About this topic
Ligaments are bands of tissue that join one bone to another. The knee joint has two side ligaments. These are the medial and lateral collateral ligaments. The anterior and posterior cruciate ligaments are in the middle of the knee. Sometimes, ligaments get damaged or strained in some way. Ligaments can get small tears or they can tear all the way. This may cause a problem with normal knee joint movement and make the knee unstable. ‚
When you tear a ligament, it is called a sprain. A slight stretch may cause only mild damage. A partial tear may loosen the ligament. A full tear causes the joint to be unstable. ‚
The anterior cruciate ligament or ACL and the medial collateral ligament or MCL are the most commonly injured knee ligaments in sports. These ligaments keep the shinbones and knee bones in the right place. ‚
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What care is needed at home?
- Ask your doctor what you need to do when you go home. Make sure you ask questions if you do not understand what the doctor says. This way you will know what you need to do.
- Rest your knee. Avoid activities that make the problem worse.
- Place an ice pack or a bag of frozen peas wrapped in a towel over the painful part. Never put ice right on the skin. Do not leave the ice on more than 10 to 15 minutes at a time.
- Prop your leg on pillows to help with swelling.
- Use a knee brace or neoprene sleeve for support and to lessen swelling. Your doctor may suggest you wrap the knee lightly with elastic bandages. These will also give support and lower swelling.
- Use crutches, walker, or a cane if told to do so by your doctor. Be sure you know how much weight you are able to put on your injured leg. Sometimes, you will not be allowed to put any weight on your injured leg.
- Do exercises for stretching and strengthening that your doctor or therapist teaches you to do.
What follow-up care is needed?
- Your doctor may ask you to make visits to the office to check on your progress. Be sure to keep these visits.
- You may also need to see a physical therapist (PT). The PT will teach you exercises to help you get back your strength and motion.
What drugs may be needed?
The doctor may order drugs to: ‚
- Help with pain and swelling
Will physical activity be limited?
You may need to rest your knee for a while. You should not do physical activity that makes your health problem worse. If you run, work out, or play sports, you may not be able to do those things until your health problem gets better. ‚
What problems could happen?
- Loss of knee movement
- Ongoing pain and stiffness
- Trouble walking
What can be done to prevent this health problem?
- When turning while walking, turn your whole body and not just your legs.
- Wear the right equipment when playing sports. This includes protective equipment and padding.
- Warm up slowly and stretch your muscles before you work out. Use good ways to train, such as slowly adding to how far you run. Do not work out if you are overly tired. Take extra care if working out in cold weather.
- Strengthen your hip and thigh muscles to support your knee better.
- Do not ignore or try to work through pain.
- Stay away from strenuous activities when you cannot keep your balance.
- Keep a healthy weight so there is not extra stress on your joints. Eat a healthy diet to keep your muscles healthy.
When do I need to call the doctor?
- Knee pain gets worse
- Trouble walking
- Numbness of the leg or foot
- Health problem is not better or you are feeling worse
Teach Back: Helping You Understand
The Teach Back Method helps you understand the information we are giving you. The idea is simple. After talking with the staff, tell them in your own words what you were just told. This helps to make sure the staff has covered each thing clearly. It also helps to explain things that may have been a bit confusing. Before going home, make sure you are able to do these: ‚
- I can tell you about my condition.
- I can tell you what may help ease my pain.
- I can tell you what I will do if I have more pain, trouble walking, or numbness in my leg or foot.
Where can I learn more?
American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons ‚
http://orthoinfo.aaos.org/topic.cfm?topic=a00420 ‚
http://orthoinfo.aaos.org/topic.cfm?topic=a00550 ‚
http://orthoinfo.aaos.org/topic.cfm?topic=A00549 ‚
Consumer Information Use and Disclaimer
This information is not specific medical advice and does not replace information you receive from your health care provider. This is only a brief summary of general information. It does NOT include all information about conditions, illnesses, injuries, tests, procedures, treatments, therapies, discharge instructions or life-style choices that may apply to you. You must talk with your health care provider for complete information about your health and treatment options. This information should not be used to decide whether or not to accept your health care providers advice, instructions or recommendations. Only your health care provider has the knowledge and training to provide advice that is right for you. ‚
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Copyright ‚ © 2015 Clinical Drug Information, LLC and Lexi-Comp, Inc. ‚