What is a Knee Ligament Injury?
A knee ligament injury is a sprain of one or more of the four ligaments in the knee, either the Medial Collateral Ligament (MCL), Lateral Collateral Ligament (LCL), Posterior Cruciate Ligament (PCL), or the Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL).
ACL, PCL, MCL, and LCL injuries are caused by overstretching or tearing of a ligament by twisting or wrenching the knee.
How Can You Injure Your Knees?
There are four ligaments located in the knee that stabilize the joint.
Anyone of the ligaments in your knee can be injured by running, jumping, twisting or wrenching your knee.
You may have heard of someone tearing their ACL, but that is only one possible knee ligament injury.
Below is a complete list of all the knee ligament injuries you could suffer.
Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) Injury
Your ACL connects the inside of the top of your tibia (shinbone) to the outside bottom of your femur (thighbone) in the front of the knee.
It is responsible for stopping the shinbone from sliding in front of your thighbone and for controlling the rotation of your knee.
An ACL injury occurs when that ligament is stretched or torn and is one of the most common knee ligament injuries.
Posterior Cruciate Ligament (PCL) Injury
Your PCL is the strongest ligament in your knee and therefore the least likely to sustain an injury.
It connects the bottom of your femur (thighbone) to the top of your fibula (lower leg bone) in the back of your knee and is responsible for controlling the backward motion of the knee (extension).
A PCL injury occurs when that ligament is stretched or torn and is often called an “overextended knee.”
Medial Collateral Ligament (MCL) Injury
Your MCL connects the top of your tibia (shinbone) to the bottom of your femur (thighbone) on the inside of your knee.
It is responsible for providing stability to the inside of your knee.
An MCL injury occurs when that ligament is stretched or torn.
Lateral Collateral Ligament (LCL) Injury
Your LCL connects the bottom of your femur (thighbone) to the top of your fibula (lower leg bone) on the outside of your knee.
It is responsible for providing stability to the outside of your knee.
An LCL injury occurs when that ligament is stretched or torn.
Please go to these links for info on Collateral Ligament: Injuries of the Knee
http://www.thekneepainguru.com/massage-therapy-for-your-knees/
http://www.livestrong.com/article/341435-massage-techniques-for-a-damaged-acl/
http://www.ijtmb.org/index.php/ijtmb/article/view/22/35
*Disclaimer: This information is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice. You should not use this information to diagnose or treat a health problem or disease without consulting with a qualified healthcare provider.
Please consult your healthcare provider with any questions or concerns you may have regarding your condition.
The information provided is for educational purposes only and is not intended as diagnosis, treatment, or prescription of any kind. The decision to use, or not to use, any information is the sole responsibility of the reader. These statements are not expressions of legal opinion relative to the scope of practice, medical diagnosis, or medical advice, nor do they represent an endorsement of any product, company, or specific massage therapy technique, modality, or approach. All trademarks, registered trademarks, brand names, registered brand names, logos, and company logos referenced in this post are the property of their owners.