Knee Ligament Injuries
Partial and complete tears of knee ligaments produce significant pain and swelling and produce marked instability through the knee joint. These injuries usually occur with some type of specific event such as being struck from the side or front of the joint, forced or excessive flexing of the joint or accidentally stepping off of a curb or into a hold and hyper-extending the knee. The injuries are often traumatic and very painful, leaving the joint swollen, stiff, and usually feeling very unstable. In cases of a complete tear, the ligament may require surgical repair or grafting. Partial tears are usually immobilized for a time as precaution. Then, therapy is started to regain full mobility and strength over a course of several weeks. Frequently injured ligaments include:
- ACL- Anterior Cruciate Ligament
- PCL- Posterior Cruciate Ligament
- MCL- Medial Collateral Ligament
- LCL- Lateral Collateral Ligament