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What causes a medial ligament injury?
Injury to the medial ligament is usually traumatic, and is often caused by a force moving the lower leg out to the side or a blow to the outside of the knee. The ligaments on the inside of the knee get stretched and can sometimes tear.
The medial ligament has two parts: One deep section that attaches to the cartilage meniscus and the other attaches further down the joint. The deep part will rupture first and this often means that the cartilage is also damaged.
If the impact is really severe then the superficial ligament will rupture and also the cruciate ligaments which cross over in the middle of the joint can tear as well.
Symptoms of medial ligament injury
- Pain on the inside of the knee
- May feel pop and knee buckles sideways
- Swelling - If swelled is fast and immediate, there may be bleeding inside the joint
- Instability in the joint
What you can do
- Apply RICE to the injured knee: rest - slows down bleeding and reduces the risk of further damage; Ice - eases pain, reduces swelling, reduces bleeding initially; compression - reduces bleeding and swelling; elevation - reduces bleeding and swelling by allowing fluids to flow away from the site of injury.
- Rest from training.
- Consult a sports injury specialist or physiotherapist.
Other related articles:
Health24, October 2003
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