Medial Collateral Ligament Sprain

To say that the mechanism of our knees is complex, will be an understatement. It is much more than that. There are 4 crucial ligaments, tendons and then there are joints. All in all, knee is a small machine in itself. One of the major ligaments which are described above, is the medial collateral ligament.

It is one of those ligaments which impart stability to the knee. The other 3 are lateral collateral ligament, anterior and posterior cruciate ligament. Any injury to the MCL can lead to impaired knee functions and movements. Sprain to the MCL is one of the most common type of injury to the MCL. The following text will give you a better idea of this ligament and medial collateral ligament sprain.

Medial Collateral Ligament Sprain in Knee

What is MCL?
MCL is located on the inner side of the knee and runs from the thigh bone to the shin bone. It resists the pressure applied on the outer surface of the knee. This prevents the medial or the inner portion of the joint from widening. There is one deep inner section of this ligament and the other is a superficial band which joins higher up on the thigh bone to an area lower down on the shin bone's inner part.

Causes of MCL Sprain
MCL sprain can happen on account of sudden blow or pressure to the outer part of the knee joint. What follows then is impact on the inner or medial part of the knee, leading it to buckle under pressure and widen. If it is an extreme case, the ligament opens up and stretches the ligament. It very commonly happens to soccer players and hockey players. It culminates in pain, increased sensitivity in the concerned area, bruising, swelling and inflammation.

MCL Sprain
There are 3 stages of the sprain to the ligament, which in extreme cases develops into a tear of the ligament.

Grade 1 Tear
In this, the ligament is stretched, but the stretch is minor. There is no considerable sprain and strain to the ligament. The tendon is intact here. There is a slight pain as well.

Grade 2 Tear
This stage involves a partial tear or sprain to the ligament. A person going through this might experience instability, while making a cutting or a pivoting action using their knee. The swelling and bruising is significant in this kind of a sprain. There is a restriction on the movement of the knee. Read more on medial knee pain.

Grade 3 Tear
The medial collateral ligament sprain is acute and chronic here. The ligament is completely torn here, so actually it is beyond the stage of sprain! There is pain, swelling and bruising. But the good news is that it may not be as bad as the grade 2 injury.

Medial Collateral Ligament Sprain Treatment

The treatment depends on what level the injury is. If it is a grade 1 injury, resting, anti inflammatory medicines and pain killers and cold compression would be just fine. The medial collateral ligament sprain recovery time here is maximum 2 weeks. A step further into a grade 2 injury leads to use of hinged knee brace, along with the medications. A sabbatical of maximum 4 weeks is necessary for sportsmen in this case. Physical therapy can help further for the patient to recuperate faster, once the initial pain subsides. Physical therapy would involve medial collateral ligament sprain exercises. However, they would be light initially so as to not give an undue stretch to the already damaged ligament.

Now we come to the stage where the ligament is torn. Patients generally wear a knee immobilizer and take the help of crutches for around 10 days after the injury. Later on the patient can wear a hinged knee brace. The patient should be able to move his knee for at least 100 degrees before he or she can ride a bike. If this does not seem to work, the last resort would be surgery. But this option is seldom pondered over and amongst the doctors too, there is contention about it.

Lastly, please do not delay going to the doctor if you feel you might have a medial collateral ligament sprain. Get it checked as soon as possible and prevent further damage. Take Care!

Lateral Collateral Ligament

How relieved we would have been if our human bodies did not have so many complications! But it is also true that without these complications, homo sapiens are incomplete and incapable. These are precisely the things which help a Ronaldo or a Usain Bolt get to the top. If it was not for the fascinating mechanism of our knees and legs, these two could be rendered worthless. It is the knees and the legs over which their skill is based upon. Hence, the point here was human body and its complicated structure.

Consequently the structure of our knee is the best example of that. It is the ever important part of our body taking the total responsibility of keeping us on our feet, bearing our weight. Our knees have four major ligaments and numerous muscles and major joints and what not. One of them is the lateral collateral ligament (LCL) or the fibular lateral ligament. Any injury to this ligament could create a problem in balance and stability of the knee. What is the deal with one of the pivots of our knee, here is more on that.

Formation of the Ligament
This ligament is on the outer side of the knee, that is the lateral side of the knee and is a part of the extrinsic knee ligaments. This ligament is narrow, as compared to the medial collateral ligament. Akin to the medial collateral ligament, it stretches from almost the end of the thigh bone to the shin bone. To put it simply, it is the counterpart of the medial collateral ligament on its opposite side. The only difference is that since this ligament is flexible than the medial collateral ligament, it is less susceptible to injury and joint pain than its medial counterpart.

