A collateral ligament injury affects the ligaments supporting eitherside of your knee. Injury tends to occur due to a sudden trauma tothe knee, such as a twisting force or a sideways force.
The knee is a hinge joint. Being the middle point of your lower limb, it can be exposed to twisting and sideways forces from the rotation of your hip or ankle joints above and below. Your collateral ligaments run down either side
of your knee to provide some protection to the knee against these forces.
A collateral ligament injury tends to occur as a result of trauma to the knee. A twisting force, such as that experienced skiing, or a lateral force, when
your knee is pushed outwards or inwards, are the typical mechanisms of injury.
Once damaged, it can take some time for it to heal.
Ligaments have a poor blood supply, meaning there is a lower concentration of the substances the body relies upon to repair an injury.
The severity of your injury will dictate how long it will take you to recover. This can range from 6 week to 3 months or more, depending on how strict you are with your post-injury care routine.
Within the first few hours, you will normally experience swelling and perhaps bruising around the area of your injury. This can sometimes track further down your leg, so don’t be alarmed if you see bruising further down.
Moving the knee can be painful, particularly after periods of immobility.
Help your body to recover by elevating your leg for short periods in the early phase. This will help any swelling and bruising to disperse.
Ice can be an excellent additional aid in settling any bruising and/or swelling. Be sure to wrap your ice in a damp cloth and monitor your skin to avoid ice burns
Keeping the rest of your leg, as well as the rest of your body strong and flexible reduces your risk of secondary complications and is vital to your overall recovery, so you may be advised to perform some exercises in these other areas.
Strengthening exercises are important to help to regain the stability around your knee. Your muscles play a very important role in protecting
your joint and reducing the risks of this injury reoccurring.
Balance exercises improve the coordination between each muscle group in your leg, bringing together your strength work and again improving the protection of your joint.
It is important to address all areas of your leg and your trunk as these factors can all contribute to your overall recovery and reduce your risk of re-injury.
Do not be tempted to rush your rehabilitation as you may end up causing more harm than good. Be patient; with time you will be back to doing what you love.
EXERCISE TIPS
TREATMENT PLAN
Here at Don Kelly Physiotherapy and Acupuncture clinic we have treated this very common condition very successfully in both our Limerick and Charleville clinics.
Phyio exercises and acupressure: This can be an ancient type of treatment that is comparable to acupuncture, but does not use needles. It applies pressure to particular pressure points which encourages blood circulation, relieves muscle tension, and triggers our body natural healing :
I have treated my patients with a 100% success rate. Armed with experience in the last 20 years of providing my physiotherapy services in Limerick and Charleville.
If you experience chronic pain, injuries, or advice for knee surgery and replacement please don’t hesitate to reach out. I have treated thousands of my patients with successful results over the last 20 years of my physio services.
BEFORE YOU SAY YES TO KNEE SURGERY REPLACEMENT– give me a ring for an assessment.
My treatment plan is the result of my experience and knowledge in treating chronic pains and injuries over the last 20 years. This is the holistic plan to guarantee pain relief, prevent recurring pains, and faster recovery.
