Sprained knee ligaments and their treatment at Dr. Glazkov’s clinic in Moscow

Joint arthroscopy > Knee joint > Diseases and injuries > Ligament restoration

The knee joint is one of the most complex and also the most vulnerable in the human body. The main action of this joint is flexion. This process involves parts of the tibia and femur, as well as the patella.

One of the main components of the knee joint is the cruciate ligaments . They provide stability to the lower leg, do not allow it to move forward or backward during movement, providing additional support for the external condyle of the tibia.

The cruciate ligament has strong fibers that can easily cope with everyday stress. However, under extreme or sudden stress, damage and even rupture of the cruciate ligament can occur.

sprain

sprain
Damage to the structures of the knee develops when exposed to excessive mechanical force. Usually it occurs during rotation of the thigh around its axis with the lower leg fixed in one position (twisting the leg). In addition, sprains of the meniscus of the knee joint occur due to direct mechanical impact on the knee.

How to provide first aid for a torn ligament?

The main causes of rupture are injuries, blows to the shin, sharp extension of the joint, twisting of the leg when walking in high heels.

If a rupture is suspected, the patient should receive immediate assistance:

limit movements, create complete rest for the limb;
apply a tight bandage, elastic bandage, bandage so that the joint is as motionless as possible;
apply ice in a fabric bag to prevent swelling or hematoma;
relieve negative symptoms by taking an analgesic;

The patient should be helped to consult with a doctor as quickly as possible: a surgeon, traumatologist, or orthopedist.

Knee sprain - classification

Knee joint injury and sprain are classified based on the location and extent of the damage. Based on the location of the injured area, there are:

Sprain of the medial ligament of the knee joint.
Sprain of the lateral ligament of the knee joint.
Sprain of the anterior cruciate ligament of the knee joint.
Sprained posterior cruciate ligament of the knee.

Several degrees of tissue trauma are classified by severity, based on the severity and number of injured fibers.

Standard recovery times

Sprains have several degrees of varying severity. The greater the severity, the longer the patient will have to be immobilized and treat his own ankle.

There are three degrees of stretching:

minor injury;
moderate injury;
serious injury.

The mild degree can be treated at home, but the next two stages cannot be cured at home.

It is important to understand that self-medication for serious injuries will only lead to negative consequences, and in the long term – to disability. And the rehabilitation period in the absence of medical assistance also increases.

anonymousGood afternoon! My name is Natasha, I'm 33 years old. 2 years ago in February, I fell and injured my right knee and there was very severe swelling. In the evening at the hospital they said it was a sprain, they prescribed me gel, injections and tablets and to tie my knee with an elastic bandage, and told me to go to the clinic in the afternoon. At the clinic, the doctor sent me for an x-ray, then he looked and said that there was a crack and put me in a cast from my hip to my heel. My leg didn’t stop hurting, and within a day the cast looked as if it had been put on 10 minutes ago. And I went to the doctor again. hospital and there the 3rd doctor on the 3rd day said that there was no crack but a sprain and take what was prescribed on the 1st day. Before the New Year it hurt but not significantly, and after the New Year it started as soon as I slipped (I didn’t fall) or did not successfully step over the threshold how a strong and sharp pain appeared in the knee, that it cost me a lot of strength to stay on my feet because the stability in the knee disappeared and after an hour severe swelling appeared. I didn’t go to the hospital. After each time I applied gel, bandaged it and lay for a while for 2 weeks and the pain went away and so I could even sit down. And on May 1 (this was already the 4th time since the New Year) I just stood there as my knee hurt badly and my leg began to swell, I couldn’t rest because it’s spring and I live in the village and I again I smeared the gel and bandaged my leg. Because I didn’t lie for a week above the knee and up to the toes, my leg swelled twice and I went to the hospital. I was sent for an ultrasound of the knee, ultrasound CONCLUSION: Deforming osteoarthritis of the knee joint, 2 degrees. Suprapatellar bursitis with signs of synovitis. I was prescribed 5 injections of DICLOBERL, SERRATA tablets, 40 pieces of CARTIGEN tablets, 2 per day for 2 months. After 2 weeks of treatment, my leg did not stop hurting, only the swelling went down a little, although I was lying more. The most severe pain was in the middle of the knee on the inside and outside, it’s hard to bend. Then I went to another hospital. The doctor there put the ligaments in place and prescribed 3 injections of KETOROLAC and 3 injections of REUMOXICS and told me to pour cold water on my knee and come to him again in a week. He corrected me again. bundles and said to lie down. I lay in bed for 2 weeks, did nothing, only went out a couple of times a day when necessary, and then with a stick, the pain disappeared, mild swelling still remained in the knee. And 2 days ago I walked 150 meters in one direction and back (I walked slowly and with a stick) and my leg swelled again and started to hurt, and I can’t completely straighten it, it’s not bent much. Please help me, how to treat it correctly, and how long will it take? Thank you in advance. Artak Matsakovich Matsakyan, traumatologist-orthopedist answers. Hello! I don’t know what techniques can be used to put the ligaments in place and what did the doctor do with you? You most likely have instability in the joint; you may have a torn meniscus or anterior cruciate ligament. You need to do an MRI of the joint and seek an in-person consultation with a qualified orthopedist.

