Treating Ligament Sprains

Ligament sprains are caused due to severe external force pushing apart the bones of a joint. If considerable force is applied the ligament initially comes apart and then tears resulting in severe pain. Knee sprain with ligament tear commonly occur in sports which involve high speeds and risk of collision like, basketball, football, skiing and gymnastics.

Symptoms of the knee sprain include pain immediately after a popping sound signifying the sprain, swelling and bruising and decreased mobility of the joints. X rays are used to diagnose the involvement of a bone fracture while MRI scans help to detect the ligaments damaged. While MRIs detect a complete tear, arthroscopy is considered the only reliable method for detecting a partial ligament tear.

There are four main ligaments present in the knee joint. The cruciate ligaments, anterior and posterior and the collateral ligaments, medial and lateral.

The anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) connects the tibia (one of the leg bones) with femur (the thigh bone). The anterior cruciate ligament sprain is often seen in contact sports like football and pivoting sports like soccer and skiing. In skiing accidents along with an ACL tear it is common to find a skier’s thumb injury with an ulnar collateral ligament sprain. This ligament connects the bones at the base of the thumb. An injury to the ligament arises because the thumb gets caught in the ski pole.

A posterior cruciate ligament sprain occurs as a result of a direct impact on the knee as in automobile accident. There is a significant swelling soon after the injury. After the pain and the swelling resolve there is movement associated instability of the knee like walking on roller skates. The severity of the knee injury and the recovery period depends on whether there is a meniscal tear or medial collateral ligament sprain. Partial cruciate ligament tears are treated with a rehabilitating exercise program to strengthen the adjacent muscles. Complete tears however require surgical treatment.

Medial collateral ligament sprains are more common than lateral collateral ligament sprain in sports due to stretches on the inner side of the knee. The treatment for collateral ligament tears involves rest, application of an ice pack, compression and elevation along with the prescribed exercise program. In certain cases, small sleeve-type brace is also worn to protect and stabilize the knee. Depending on the extent of injury, knee sprains recover in two to four weeks’ time.