Metro Physio –What is a Knee Sprain?

What is a Knee Sprain?

A knee sprain is when one of the four ligaments areoverstretched which is when they tear. You may havesymptoms like knee pain ligament, swelling, instability,difficulty bending and straightening the knee.

This can be done sudden twisting or even too muchforce through the knee. Their are many treatmentsoffered. Some treatments will include PRICE andexercise. That is explained further into the article.Sometimes surgery may be required.

Knee Sprain

Read below for more information about knee sprains:

There are four ligaments in the knee joint, any of whichcan be sprained. In the centre of the joint are the twocruciate ligaments – anterior and posterior (ACL & PCL).

At the sides of the joints are the two collateral ligaments –the medial and lateral (MCL & LCL). They work together tokeep the knee joint stable and protect it from injury.

Any movement that over stretches the knee can resultin a knee sprain. It may affect one of more of theligaments depending on the severity of the injury. Herewe will look at the most common causes of a kneesprain and which ligament tends to be affected:

Common Causes of a Sprained Knee

I. ACL Sprain: Sudden twisting or hyperextension (the knee

bending back too far)

II. PCL Sprain: Force through a bent knee e.g. a fall onto a bent

knee, car accident where the knee hits the dashboard. Accountsfor less than 20% of knee ligament injuries)

III. MCL Sprain: Force through the outer side of the knee pushingthe knee inwards.

IV. LCL Sprain: A blow to the inner side of the knee.

If the force is great enough, more than oneligament may be damaged as well as the kneecartilage. The most common combination isan ACL and MCL tear.

Knee sprains can be classified into three grades, depending on theamount of damage:

Grade 1: a few fibres (less than 10%) are damaged/torn. Usually

heals naturally

Grade 2: more fibres are torn but the ligament is still intact

Grade 3: the ligament is ruptured I.E completely torn. May require

surgery

The most common symptoms of a sprained knee are pain, swelling,bruising and stiffness which may make it difficult to move the kneeand/or walk. With more severe injuries, there may also be someinstability around the knee causing it to give way. Symptoms maydevelop immediately after an injury, but sometimes they don’tappear until a couple of days later.

Knee Sprain Symptoms

The location of the pain can help to determinewhich knee ligament you have sprained.

Medial Knee Pain: pain on the inner side of the knee usually

indicates a Medial Collateral Ligament tear

Lateral Knee Pain: pain on the outer side of the knee usually

indicates a Lateral Collateral Ligament tear

Widespread Pain and Instability: Most likely an ACL (most

common) or PCL tear. If there was a “popping” noise, it is most likelyan ACL tear

PRICE: Usually, the best course of action is to follow the PRICE

principles (Protect, Rest, Ice, Compress, Elevate) to reduce pain andswelling and to speed up healing. Click the link to find out how tosafely and effectively use PRICE.

Rehab: Then when you feel able (usually in just a few days), start

some exercises to regain the strength, movement and function ofyour knee. For guidance on exercises and how to progress themappropriately to get back to full function following a sprain visit theknee strengthening exercises section.

Treatment for Knee Sprains

Knee Brace: You might find that wearing a knee brace helps to

reduce any pain and instability after a knee sprain. Usually a basicknee brace will be sufficient. If you need a bit more support,advanced knee braces work well.

info@metrophysio.co.uk

0161 745 7551(Greater Manchester)

0151 515 2323 (Merseyside, Liverpool)

www.metrophysio.co.uk