A lateral collateral injury is damage to the lateral collateral ligament in the knee joint, which can range from strains to tears. Symptoms include pain, swelling, tenderness, and instability in the knee joint. Causes include direct blows, sudden movements, and overuse. The ligament is vulnerable due to its free-floating position on the side of the knee.
A lateral collateral tear is an injury to the lateral collateral ligament (LCL) in the knee joint. These can range from ligament strains, where the connective fibers that make up the ligament are overstretched, to a partial or complete tear, also known as a tear. Symptoms of a lateral collateral injury are felt on the outside of the knee joint, where the ligament is located, and include pain and swelling at the site of the injury, discomfort under tension or movement, tenderness on palpation of the ligament, and instability knee joint and weakness.
Also known as the fibular collateral ligament because it lies on the same side as the fibula bone in the lower leg, the LCL sits on the outside of the knee joint. It is considered an extracapsular ligament as it lies outside the joint capsule. Running vertically and slightly backward along the side of the knee, the LCL originates on the lateral epicondyle of the femur, the rounded bony protrusion at the base of the femur bone on the outside of the thigh, just above and to the outside of the knee. It then attaches to the lateral surface of the fibula head, just below and outside the knee. This ligament is somewhat free-floating along the side of the knee, as it is not connected along its length to any internal structure of the joint, and as such is relatively vulnerable to a lateral collateral injury.
An LCL injury typically occurs in one of three ways. It can happen from a direct blow to the leg, particularly inside the knee, such as in contact sports. In soccer, for example, a kick or collision that pushes the knee outward, thereby stretching the LCL beyond its normal range, can lead to a tear or tear. Another cause of a lateral collateral injury is a non-contact injury caused by a sudden movement, such as a twist or a fall. These can happen among athletes, such as soccer players who make sharp cutting movements, or among the elderly, who may be prone to joint injuries in a fall. A final cause of LCL injury is from overuse over time, such as in athletes who slightly stretch the ligament during frequent, repetitive movements, which can lead to gradual strains or tears.
Symptoms of these injuries can range from mild to severe, depending on the severity of the injury. Mild ligament strain may present with some pain at the site, tenderness to touch, and perhaps stiffness on the outside of the knee. On the other hand, an individual who has suffered a rupture will likely experience more severe pain, swelling, difficulty moving the knee, stiffness, and most notably, a sense of instability in the joint as if the knee is giving way. Also, a tear can lead to weakness or numbness in the foot if the peroneal nerve located near the LCL and running down the outside of the leg to the foot is damaged by the lateral collateral injury.
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