A knee sprain is one of the types of injuries that occurs when sudden movements of the joints exceed the normal amplitude. In this case, a characteristic sign is a feeling of severe and sharp pain. The injury requires treatment, otherwise serious complications develop.

Do you think that joint diseases can be cured without visiting a doctor? Contents

knee ligaments - symptoms

Painful sensations in the area of trauma, the severity and localization of which depend on how severe the sprain of the knee joint is and how many structures were involved in the pathological process.
Swelling of tissues and hyperemia of the skin resulting from the development of an inflammatory reaction.
Limitation of joint movements or, conversely, the appearance of instability.

Signs of knee sprain also depend on the severity of the violation of the anatomical integrity of the connective tissue fibers and the involvement of other structures (bone base, menisci). Severe sprain of the knee joint may be accompanied by the appearance of pathological mobility in it.

How to provide first aid for a sprain?

When sprained, it is important to urgently diagnose the injury in order to quickly reduce tissue swelling and the risk of hematoma formation.

First aid methods include:

creating complete peace;
cooling the injured joint by applying a cold compress or ice wrapped in a cloth;
fixation of the lower leg and knee by tightly bandaging or using a splint.

As soon as possible, consultation with a traumatologist or surgeon is necessary. When transporting a patient, it is necessary to ensure maximum immobilization of the limb.

Sprained collateral ligament of the knee joint - signs

A sprain of the collateral ligament of the knee usually occurs when a mechanical force is applied, resulting in abnormal flexion in the frontal plane. It is accompanied by severe pain sensations developing in the area of the internal or external surface.

Sprains of the medial collateral ligament of the knee develop somewhat less frequently, but can lead to pathological mobility. Sometimes damage to the lateral connective tissue cords and sprain of the cruciate ligaments of the knee can be combined. In this case, the symptoms are more pronounced, and the pain becomes more intense.

Diagnostics

Clinical signs of sprain of the knee joint do not make it possible to accurately determine the location and severity of the violation of the anatomical integrity. For this purpose, additional objective research methods are used, which include:

Radiography is a technique that allows you to visualize gross violations of the anatomical integrity, in particular, a pronounced stretch of the internal ligament of the knee joint. To do this, it is carried out in direct and lateral projection.
Computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging - these imaging methods make it possible to detect even minor injuries, in particular a sprain of the collateral ligament of the knee or a violation of the integrity of the cruciate connective tissue cords.
Ultrasound examination – a knee sprain is often accompanied by an inflammatory reaction with an increase in the amount of synovial fluid, which can be detected by ultrasound.
Arthroscopy is a method that makes it possible to visualize the sprain of the internal ligaments of the knee by introducing a special optical device, an arthroscope, into the cavity.

Arthroscopy is a low-traumatic invasive procedure that makes it possible to restore the correct structure of the structures of the musculoskeletal system.

Standard stages of rehabilitation

In order to restore the functions of the injured limb as quickly as possible after treatment for a ruptured and sprained ligament, the attending physician may recommend:

massage;
performing physical therapy exercises;
physiotherapy.

