Redmond Physical Therapy LCL

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Redmond Physical Therapy
Symptoms & Pathologies

Where is the LCL?

The Lateral Collateral Ligament is a round cord that extends downward from the lateral epicondyle of the LCL femur (thigh bone) to the lateral surface of the head of the fibula (outside of shin).

What does the LCL do?

The Lateral collateral ligament (LCL) is one of four ligaments that are critical to the stability of the knee joint. A ligament is made of tough fibrous material and functions to control excessive motion by limiting joint mobility (prevent rotation of the tibia laterally or the femur medially. The four major stablizingligaments of the knee are the anterior and posterior cruciate ligaments (ACL and PCL, respectively), and the medial and lateral collateral ligaments (MCL and LCL, respectively).

Causes of LCL Injury?

The LCL is usually injured by large amounts of pressure placed on the knee-joint from the inside , resulting in stress on the outside of the joint (varus stress). This type of stress in the knee can stretch the LCL beyond its normal elastic range for it's fibers and subsequently tears. Once the ligament tears, it heals very slowly. In comparrison to muscles ligaments and tendons have less vascular accessibility (less blood LCL 2 flow) thus producing slower healing time.

What are the symptoms of an LCL tear?

The most common symptom following a medial collateral ligament (LCL) injury is pain directly over the ligament. Knee pain, swelling, and decreased motion are common with this injury. Swelling directly over the torn ligament may appear, and bruising and generalized joint effusion (swelling inside the joint) are common 24 to 48 days after the injury. Symptoms of a Lateral collateral ligament injury tend to correlate with the extent of the injury. LCL injuries are graded on a scale of I to IV. A grade I injury is a small tear within the ligament, and a grade III-IV injury is a complete tear of the LCL. If only the LCL is truly injured, walking is usually not a problem, and athletes are often able to return to competition after being cleared by their doctor.

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