The lateral collateral ligament or fibrous ligament, is one of the main controls of the knee as well as the primary purpose of preventing additional varus and posterior rotation of the knee. Although less frequent than other ligament injuries, injury to the ligament of the knee joint is most noticeable after a severe force injury to the anteromedial knee, combining hyperextension with severe varus force.
LCL can also be injured by varus contact problem or non-contact hyperextension. LCL usually takes place in sports (40%) with high speed rotating and jumping like soccer hockey, skiing, football or hockey. Tennis and gymnastics have been shown to be more likely to cause LCL injury. The lateral collateral ligament is the ligament located in the knee joint. Ligaments are thick, strong bands of tissue that connect bone to bone.
The LCL runs along the outer edge of the knee joint, from the outside of the lower elbow to the top of the lower leg bone. LCL helps keep the knees together, especially the outer part of the joint. Injury to the LCL may involve filtering, spraying, and partial or complete tearing of any part of the ligament. According to Orthogate, LCL is one of the most injured nerves in the knee. Because of the LCL location, it is common to injure LCL as well as other nerves in the knee.
For minor injuries, the ligament can recover without any issue. However, it is important to note that if the tendon is too wide, it may not regain its former stability. This means that it is more likely that the knee will be stable and you can easily injure yourself again. The joint can become inflamed and hurt only due to physical activity or a minor injury. For those with serious injuries who do not have surgery, the joint will remain unstable and easily injured.
You may not be able to do physical activity that requires knee replacement, including running, climbing, or cycling. Pain can lead to minor activities such as walking or standing for long periods of time. You may be required to wear a brace to protect the joint during exercise. For those who have surgery, the focus will depend on the severity of the natural injury and the surgical procedure. In general, you will have improved mobility and stability after a full recovery. You may be forced to wear a brace or limit physical activity in the future to help prevent knee recurrence.
Symptoms of fibular collateral ligament pain:
People with knee joint injuries (LCL) often report a combination of the following symptoms:
- Decreased motion; Some movements, such as kneeling, may be difficult.
- Hurt; Some people may get bruises around the outside of the knee, which are caused by small tears of blood vessels under the skin.
- Gentle; Outside the knee can be painful to the touch.
- Swelling out of the knee; This can happen immediately following a wound or development up to 2 or 3 hours after it occurs.
- Pain outside of the knee; This can be severe to severe depending on the severity of the tear.
- Knee catching or locking; The knee may feel like it is stuck during movement; one may have difficulty bending completely or widening the knee.
- Foot numbness; A person may experience leg numbness if a special vein, adjacent to the LCL, is stretched during a wound or affected by tissue swelling.
- Weight-bearing difficulty; Depending on the severity of the injury, a person may have difficulty carrying weight on the affected leg, such as standing and walking. People with more severe tears may find calm and feel like the knee will change or pass.
Causes of fibular collateral ligament pain:
A future collateral injury (LCL) injury is usually caused by your knee being pushed out (away from your other knee). This can happen if you have a blow inside your foot, which can occur during communication sports such as football. You can also injure your LCL by twisting the side of your foot, or extending your knee beyond its normal range of motion. You can also injure your LCL as well as other nerves in your knee if you have a serious accident. For example, if you fall from a height or have a car accident.
- A direct blow into the knee; The force of the blow can affect the ligament along the outer edge of the knee enough to straighten it or make it shed tears. It is common among athletes who play sports such as football or hockey that players clash with.
- Changing direction quickly or around one leg; This can happen during fast sports like football or hockey, where players make sharp, sudden turns or stop. Wrestlers can have LCL damage if their legs rotate out in a sudden movement while they are on the mat.
- Bad or bad landing from flying; This can happen during a game of hockey or volleyball.
How fibular collateral ligament pain diagnosed;
Your doctor will generally ask you how the injury occurred, how your knee has been feeling since the injury and if you have had other knee injuries. You may be asked about your physical and athletic goals to help your doctor decide on the best treatment for you.
Your wound will be classified as follows:
- Grade 1 Sprains; The nerve is slowly damaged in a Grade 1 Sprain. It is slightly stretched, but still has the ability to help keep the knees together.
- Grade 2 Sprains; The Grade 2 Sprain stretches the tendon to the point where it becomes free. This is often referred to as partial ligament tear.
