Combined Knee Ligament Sprain

Description

A combined knee ligament sprain is a sprain (tear) of multiple major ligaments of the knee. The four knee ligaments are the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), posterior cruciate ligament (PCL), medial collateral ligament (MCL), and lateral collateral ligament (LCL). Ligaments are structures that help maintain the normal relationship of the femur (thigh bone) and the tibia (leg bone). They allow motion up to certain extremes; any motion beyond these extremes results in ligament strain. Injury to multiple ligaments results in difficulty in performing sports and often even in difficulty with day-to-day living. Injury to the ACL and MCL is the most common combined knee ligament injury.

Common signs and symptoms

• One or more “pops” heard or felt at the time of injury

• Inability to continue after the injury; knee swelling noticed within 6 hours

• Possibly, deformity of the knee

• Inability to straighten the knee

• Knee gives way or buckles; swelling with repeated giving way

• Occasionally, locking when there is concurrent injury to the meniscus cartilage

• Rarely, injury to nerves (numbness, weakness, paralysis) or discoloration or coldness of the foot and ankle from an artery injury

Causes

Combined knee ligament sprains are caused by a force that exceeds the strength of the ligaments. Usually these are the result of a severe injury, although combined knee ligament strains may be caused by a noncontact injury, such as stepping in a hole in the ground, hyperextending the knee and twisting it.

Factors that increase risk

• Sports that require pivoting, jumping, or rapidly changing direction (basketball, gymnastics, soccer, volleyball) and contact sports (football, rugby) or sports on uneven terrain (cross-country running, soccer)

• Poor physical conditioning (strength, flexibility)

< div class='tao-gold-member'>

Only gold members can continue reading. Log In or Register to continue

Share this:

• Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)

Related

Related posts:

Birth Control and Sports Biceps Tendon Subluxation Exercise-Induced Bronchospasm Effort Thrombosis Proximal Tibiofibular Joint Dislocation Subtalar Dislocation

Stay updated, free articles. Join our Telegram channel

Join

Full access? Get Clinical Tree