Lateral Collateral Ligament Injury
Just as any other ligament, this crucial part of the knee can undergo a sprain or stretch, a partial or incomplete tear or a complete tear. The basis of an injury to this ligament is pressure placed on the inner part of the knee joint, which leads to strain on the outer part of the joint. A grade one injury of LCL can be a lateral collateral ligament sprain and a grade 2 injury is an incomplete tear of the ligament. The final blow to this ligament is the grade 3 injury, where thee is a complete tearing of the ligament. All these 3 conditions lead to lateral collateral ligament pain, swelling and tenderness around the affected spot.

Diagnosis and Treatment
A simple LCL test will easily identify if there is any problem, for instance looseness in the ligament. The test consists of bending the knee to 25 degrees, followed by exerting pressure on the outer part of the knee. X rays and MRI scan are other options to detect such an injury.

Treatment mainly comprises of rest, cold compress, elevating the legs, using knee support braces and anti inflammatory medicines. Once the initial shock gets better, light knee exercises can also be done to strengthen the knee. In case of complete tear, a surgery may be essential.

In case you observe any swelling or tenderness around the injured part of the knee, in this case the LCL, immediately contact a health care professional. Another significant factor to keep in mind as regards lateral collateral ligament is that if you are already being treated for LCL injury and if you observe instability in your knee, do not think twice and tell this to your doctor as soon as possible. In addition to that, consult the doctor if the pain or swelling subsides in the initial stages but resurrects. This is an indication that the ligament has not healed properly. Read more in knee exercises after surgery.

There, that was about one of the major pivots of our knees. Lateral collateral ligament needs to be in proper shape, so that our knees do not have to kneel! Whenever it is possible, try and avert a potentially injurious situation (I know its almost impossible, but you could still try!) and prevent the injury. In sports of course you cannot do it and you cannot preempt an injury as well. Nevertheless, here is where I leave you reeling in knee-deep thoughts! Take care!

Weak Knees

These days, most of the people are worried because of weak knees. Knee pain is very common complaint among elderly people. During the process of aging, joints and muscles become weak. Sometimes, excessive use or wear and tear of the knee joint or any injury to the joint or muscles can lead to weak knees. As knee joint bears the load of your body, proper care of the joint and muscles should be taken.

The severe pain in the knees may hinder your movements. Restricted leg movement can make you avoid most of the daily activities and this can influence your work performance. If you love sports, then you should take utmost care of your knees. Let us first have a look at the weak knee symptoms.

Weak Knee Symptoms

    * Swelling and grinding
    * Pain in the knee
    * Burning or crunching sensation
    * Limited motion
    * Difficulty to use stairs
    * Inflammation
    * Stiffness
    * Hard bumps
    * Deformation of knees and legs
    * Popping sound from the knees
    * Pain while bending or straightening of the knees
    * Limping, difficulty in walking
    * Joint locking
    * Signs of an infection, including fever, redness, warmth

Following are some of the common weak knee causes.

Weak Knees Causes

    * Arthritis is the main cause of weak knees. It is a chronic and inflammatory disease of the joints, affecting the discs and the bones.
    * Any type of strain or sprain can lead to pain in knees, resulting in weak knees.
    * Torn ligament or torn cartilage in knee can make your knees weak.
    * Rheumatoid arthritis or osteoarthritis may lead to the formation of baker's cyst behind knee, making your knees weak.
    * Tendonitis or bursitis can result in weak knees.
    * Physical trauma or injury or dislocated knee cap are very common causes for weak knees.
    * Connective tissue disorders like lupus may lead to restricted movement of knees.
    * Iliotibial band syndrome is a condition which can lead to weak knees.
    * Any kind of infection of the knee joint can make the knees weak.
    * Bone tumors and Osgood-Schlatter condition leads to weak knees.
    * Injuries to or weakness in the adjoining structures like thighs, legs, hips can increase the pressure on knees and thus can cause weak knees.
    * Hip, leg or knee surgery can lead to weak knees.
    * Fatigue due to any kind of disease like flu, typhoid, diarrhea, cancer, etc. can lead to weak knees.
    * Sedentary lifestyle, lack of sufficient physical activity can lead to weak knees.

How to Cure Weak Knees

The remedies for weak knees can be determined only after knowing the causes of the problem. Following are some of the common remedies.

