There are four main ligaments of the knee that can be damaged or torn. These include the Anterior Collateral Ligament (ACL). The Posterior Collateral Ligament (PCL), the Medial Cruciate Ligament (MCL) and the Lateral Collateral Ligament (LCL). These ligaments are usually damaged as a result of trauma, most commonly in sport. The ACL and MCL are most commonly affected. Movements such as twisting on a fixed leg can disrupt the ACL and MCL, direct forces to the inside or outside of the knee can disrupt the LCL and MCL respectively, and forces to the front and back of the knee can disrupt the PCL and ACL respectively.
Signs and Symptoms
• A popping, snapping or clicking sound at the time of injury • A feeling of the knee not being stable • Swelling • Pain in and around the knee • Not being able to move your knee properly or walk properly
Physiotherapy Management
At Live Well Physio, we perform a thorough assessment to diagnose the cause of your problem. Our goal is to get you back to pain-free as soon as possible.
Your physiotherapy management may include:
• Massage to the muscles surrounding the knee
• Dry needling (acupuncture) techniques
• Taping techniques
• Home exercises to strengthen the muscles around the knee and hip
• Exercises to promote flexibility
• Exercises to assist with safely returning to sport
• Pilates to teach correct leg alignment, core stability and control and flexibility
• Knee brace prescription
• In some cases, surgery may be performed and physiotherapy can help both before the operation (to give you the best possible outcome after the operation), and after the operation (to facilitate you back to pre-injury level)
We are committed to helping you achieve your health goals and to Live Well.