Have you ever felt a sudden, excruciating clicking sound in your knee while playing, running, or jumping? Is the back of your knee swollen and blue? You may have an LCL tear. Don't worry, this is a common injury among athletes. Let's talk about it in detail and simply.
Simply put, what is an LCL tear?
Think of our knee as a hinge on a door. There are bands that keep this hinge strong and prevent it from moving too much. That's how the ligaments on both sides of our knee are.
On the outside of your knee (the side facing away from your body), there is a strong band that connects your thigh bone (femur) and one of your shin bones (fibula). This is what we call the Lateral Collateral Ligament (LCL) .
Its main function is to prevent the knee from bending outwards unnecessarily . If this LCL ligament is stretched or torn due to an accident, fall, or sudden movement during sports, that is what we call an LCL tear.
Athletes who play sports such as football, soccer, and skiing are especially at risk of developing this condition. However, with proper treatment and rehabilitation, they can return to the field of play.
How does this LCL tear happen?
Most of the time, this type of injury is caused by things that happen while playing sports.
- A hard blow to the knee: Especially when the knee is hit on the inside, the knee can be pushed outward and the LCL can tear.
- Sudden change of direction: When you run fast and then suddenly turn to the side.
- Mistake when landing: If your foot is in the wrong position when landing.
- Excessive bending or twisting of the knee.
- Stop-and-go movements.
The risk is high because such situations can often occur in sports like football, skiing, soccer, and basketball.
What are the symptoms of an LCL tear?
If you suspect you have an LCL tear, look out for these symptoms. You may have one or more of these symptoms.
| Symptom | The way it feels |
|---|---|
| Pain | I feel a sharp pain on the back of my knee. This pain starts right after the injury. |
| Swelling | The area where the injury occurred, that is, the back of the knee, swells. |
| Tenderness when pressed | If you press the back of your knee with your finger, it hurts badly. |
| Bruising | Sometimes the skin around the injury may turn blue. |
| Feeling of instability | This is the scariest thing that most people experience. It feels like they have no control over their knees, and when they're standing, they suddenly feel like they're 'jumping', 'stuck', or 'bent'. It's like they're afraid to put their foot down. |
How do you find this, Doctor?
If you have suffered an injury like this, it is very important to see a doctor as soon as possible. The doctor will first ask you about how the accident happened. Then he will examine your knee.
- Check for swelling and areas that hurt when pressed.
- Checking the stability of the ligament by moving the knee in different directions.
After this examination, you may be asked to do several more tests to determine the exact severity of the injury.
- X-ray: An LCL tear cannot be seen on an X-ray. However, an X-ray is important to see if the ligament has come off the bone and is moving with it, or if there is another fracture.
- MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging): An MRI is the best way to clearly see if the LCL is torn, how far it is torn, and whether other ligaments in the knee (such as the ACL) or meniscus are damaged.
- Ultrasound Scan: This can also give some idea of the condition of the LCL.
Treatment depends on the level of the injury.
LCL tears are mainly divided into three grades. The treatment you receive will depend on the level of your injury.
| Grade of injury | Status | Treatment and recovery time |
|---|---|---|
| Grade 1 | The ligament is slightly stretched and slightly damaged. It's not completely torn. | Home treatment (rest, ice) is sufficient. You may be advised to use crutches and a knee brace. It usually heals in about 3-4 weeks . |
| Grade 2 | Partial tear of the ligament. The knee is slightly unstable. | You will definitely need to use crutches and a special brace. Physiotherapy will be required. It may take about 8-12 weeks to heal. |
| Grade 3 | The ligament is completely torn (Complete tear). The knee is very unstable. | In this case, surgery is often required. The brace will need to be worn for several months. It can take 8-12 weeks or longer to heal. |
When is surgery necessary?
In a Grade 3 injury, especially if the LCL is also damaged along with other important parts of the knee (for example, the Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) or Meniscus), surgery is definitely necessary. Surgery involves stitching the torn LCL back together, reattaching it to the bone, or reattaching it using another tendon.
What things can you do at home?
While following your doctor's instructions, there are a few things you can do at home to speed up the healing process. This is also called the RICE method.
- Rest: Give your knee a rest. Don't do anything that causes pain. Avoid putting your leg on the ground or putting weight on it until your doctor tells you to.
- Ice: This is very important to reduce swelling and pain. Place an ice pack wrapped in a thin cloth on the injured area for about 15-20 minutes . Do this every 1-2 hours for the first three days . Do not put ice directly on the skin.
- Compression: Wrap your knee with an elastic bandage. This can help control swelling. But don't wrap it too tightly .
- Elevation: Keep your leg elevated as much as possible. Elevating it above the level of your heart will help reduce swelling faster.
- Painkillers: You can take non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) like ibuprofen, as directed by your doctor.
Complications and risk factors to watch out for
Although this condition usually resolves itself, complications can sometimes occur. If you have any of these symptoms , inform your doctor immediately.
- Persistent knee instability.
- If you hear a 'clicking' sound from your knee or feel like it's 'jumping'.
- If you feel numbness or weakness in your knee or lower leg.
- If you feel stiffness in your knee.
When should you go to the ETU (Emergency Treatment Unit) immediately?
The symptoms below may be signs of a very serious condition. If you have any of these, go to the nearest hospital's Emergency Department (ETU) immediately.
- Difficulty breathing, sudden chest pain, or coughing up blood (these could be signs of a blood clot in the lungs - Pulmonary Embolism).
- Pain, swelling, or redness in the thigh, groin, or leg (these are signs of a blood clot in a blood vessel).
- If the pain becomes unbearable.
- The foot becomes pale, cold, or changes color.
- Numbness or inability to move the toes.
Don't just wait and see at a time like this. Seek medical advice immediately.
Take-Home Message
- An LCL tear is an injury to a ligament on the outside of the knee. It is common among athletes.
- The main symptoms are pain on the outside of the knee, swelling, and a feeling of loss of knee control.
- If an accident like this occurs, see a doctor as soon as possible.
- Treatment depends on the severity of the injury (Grade 1, 2, or 3). Surgery may be necessary.
- Rest, physiotherapy, and following your doctor's instructions are very important during the recovery process.
- Don't rush back into sports. Be patient until you are fully recovered.
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