
Doctors can diagnose an LCL injury by first doing a physical exam and asking the person about the event that led to the symptoms. They may ask specifics about the event, such as where the blow came from, how the person fell or twisted the leg, or other specifics. They may ask the person to move the knee or move the knee themselves and look for other signs of damage and swelling.
Doctors may order imaging tests such as X-rays or MRI scans to look at the tissues and structures inside the knee to decide what type of treatment the person requires. Treatment will vary based on the structures involved in the injury and the severity.
For most LCL injuries, doctors may recommend home care, and advise tips such as :. More severe injuries or those that include other structures in the knee may require surgical treatments.
This may involve repairing, joining, or reconstructing severed ligaments. Minor sprains may heal quickly with proper home care. While there is no definitive timeline in each case, wearing a brace for a few days may allow the LCL to heal and swelling to go down. The person may be able to start strengthening exercises within a week if their symptoms heal enough to allow for rehabilitation.
Healing is a very personal process based on the injury, and it may take weeks to fully recover. Recovery also depends heavily on other areas of injury and their treatment. If other structures suffer damage and the person requires surgery, it may take people roughly 8—12 weeks to recover. Once strength and range of motion return, doctors may clear the person for a slow, progressive return to sports.
This may include starting with light activity such as jogging or walking upstairs, and progress back to playing the sport. The exact timing of this will vary.
A case study of a student athlete with a grade 3 LCL tear notes that the athlete was able to return to competitive sports after 12 weeks of physical therapy. If other structures have damage and require surgery, rehabilitation will take longer.
There is no specific exercise to help heal an injured LCL, but once healed doctors may recommend rehabilitation for the LCL. During rehabilitation, a physical therapist will work directly with the person, giving them exercises and showing them correct form for each.
Some knee-strengthening exercises may include:. Preventing an LCL injury may not be possible in every case, as they may occur from accidents or as a result of forces a person cannot control themselves. Taking some precautions may help prevent the injuries that are preventable.
0コメント