The goal of using these methods is to restore the previous range of motion.

Muscle strengthening is carried out through the use of exercise bikes, treadmills, and special equipment.

Stages of rehabilitation:

It takes about a week. Includes flexion and extension exercises, leg swings, and careful walking with the help of crutches.
Takes 2 weeks. Supplemented with squats and toe raises.
It takes a month. Previously recommended exercises are supplemented by abducting the legs to the side and up, using an elliptical trainer.
It takes 1.5 months. Includes swimming, exercise on an exercise bike, and exercises with weights.
It takes six months. Includes exercises to strengthen leg muscles and maintain ligament tone.

To minimize the likelihood of sprains and ruptures of ligaments, you need to wear comfortable shoes, strengthen your leg muscles, and warm up before sports training.

Losing excess weight and using protective equipment while playing sports or working will reduce the risk of injury.

Sprained knee ligaments - treatment

If during diagnostic procedures a sprain of the ligaments of the knee joint was determined, the symptoms and treatment are determined only by a traumatologist. Based on the data obtained during an objective diagnosis of such a condition as a knee injury, treatment includes the following:

drug therapy;
non-pharmacological therapeutic measures;
surgery.

The main directions of treatment for the pathological process are determined by the doctor, based on the specific clinical situation.

Possible complications and consequences

If, after receiving an injury, you do not seek medical help in a timely manner, the treatment of your sore knee may take a long time. In addition, ligament damage significantly limits motor activity.

Some patients who do not see a doctor in time, after an injury, forever lose the opportunity to play their favorite sport. On the contrary, timely and adequate therapy will allow the patient to return to physical activity after some time.

physiotherapy

NSAIDs;
analgesics;
multivitamin preparations;
chondroitin sulfate;

Non-drug measures are prescribed, mainly physiotherapy (electromagnetic fields, mud, ultraphonophoresis with non-steroidal analgesics).

The nature of the injury and its location influence how long a knee sprain takes to heal. Typically, the average duration of conservative therapy is about a month. If a severe knee sprain has been diagnosed, treatment includes surgery. The operation is performed with an open approach or using arthroscopy.

Treatment

Restoring full leg function is very important, especially for an athlete. But, unfortunately, this is not always possible. Modern methods of low-traumatic operations make it possible to restore the joint in case of many injuries, but sometimes this takes quite a long time - it may require not one, but several consecutive operations, followed by stage-by-stage rehabilitation. It all depends on the severity and nature of the injury.

Treatment for mild sprains is often limited to the following:

Immobilization - tightly bandaging the knee with an elastic bandage or using a special bandage (brace). This provides immobility and rest to the joint.
Cooling - applying an ice pack or a special cooling pack to the affected area. This reduces pain and tissue swelling.
Providing the injured limb with rest, that is, excluding any movements in the joint and support on the sore leg for the first time after the injury. Crutches should be used to walk.
By placing the knee in an elevated position in bed. The victim should spend most of the time lying down, raising the sore leg above the level of the heart - this helps reduce swelling.

For mild sprains, other than these measures, nothing more is usually required. Although sometimes the doctor prescribes anti-inflammatory and painkillers, as well as thermal physiotherapeutic procedures.

Moderate severity of injury requires more serious measures. Immobilization is carried out using a plaster cast or bandage for a period of 3 to 4 weeks. Drug therapy is prescribed using anti-inflammatory and restorative agents, thermal physiotherapy, and after removing the bandage, massage and therapeutic exercises.

Treatment for a severe sprain usually begins with surgery to restore the structure of the joint. After the operation, a plaster cast is applied for a period of 2 months or more, depending on the severity of the injury. A patient in the acute stage of injury is in a traumatology or orthopedic hospital, after which he is transferred to a dispensary register with an orthopedic doctor at his place of residence.

After discharge from the hospital, a set of rehabilitation measures is required to develop the knee and restore the full range of movements in it. Rehabilitation includes a course of massage, physical exercise, swimming in the pool, exercise equipment, and thermal treatments.