Knee joint showing lateral collateral ligament (LCL) tear
Overview of Lateral Collateral Ligament (Knee)
Lateral collateral ligament (also known as fibular collateral ligament) is supporting band like structure on outer aspect of knee. Â LCL helps to keep the knee joint stable against sideway forces. Other stabilizing soft tissues are popliteal-fibular ligament, popliteus muscle tendon and knee joint capsule – Postero Lateral Corner (PLC)Â complex. When injury to the sides of the knee happens then either LCL or / and tissues forming PLC are damaged.
Contact Sports: Tackle with inward driving force on the bent leg.
Motor bike accident: direct blow on the side of knee from other vehicle .
Trivial injury like missed steps in overweight person.
Commonly there is combined ligament injury; isolated LCL Injury is rare to occur.
Knee deformity / dislocation (high velocity trauma).
Swelling and painful knee movement.
Side to side instability (knee buckling) on walking.
Varus Thrust – gapping of knee outer aspect on walking felt in chronic LCL tear.
Are you a contact athlete who sustained LCL injury or knee feels unstable?
You can consult Dr. Abhijit Ranaware (Knee and sports injury Specialist)
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Diagnosis
Dr. Abhijit Ranaware will examine patient with specific test and feel for joint opening by applying side to side stress on leg compared to normal side. Clinical examination for PCL and other knee supporting ligament is done for complete evaluation. The PLC injuries are complex and needs special expertise to diagnose and treat these injuries.
X rays – Stress views in both planes (frontal and backwards) plays very important role to confirm LCL injury, and help to diagnose combined associated injury like posterior cruciate injury (PCL).
Scanogram – to check for lower limb alignment in chronic injury.
MRI Scan – will confirm LCL tear and reveal associated soft tissue injury. PCL damage is very common to occur in association with LCL injury.