    * Sufficient rest can allow the acute inflammation to subside. Sufficient rest is the simplest way to relieve the knee joint pain.
    * Knee exercises performed under proper guidance can help relieve the pain and can also offer easy movement of the joint.
    * Ice packs and heat pads applied around the knees can offer knee joint pain relief.
    * Wearing knee pads, wearing perfect shoes can reduce knee pain.
    * In case of overweight persons, reducing weight can reduce knee pain.
    * The doctor may prescribe nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications, commonly referred to as NSAIDs, which are for patients with knee pain caused by problems such as arthritis, bursitis, and tendonitis.
    * Cortisone is a powerful medication used to treat inflammation. Doctor will decide whether cortisone injection can prove beneficial for your condition.
    * If nothing works, then doctors may recommend knee replacement. Such surgeries are quite common these days. You can opt for physical therapy after knee surgery for strong knees.

I hope the above article provides you sufficient information about weak knee symptoms, causes and treatment. If you wish to prevent any knee joint related problems, you can easily follow the prevention tips. If your knee condition doesn't get better with home remedies, you should consult your physician.

Torn Cartilage in Knee

Knee injuries are an inevitable part of contact sports. There are a lot of bad challenges, bad landings and excessive pressure that falls on the knee over the course of a contact sport. But the problem of a torn cartilage in knee is not only restricted to sportspersons and can happen to anyone. So here's a comprehensive article on a torn cartilage in knee.

Overview and Causes of Torn Cartilage in Knee

You may have never given a thought to how complex a structure the knee might be. The knee is a joint, yes, where the tibia (shin bone) and the femur (thigh bone) meet. There is also the patella (knee cap) which protects the joint from direct damage. There are also ligaments which tie one bone to another-in this case the femur to the tibia and the patella to the knee-and tendons which tie the muscles to the bones. There is also the cartilage, known as the meniscus which acts as a shock absorbing mechanism in the knee. So there could be quite a few types of injuries in there. And one of the most common knee injury which people have to face is the torn cartilage in knee.

What causes a torn cartilage in knee? There are two main reasons why the meniscus tears. The first is due to aging and wear and tear of the cartilage. This case is fairly common among people who are above 50 years of age. The second cause of meniscus tear is when due to excessive pressure, perhaps because of a bad landing or a bad twist in the knee, is applied to the cartilage, which causes it to tear.

The most signs of torn cartilage in knee include a swelling in and around the knee, accompanied with meniscus pain while walking or otherwise using the knee. The second common symptom of torn cartilage in knee includes 'joint locking'. Joint locking is a condition where a person finds it difficult to bend and straighten the knee as the torn cartilage gets lodged with the knee joint.

Torn Cartilage in Knee Treatment

So now the damage is done. Now what do you do? The most common form of treatment for a torn cartilage in knee is the RICE method. RICE is the acronym for rest, ice, compression and elevation. Make sure that you do not apply too much effort or pressure on the knee when it is injured. Keep the knee rested as much as you can. Apply ice for 20 minutes 2-3 times a day for the first 3 days. Make sure that you do not apply the ice directly, but with an ice pack or cover the ice in a piece of cloth. Direct application of ice may cause ice burns and skin damage. For the first 2-3 days avoid bringing the injured area in contact with any form of heat or pressure. The non-operative torn cartilage in knee recovery time is around 6 weeks. Read on for meniscus tear recovery time.

But then again, in case of a severe tear in the meniscus, the doctor may advise a meniscus tear surgery as it may not be able to heal itself. Meniscus surgeries are of two main types. The first one is called the meniscus repair which is done in case the tear is sustained in the part of the meniscus where there is blood supply as the blood supply will help it in healing. The other type of surgery is known as menisectomy which is performed when the part of the meniscus is torn where there is no blood supply. There is also another meniscus transplant surgery for torn cartilage in knee where the torn meniscus is removed and a new meniscus is put in its place. After a surgery, the person may have to walk with crutches for 3 months. The torn cartilage recovery time after a surgery can be anywhere from 4-6 months followed by physiotherapy sessions in which you do a range of knee exercises to strengthen the knee. Training for contact sports can commence only after 6-8 months after receiving the go-ahead from the doctor. Read on for meniscus surgery recovery time.

So this was all about a torn cartilage in knee. Proper care should be taken while you are recovering to ensure quick recovery. If the doctor's advise is not followed, the recovery time will be further lengthened.

Sprained Knee

A sprain is where one or more ligaments are overstretched, due to twisting or pulling. The ligament may be torn or may get ruptured. Ligaments are actually tissues which hold the bones together. Sprains are a common occurrence during sports activities. In a sprained knee injury, the patient will also experience knee pain, swelling and bruising of the knee. The severity of the sprain may vary from a slight stretch to a complete tear of the ligament.

