Symptoms and treatments for knee ligaments

An injury to the knee ligaments is a potentially serious emergency that, if not treated quickly, can have unpleasant consequences.

The knee ligaments serve to give stability to this joint, so when one of the ligaments is broken or compromised, the knee is unstable and causes a lot of pain.

Most of the time, an injury to the knee ligaments is caused by a sudden sudden strain. The treatment for such an injury is often surgical, followed by a few months of physical therapy and rest, but initially it may be necessary to use a knee brace to prevent knee movements.

Physiotherapy treatment for the knee

The physiotherapeutic treatment for knee rehabilitation must be chosen by the physiotherapist who will treat the individual. Some techniques he can use are:

Laser: to decrease pain and facilitate healing; Ice: to reduce swelling and anesthetize the place for deep transverse massage; Manual joint mobilization: to lubricate the joint, provide range of motion and release adhesions; Patella mobilization: to increase knee flexion; Knee traction: to increase the interarticular space; Russian chain: to improve the muscle tone of the anterior and posterior thigh; Thera-band exercises: to gain overall strength with the thigh and leg muscles; Proprioception exercises with eyes open and closed.

During physiotherapeutic treatment, for the recovery of knee ligaments, it is normal for some other situations to arise, such as tendonitis, difficulty in bending and stretching the leg and muscle weakness, which must also be treated at the same time.

Medial or lateral collateral ligament

Treatment for repair of the medial or lateral collateral ligaments can be performed with physical therapy and rarely requires surgery. Physiotherapy should be started shortly after diagnosis and may include the use of devices and exercises prescribed by the physiotherapist.

To speed recovery, it may be necessary to use an ice pack exactly at the injury site for about 15 minutes, twice a day, and use a knee brace to protect the knee from any complications.

At the clinic, the physiotherapist can use devices such as tension, ultrasound, laser, in addition to stretching and muscle strengthening exercises. Surgery can be indicated when the ligament has been completely torn, showing a grade 3 lesion in athletes.

Learn more details of Physiotherapy for Anterior Cruciate Ligament rupture.

Anterior or posterior cruciate ligament

Treatment for injuries to the anterior or posterior cruciate ligaments may include physiotherapy sessions or, in some cases, surgery for ligament reconstruction, which is particularly indicated when the knee is very unstable or the patient is an athlete.

Physiotherapy devices can be useful to facilitate healing and fight pain, but strengthening the muscles of the thigh and the back of the leg are very important to speed recovery.

Signs of better and worse

Signs of improvement include decreased pain, swelling and the ability to walk and move without pain or limping, while signs of worsening are just the opposite.

Complications of knee injuries

The main complication of knee ligament injuries is the increased risk of injury to the knee menisci, constant pain and permanent knee instability, which can be avoided with the indicated treatment. See how to identify and treat a meniscus injury here.

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