What are knee ligament injuries?

Knee ligaments are fibrous or short, callous connective tissue that holds the knee together. They can be injured by trauma, such as a car accident, or by sports injuries, such as a twisting knee injury in basketball or skiing.

There are four major ligaments in the knee. Ligaments are fibrous tissues that attach bones to other bones. They provide strength and stability to the joint. The 4 knee ligaments connect the femur (thighbone) to the tibia, which is the shin bone. These are:

ACL, Anterior cruciate ligament: The ligament is situated in the middle portion of the knee. This ligament determines the forward movement combined with its rotation of the shin bone.
The posterior cruciate ligament, or PCL: This is the ligament at the back of the knee. The posterior cruciate ligament will stop the shin bone from backward movement.
Medial collateral ligament (MCL): These are ligaments at the inner part of the knee.
Lateral collateral ligament (LCL): These are ligaments on the outer part of the knee.

What are the symptoms of injuries to the knee ligaments?

Injury of the cruciate:

A cruciate injury usually hurts. You would hear a popping or cracking noise when this happens. Then, your knee will give way as you try to stand on it. The knee also becomes swollen. You may be unable to move your knee at all like you might typically. You could also feel pain from the joints and while walking.The symptoms of a cruciate ligament injury resemble several other medical conditions. Seek medical attention from your doctor for a proper diagnosis.

Injury to collateral ligament:

A collateral ligament injury also causes the knee to buckle and pop. It also causes pain and swelling. Often, you will have pain at the sides of the knee and swelling over the injury site. If it is a tear of the MCL, you will have pain on the inside of the knee. With a tear of the LCL, you may have pain on the outside of the knee. All these symptoms will also make you feel your knee will give way.

What causes knee ligament injuries?

Cruciate ligaments:

The most common ligaments where people sustain an injury are the ACLs. In the twisting position, the ACL gets stretched or even torn. The feet are stationary in one direction, but the knees move and go in another. Impact through slowing when landing from a jump or while running and landing unconventionally are reasons for injuries to the ACL. Some sports with a higher risk of an ACL injury include skiing, basketball, and football.

The PCL is another reasonably frequent ligament that is torn in the knee. However, a PCL tear usually occurs with a sharp, direct blow, such as from a car accident or while being tackled to the ground during football.

Collateral ligaments:

The MCL is injured more than the LCL. Stretch and tear injuries of the collateral ligaments commonly result from a blow to the lateral side of the knee, which may result from playing hockey or football.

How are knee ligament injuries diagnosed?

Your healthcare provider will conduct a history and physical examination. You may also require one or both of these tests:

X-ray: This radiology test can help doctors determine whether the injury is to the bone or a torn ligament. It employs energy beams to create images of inner parts on film, including tissues, bones, and organs.
MRI: MRI is a test that combines large magnets, radio waves, and a computer to create detailed images of interior structures and organs inside the human body. It often can identify damage or disease in the bones and the adjacent ligament, tendon, or muscle.
Arthroscopy: The less invasive approach to treatment and diagnosis of joint conditions. The narrow, lighted optic tube called the arthroscope is inserted into the joint through a small incision. Images of the inside of the joint are transmitted to a screen. They can be helpful in detecting malignancies and bone diseases to diagnose arthritic and/or degenerative changes in the joint and determine the source of inflammation or pain within the bone.

How is Knee Ligament Injuries Treated?

Treatment for knee ligament injuries varies widely based on the extent of the injury, the involved ligaments, and activity and lifestyle goals for return. It can be conservative on one extreme; then, it is an invasive procedure to aid recovery and get back to function on the other.

Nonsurgical Treatment

For cases that are not severe, and surgery is entirely ruled out, there are also non-drug ways on how to manage the condition and promote healing through:

Rest and Ice: The rest of the knee that has been affected, with ice placed over it to relieve swelling and pain.
Compression and Elevation: Compression bandage and knee elevation usually help control swelling.
Pain Control: Anti-inflammatory drugs, such as ibuprofen, may be prescribed, which can reduce swelling and minimize pain. In some instances, more potent medications may also be prescribed.

Physical therapy is one of the nonsurgical treatments. Physical therapy is mainly concerned with performing exercises that tighten muscles around the knee, enhance flexibility, and regain range of motion. Thus, a physical therapist will suggest a particular rehabilitation program by an individual's needs. Progress is made slowly, and the risk of injury is avoided.

Bracing: A knee brace supports and stabilizes the knee during healing.

Surgical Treatment:

Even more severe ligament tears, incredibly complete tears, or significant knee instability may require surgical intervention. In these instances, it is possible to repair a torn ligament directly if the tear is relatively clean and there is enough healthy surrounding tissue to anchor.

Ligament Reconstruction: This is generally true with ACL injuries, where the damaged ligament is reconstructed using a graft. The graft may be harvested from another part of the patient's body (autograft) or a donor (allograft). This depends on the patient's preference, doctor recommendations, and exact reconstruction requirements.
Rehabilitation after surgery: This is one of the programs following surgery. A rehabilitation program will gradually return strength and flexibility exercises, eventually progressing into sport-specific or activity-specific drills as the knee heals and usually functions.

How to strengthen knee ligaments after injury?

One of the best ways of tightening knee ligaments after injury is to keep them moving and loose. There's plenty of information on the internet about the best stretches and strength exercises, but, of course, you need to do the proper stretches and strengthening exercises for your specific injury, and the supervision of a physiotherapist can be essential for recovery.