Causes of Sprained Knee Ligament
Sprains are often caused due to movements which are not normal for the knee. One of the most common movement which causes a sprain in the knee during sports is where the person plants his foot on the ground and quickly turns at the knee. The same can happen when the person is walking or running and suddenly stops to change direction.

The other cause is hyper-extending the knee, in other words, when you straighten your leg more than its normal range of motion. Direct hits to the knee, either to the front sides or back of the knees can lead to a sprain in the knee. It can also be caused due to tripping or falling down on the knees, when the person is bent. Click to read on sprains & strains: symptoms, diagnosis and treatment.

Sprained Knee Symptoms
The very first symptom of sprain in the knee is decreased movement. The person may experience stiff knee and may find it difficult to move. The other symptom which accompanies a sprain is pain or tenderness in the knee. Some people may also feel or hear a painful "pop" in the knee. In the first few hours after the sprain, joint swelling, and bruising is a common occurrence. This is caused because the ligament bleeds into the knee joint. If your knee is unstable and it feels like buckling or giving out when you are trying to walk, it can be due to a sprain in the knee.

Sprained Knee - What to Do
Sprained knee treatment includes controlling the pain and swelling first. There is a four step treatment which is often helpful in treating the knee. The first of the four steps is rest. Resting the knee is very important. It is better to keep weight off the knee. Once the knee has been given sufficient amount of rest, the swelling with decrease and it will also give the knee the required time to heal and recover. You may want to read on how to treat a sprain.

Using ice packs on the affected knee also decreases swelling, pain and redness, as the blood vessels are constricted. Use of frozen corn or peas on the knee will also give the same effect as that of ice pack. The ice pack can be put on the knee for 15 to 20 minutes about three to four times a day. This treatment should be used for three to four days, until the pain goes away. However, do not sleep with the ice pack on the knee, as it can cause frostbite.

Compresses wrapped around the knee will prevent the sprained knee from moving too much when it is in the healing process. The compress also should not be wrapped too tight or too loose. In other words, it should be wrapped comfortably. Placing the knee on an elevation will also help in decreasing the swelling.

If the pain is unbearable, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medicine can be taken, but it recommended to take these medicines after talking to your health care professional. In case there is extra fluid accumulation in the sprained knee, it may have to be drained out. Draining out the fluid will help in the healing process. Sprained knee exercises may be prescribed after the initial swelling and inflammation has decreased. These exercises will help to strengthen and stretch the knee. However, it is better to talk to a physical therapist and not start any exercises on your own.

Sprained knee recovery time depends on the type of injury caused to the knee. You may wan to read on knee injury recovery. In very rare cases, surgical intervention may be required to treat the knee. In such a case the recovery time will certainly be much more. If with the treatment at home, the sprained knee is not healing itself, then it is better to visit a physician to rule out any other complications.

Dislocated Kneecap

A dislocated kneecap or a dislocated patella is exactly what it sounds like. Due to some undue pressure on the knee, the tendons that bind the kneecap to the rest of the knee tear, which gets the kneecap out of its groove. But then again, a lot of people complain that they had a dislocated kneecap without any sort of injury or blow to the knee. What's that all about?

Dislocated Kneecap

Now let us review the structure of the knee, to better understand how the kneecap may get dislocated. The knee is a joint, as well all know, where the femur (thigh bone) and tibia (shin bone) meet. Bones as they are, they are connected together by ligaments. But since the knee is such an important bone, there is the kneecap or the patella, which is supposed protect the joint. The kneecap is supposed to rest in an adequately sized groove. But in some people, this groove is inherently not big enough to hold the patella in. These people are understandably more prone to a dislocated kneecap or problems related to an unstable kneecap.

Others face the problems of a dislocated kneecap because of a prolonged incorrect running posture. Often sudden changes in the direction of running, twisting the knee and a direct blow to knee too may be common dislocated kneecap causes.

The dislocated kneecap symptoms include knee pain accompanied by swelling. Kneecap dislocation is often a very visible injury where you can see that the kneecap is out of its correct position.

Dislocated Kneecap Treatment

The dislocated kneecap treatment varies based on the cause of the knee injury.

Once you take your dislocated kneecap to the doctor, he will diagnose the exact cause of the dislocated kneecap with the help of an X-ray or an MRI scan. The scan will help correctly diagnose the cause of the dislocated kneecap.