- Grade 3 Sprains; This type of sprain is commonly known as a complete tear of the tendon. The vein is divided into two parts, and the knee joint is unstable.
If there is a lot of pain and swelling to accurately judge how big the wound is, your doctor may recommend wearing a small towel, putting on ice and lifting your knee. Once the swelling and pain have subsided a little, he can do an examination. Your doctor may order a magnetic resonance imaging scan. MRI has a accuracy of about 90 percent accuracy in determining if the ligament of the future collateral is badly broken.
How to treat fibular collateral ligament pain:
LCL injury treatment options will depend on the severity of the injury and your lifestyle. For more serious injuries, treatment may also include physical therapy, rehabilitation, or surgery. Physical therapy strengthens and helps to regain motion. Surgery can include ligament repair or reconstruction. So let’s look best treatments for fibular collateral ligament pain;
1. Surgery Recovery
The exact timing of recovery from LCL surgery will depend on the severity of the tears and whether there were other knee injuries. Generally, a person can be discharged from the hospital a few hours after surgery, although some people need to stay immediately. After leaving the hospital, recovery often includes:
- Use of crutches up to 6 weeks
- Icing the area to reduce swelling
- Pain medication
The physical therapy rehabilitation program can begin as soon as a person goes on crutches and carries weight, which is usually 4 to 6 weeks. The formal physical therapy program is used to increase strength and flexibility as well as restore balance and preference. Depending on the type of activity a person wants to return to, especially those engaged in strenuous activity, a full recovery can take up to 6 months.
2. R.I.C.E
Injured arterial ligament (LCL) of the knee can usually be treated with home and surgical options. Immediately following the injury, the RICE method is recommended:
- Rest; Activities that cause knee pain, such as running or long walks, should be avoided until the pain and swelling go away. The activity that caused the injury should be avoided until it is completely healed.
- Ice; One may prefer to use ice packs in the area to help reduce pain and swelling. Ice packs can be used several times a day for 10 to 20 minutes at a time.
- Compression; Swelling can be managed by wearing an elastic bandage around the affected knee.
- Elevation; Keeping the knee raised and supported above the waist for example, sitting on a chair or lying down with the knee raised over pillows can help with swelling.
3. Exercise
If you have injured an LCL wound before, you are at greater risk of getting another one later. It is therefore very important that you take precautions to prevent another tear from occurring. Here are a few things you can do.
Practice stretching and conditioning before exercising or participating in a sport. These will help strengthen the legs and areas around the knee, as well as improve flexibility and reduce the risk of LCL injury.
Use the right techniques when doing sports and other physical activities. Properly positioning and adjusting your knee during these activities helps prevent LCL injuries, especially when jumping, lifting, and swinging. Wear a knee during athletic activities like football or skiing. This helps the ligaments in the knee area and reduces side-to-side movements.
4. Surgery
You can see an orthopedic surgeon (a specialist in orthopedic surgery) or a sports medicine specialist, such as a sports doctor or physiotherapist. There are different treatments that your doctor or physiotherapist may recommend, and there are many things you can do yourself to help your recovery. Surgery is more common in people who have other knee injuries as well as an LCL sprain. Recovery can take time, and often people will need to work with a physiotherapist to restore full knee function.
Most people with a severe or moderate LCL injury will not need surgery. If your LCL injury is more severe, it is likely that you will have damaged other parts of your knee as well. If this happens to you, surgery is the best option to repair your LCL and help restore stability in your knee. It can take about a month to recover from surgery and put weight on your knee. Ask your doctor about the pros and cons of surgery, and how it can help you.
5. Try physical therapy / medication
You can take painkillers, such as paracetamol or ibuprofen, to help reduce any pain. Your doctor may prescribe painkillers if your pain is severe. In addition to reducing your pain, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as ibuprofen can help reduce swelling and inflammation. Always read the patient’s information that comes with your medication, and if you have any questions, ask your pharmacist for advice.
Your physiotherapist will carefully assess your knee and then plan a rehabilitation exercise program to meet your personal needs. A physical therapy program will be designed to help your knee recover its full movement with strength and stability. This should help you get a full job behind your knee and get back to your normal sports and activities.
Make sure you exercise as this is an important part of your recovery. In most cases, treatment and physical therapy and foot stitching will be all you need if you have an LCL wound. You can recover and get back to your normal activities and sports after four to six weeks but ask your physiotherapist for specific advice for you.