Knee Ligament Injury: Everything You Need to Know

Knee ligaments are the bands of connective tissues that hold the knees together. They usually connect bones together and provide optimal support to your knee joints. Your knee ligaments might get injured because of accidents, sports injuries, and other factors leading to knee ligament injuries. Athletes who participate in basketball and skiing are particularly prone to twisted knee ligament injuries.

The knee consists of four major ligaments that connect the bones to each other:

• Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL): The ACL is the center of the knee, and it controls the rotation and forward movements of the shin bone.
• Posterior Cruciate Ligament (PCL): The PCL is the back of the knee, and it allows the shin bone to move backward.
• Medial Collateral Ligament (MCL): The MCL offers stability to the inner knee.
• Lateral Collateral Ligament (LCL): The LCL offers stability to the outer knee.

You may suffer from a knee ligament injury if any of the aforementioned ligaments are injured. However, the ACL is one of the most common ligaments to become injured because of sports activities and accidents. An ACL injury occurs when the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) stretches and tears. Playing hockey or football may lead to ACL tears.

An ACL injury is the most common type of knee ligament injury. Most people hear a “popping” sound when the ACL is stretched or torn, and it may be accompanied by knee swelling and instability. To avoid ACL injuries, you must use the best techniques while participating in sports, such as football, skiing, basketball, and hockey. If you experience pain and swelling because of a torn ACL, you must contact an interventional pain doctor.

The following are the symptoms of a torn ACL:

• A loud popping sensation in the knee joint
• Severe knee pain
• Knee instability
• Inability to perform activities
• Knee swelling
• Loss of mobility and range of motion
• The sensation of the knees giving away

A PCL injury is yet another common type of knee ligament injury, but that mostly happens because of sudden and direct impact on the knees, such as during car accidents and falls. You may also suffer from MCL or LCL injuries when your ligaments are stretched or torn, especially because of sudden blows to the outside or inside of your knees. MCL and LCL injuries are most common amongst individuals playing hockey or football.

Identifying the specific type of knee injury can be difficult. Many of the symptoms of knee pain caused by different factors can overlap. If you suffer from knee pain, you must contact a reliable interventional knee pain doctor in New York City. The knee pain doctor will carefully examine your knees, examine your physical sensations, determine your range of mobility, and administer imaging tests to identify the root cause of your knee injuries.

Your knee injury test may consist of the following:

• X-Rays: The knee pain doctor may take x-rays to identify the specific focal point of knee injuries. The x-ray will reveal the internal soft tissues and bones, allowing the pain doctor to visualize the damaged knee ligaments.
• MRIs: An MRI uses large magnets and radio waves to produce detailed images of the internal structures of the body, including the bones, ligaments, and soft tissues. The knee pain doctor will study the MRI results to determine if you have ACL injuries.
• Arthroscopy: An arthroscopy involves using a small, lighted tube to visualize the insides of the knee joints. This can help the knee pain doctor identify possible bone diseases, tumors, and other underlying problems.

Your knee pain doctor will curate a personalized treatment plan according to your unique condition and requirements. Most knee pain treatment plans start with conservative solutions, such as RICE (rest, ice, compression, elevation), physical therapy, and pain medications, such as ibuprofen. If conservative solutions don’t produce the desired knee pain relief, the pain doctor may eventually proceed with minimally invasive knee pain treatments.

Minimally invasive pain treatments address the root cause of knee pain using the latest and safest knee pain techniques. The knee pain doctor may use epidural injuries, nerve blocks, and facet injections to alleviate knee pain. You might also have to wear a protective knee brace to protect your knee ligaments from further damage. Minimally invasive knee pain treatments are usually in-office procedures that conclude within an hour, following which you may resume your daily activities and work.

Your knee pain doctor in New York will thoroughly analyze your knee joints and ligaments to determine the type of knee injury. After a thorough evaluation, the knee pain doctor will curate a personalized treatment plan for you. If you’re experiencing the signs and symptoms of knee injuries and ACL injuries, please schedule an appointment with our knee pain doctors in New York City today.