If the cause of the kneecap dislocation is due to an injury, then the doctor will immobilize the knee for some time. You'll be told to wear a cast or an immobilizer over your knee to prevent further damage to the knee for around 3 weeks, after which you will have to undergo sessions in physical therapy, mostly knee exercises to strengthen the muscles around the knee. This will take another 2 weeks. Read on for more on dislocated knee treatment.

But if the damage is caused because the groove of the knee is not big enough to hold the kneecap, corrective dislocated kneecap surgery may be required. Corrective surgery will help stop the recurrence of this injury and avoid further damage to the underside of the kneecap as well. Corrective surgery will demand a dislocated kneecap recovery time of around 6 weeks at least, and you can resume training for a competitive sport (if you play one) only after 12 weeks of the surgery. And after getting the thumbs-up from your doctor of course! Read on for dislocated knee recovery time and knee injury recovery.

Dislocated Kneecap Prevention

Well clearly, a dislocated kneecap is not an ordeal which you'd want to go through again, so why not take a look at these preventive measures.

Most of the times, the doctor will tell you what caused the dislocated kneecap. Most often it is caused due to a problem in the way you run. So that is one of the first things which you'll need to fix. Make sure that during your physiotherapy sessions, you get a small little tutorial on how to run correctly. The second thing to keep in mind is to always warm up before playing a contact sport. Warm-ups avoid the ill-effects of cold-starting a muscle and keep them working just fine!

So this was all about the dislocated kneecap. I hope this advice comes in handy to help you recover from the dislocated kneecap and gets you on your feet again.

Hyperextended Knee

Knee hyperextension is one of the common knee injuries faced by athletes in sports like gymnastics, basketball and volleyball, to name a few. However, in sports the damage may be less intense than what can occur in an accident; car crash being a common one. The excessive pressure can result from any sudden or aggressive action which causes the knee to move past its normal straightened position and bend backwards. A tear in the knee ligaments is what which causes this condition. These ligaments serve as a bridge connecting the upper portion of the leg to the bottom. This tear results out of an incident wherein, the knee bends, twists or moves out of its typical range of motion. What explains the occurrence of an hyperextended knee is the simultaneous onset of two movements in the knee, which causes the tear. The information given below is a description on the different signs and symptoms of hyperextended knee and about its treatment, as well.

Hyperextended Knee Symptoms

Hyperextended knee symptoms are immediate and there might be several of them which occur right away. The bending of the knee backwards, is the first apparent symptom which may indicate that you might have hyperextended your knee. Then comes the hyperextended knee pain which may be extremely painful and grueling, particularly for severe injuries. The pain may be felt at the back and sides of the knee, and it may be accompanied by a swelling of the injured area within the few first hours of the injury. What becomes a very apparent consequence of a hyperextended knee is the person's inability to continue playing, running and perform other similar activities, due to instability or impaired motion. Walking may still be possible, but it might cause a lot of pain. In some cases, it might get difficult to diagnose if the person has actually hyperextended his/her knee. If the knee appears deformed, pain continues or if the knee gets locked in one position or does not get straightened, then there is a possibility that the patient has hyperextended his/her knee. Read more on common knee injuries.

Hyperextended Knee Treatment

The treatment lays its focus on alleviating the unnatural stress, swelling and the pain. Applying ice immediately helps in relieving the swelling and so also the pain which might be radiating throughout the leg. Not to mention, do not apply the ice directly onto the damaged area. Use towel or something similar to wrap around the ice. Thereafter, call for medical help without any haste. After getting the injury diagnosed, the patient might be given anti-inflammatory medications and recommended to use a compression bandage. If the injury is of a mild nature, then complete rest from activity and physical therapy is required for the leg to regain its lost strength and stability. Crutches, keeping the affected knee(s) in an elevated position while sitting or lying down and icing several times a day, also comprises the treatment for a hyperextended knee. For cases which doctors feel are too severe to be treated by conservative treatment methods, they are most likely to be attended by surgery. In case of a child who has suffered a hyperextended knee, doctors recommend the surgery to be performed once the child's bones have stopped growing.

Patients are also assigned some hyperextended knee exercises, to help the knee attain its normal range of motion. These exercises may include performing activities in water, use of stationary bike, muscle stretching, and probably other kinds of knee strengthening exercises, depending on what the doctor might consider best for the patients.

Hyperextended knee recovery time, may require about six to nine months. This is the time a patient must wait before returning to sports, especially if he/she has undergone a surgery. Very mild cases, may take an average of 1 - 2 weeks for recuperation, but by far it all depends upon the extent and graveness of the injury.