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LCL Knee Pain

Pity the poor knee. It's regularly under stress from high-impact sports and everyday use, such as climbing stairs, kneeling, stooping, bending and squatting, and along the way get bent, twisted and banged into. One of the most common knee injuries affects the lateral collateral ligament, or LCL.

  1. The LCL

    • The knee is the largest joint in the human body, with three ligaments attached to help it do its job. One of those ligaments is the LCL, and when it becomes damaged the knee can't function properly. An injury to the LCL can be a stretch, partial tear or complete tear. The lateral, or "outside," collateral ligament connects the femur to the smaller bone in the lower leg (fibula).

    How the LCL Works

    • The collateral ligaments (there are three) control the sideways motion of the knee and brace it against unusual movement. Because the knee joint and all its tendons, ligaments and muscles are so complex, if the LCL is injured, chances are something else in the knee is injured, too. If the LCL is damaged it's probably the result of some kind of force that pushed the knee sideways; more often than not, that force is part of a contact sport. Also, blows to the inside of the knee that push the knee outward can hurt the LCL.

    Symptoms and treatment of LCL injury

    • The symptoms of an LCL injury include pain on the outside of the knee, swelling and the feeling that the knee is going to buckle. Treating an LCL trauma usually involves the standard RICE formula of rest, ice, compression and elevation. Icing the knee is important in the healing process because it reduces inflammation. Doctors advise using crushed ice directly on the injured area for around 15 to 20 minutes at a time. To prevent the knee from moving side-to-side, a doctor may recommend using a brace to keep it stable while it heals. Using a brace sometimes means using crutches, too, to keep excess weight off the knee. Keeping the knee elevated also helps in the healing process because, like ice, it helps reduce inflammation.

    Exercise

    • When the knee has healed sufficiently, your doctor may suggest exercises to help it function better and make it stronger.

    Surgery

    • Most LCL injuries heal on their own and don't require surgery. However, if the injury is severe, won't heal on its own or is part of other injuries to the knee, surgery may be required.

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