Many knee injuries can cause pain, swelling, and difficulty moving the knee. If ligaments of the knee joint are injured they will usually be stretched or torn. Ligaments are tough tissues that connect bones to other bones in your body and help stabilize your joints. A sprain is a term for injury of the ligaments.
The knee joint is a hinge mechanism made up of the femur and tibia, or thigh bone and shin bone. Two joints are involved in the knee: The patellar-tibial joint and the femoropatellar-femoral joint. The patella (kneecap) connects to the front of your tibia with a tendon that allows your kneecap to move up and down as you walk. This makes it possible for you to bend your knees when walking, running, or climbing stairs. Your tendons connect muscles to bones, so they can pull on them.
The cruciate ligaments are responsible for keeping your kneecap in place as you move your leg in different directions. They run across each side of the knee joint to form an X shape.
The thigh bone (femur) connects to the lower leg bone (tibia) and a piece of cartilage called the patella, which carries out the extension as well as flexion.
Its two round surfaces are the tibial plateau, which articulates with the femur, and the patellar surface of the distal end of the tibia.
The menisci are wedge-shaped discs that sit on either side of the knee joint to help stabilize it when you bend or straighten your leg.
What 4 ligaments make up the knee joint?
Anterior collateral ligament
An anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) is the main stabilizer of the knee joint. It runs from the femur above to the tibia below, passing through a groove in it with a posterior cruciate ligament (PCL).
The ACL prevents excessive forward movement of the tibia on the femur and vice versa.
An ACL tear is an injury to this ligament caused by the sudden twisting motion of the knee or direct impact.
Symptoms include pain, popping sound, and feeling that something gave away inside your knee upon these motions. With time, people suffering from ACL injuries may not be able to straighten their legs.
The anterior cruciate ligament, or ACL, is a major player in knee stability. And if it’s injured, you may need surgery to repair it.
The ACL runs through your knee and connects the lower part of your shinbone to the upper part of your thigh bone.
It helps keep these bones from moving too far apart and rotating out of position.
When this happens -- either because of an injury or overuse -- it can cause pain and swell in the knee joint. The first sign is often instability when you try to walk up and down stairs or cut quickly across the floor during sports activities such as soccer (football).
Posterior collateral ligament
The posterior collateral ligament (PCL) is a strong, thick band of tissue that stretches from the outside of the kneecap to the tibia. It serves to hold and strengthen the knee, helping stabilize it when you put weight on your leg.
The posterior collateral ligament is one of the four major ligaments supporting a person's knee. The PCL runs diagonally from the back of the femur (thigh bone) to the back of the tibia, or shinbone.
One end attaches to a bump on the rear inside edge of your kneecap (patella) and then runs forward across your knee joint. At that point, it connects with another part of itself at right angles.
The PCL can be injured during a fall or impact due to overuse such as running or jumping sports. This can cause pain at the back of your knee joint and make it increasingly unstable.
If you have injured your posterior collateral ligament, speak with your doctor about treatment options which may include physical therapy and medications.
Medial collateral ligament
A medial collateral ligament is a stretchy tissue that connects the femur, or thigh bone, to the tibia, or shin bone. If you have an injury to your medial collateral ligament it can cause pain and swell in your knee.
Sometimes people with a torn ACL will also experience swelling in their knees as they cannot bear weight on their legs.
Torn MCL are common sports injuries due to impacts or sudden changes of direction during play. This type of tear often causes your foot to point inward when you walk because the muscles that control this movement are weakened by the injury.
The medical term for a knee sprain is medial collateral ligament (MCL) injury. This damage occurs when the knee joint twists, causing the MCL to stretch and tear.
An MCL sprain may be accompanied by other injuries, such as a torn anterior cruciate ligament (ACL). You must get medical attention immediately after an MCL injury to prevent further damage and inflammation.
Lateral collateral ligament
The lateral collateral ligament is found in the outer part of the knee. This ligament helps to support the knee and prevent it from giving out or buckling. The LCL can be injured during an accident, a sports injury, or by landing awkwardly when playing basketball for example.
It can also be injured if you fall on your side and twist your knee. When this happens, many people feel a popping sensation followed by swelling and pain in their leg that gets worse as they move around. You may hear clicking sounds when you try to bend your knee, but it becomes less painful.
The lateral collateral ligament, also known as the LCL, is a band of tissue that stretches from the outside to the inside of your knee. The main function of this ligament is to hold your kneecap in place while you are bending and straightening it. Injury or damage to this ligament can cause pain when you move or extend your knee. You may be able to treat an injury with rest and ice packs, but if it is severe, surgery might be necessary.
Summary
Ligaments of the knee joint are fibrous bands to strengthen your joint so take care when you move to avoid injuries of these ligaments.
By.Dr.Fatma Ragab
Read more: Knee support
Read more: Knee support
Read more: Knee support
Read more: Knee support
Read more: Knee support
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