The lateral collateral ligament, LCL, runs from the head of the fibula to the lateral epicondyle of the femur. It protects your knee from various forces – those that could push your knee into a knock-knee position, and resists internal rotation. If you have injured your LCL, you may feel pain in the outer aspect of your knee when you walk.
Symptoms
If you have sustained an injury to your lateral collateral ligament, you may experience a locking feeling while you walk, a weak feeling when you walk or climb stairs, mild or acute pain when you walk or at rest, tenderness and swelling on the outside of your knee, or stiffness.
Causes of Pain
Pain in the LCL is usually caused by a tear, or sprain, in the ligament. Tears of this nature are graded on a scale of one to three. A grade one sprain is minor, where the ligament may have been stretched. A grade two sprain involves a partial tear of the ligament, and a grade three sprain is a complete tear of the lateral collateral ligament. Sprains may be incurred when the knee receives a direct blow from the inside of the knee, pushing the knee outward. An example would be in football when someone goes to tackle you and hits the inside of your knee. The pain is usually worse while you are exercising or being active, such as while walking, and improves with rest.
Treatment of Pain
Minor injuries to the LCL may be treated with rest, ice, compression and elevation. Ice the injured area for 15 minutes, every hour. This will help reduce any inflammation. Over-the-counter pain medications and anti-inflammatories may help. Occasional heat therapy, applied after swelling and pain are reduced, could help reduce stiffness. Minor injuries will heal on their own, particularly if you wear a knee brace during activity to help support the ligament. Grade three sprains usually require surgery.
Caution
Although injuries to the LCL are rare, they do occur. If you experience pain in your lateral collateral ligament when walking, or during any other activity, or notice that the outer side of your knee is swollen, see your health care provider for a diagnosis. Do not continue to perform activities that irritate your knee, as this can cause further injury.
References
- Duke Orthopaedics: Presents Wheeless’ Textbook Of Orthopaedics; Lateral Collateral Ligament; Clifford R. Wheeless, III, MD.
- MedlinePlus; Lateral Collateral Ligament Injury;
- JointHealing.Com; Collateral Ligament Tear
- Cedars-Sinai; Lateral Collateral Ligament (LCL) Tears
- University Of Maryland Medical Center; Lateral Collateral Ligament (LCL) Injury - Prevention
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