Knee Ligament

Knee Ligament Physiotherapy Treatment

Knee ligament injuries are typically caused by some impact to the knee or the legs near the knees. For instance, you could trip and fall, landing on the knee cap. You might get hit on the side of the leg when crossing the street by a vehicle.

Physiotherapy First can help with your knee ligament injury with our physiotherapy treatments and services in Brampton. We use a unique approach to not only treat your injuries but the underlying symptoms and causes for an effective recovery treatment plan.

What Do The Knee Ligaments Do?

Ligaments, whether they are in the knee, ankle wrist, neck, or another area of the body are connective tissues that help hold the ends of connecting bones together. In the knee, there are two ligaments – one on each side of the knee to restrict side-to-side movements and connect the lower leg and upper leg bones together.

What Happens When Knee Ligaments Are Injured?

When the knee ligaments are injured, they are not able to correctly provide the resistance to limit side-to-side movements. The bones in the upper and lower legs can also slip when walking. You may also notice bone-on-bone popping sounds because the ligaments cannot hold the bones in place, so they rub against the cartilage in the knee.

How Common Are Knee Ligament Injuries?

The most common knee ligament injury is ripping and tearing the MCL – the medial collateral ligament. MCL injuries are typical in sports when the leg is forced to move sideways more than it should. An MCL injury can also occur when one falls and there is excessive force placed on the leg causing it to bend outward and tearing the ligament.

Another type of knee ligament injury is tears and rips in the LCL – the lateral collateral ligament, located on the back of the knee, opposite the knee cap. LCL injuries occur when the leg is forced outward in a direction that is away from the body. Injuries to the LCL can also occur if the leg is bent backward beyond its normal range of motion.

Impacts are another cause of knee ligament injuries. When the knee is impacted with excessive force, it can tear and rip the ligaments. Impact injuries can occur from car accidents, workplace accidents, tripping and falling accidents, banging your knee into a stationary object, etc.

What Are The Common Symptoms Of Knee Ligament Injuries?

The ripping and tearing of ligaments can result in pain and discomfort in the knee region. In more severe injuries, you may notice bruising, swelling, soreness, and constant pain. If blood vessels are also damaged, blood can pool in between the joints and cause additional stiffness and discomfort.

Another common symptom and a good indicator you have a knee ligament injury are if you put weight on the leg and it feels like the lower leg bone is not as steady as it should be. Oftentimes, your knee will give way for no apparent reason. When it does, you will fall, unless you have some support, like using crutches.

How Are Knee Ligament Injuries Diagnosed?

Most people know when they have injured their knee based on the symptoms. A formal diagnosis does require a detailed physical examination. At Physiotherapy First, our physiotherapists will review the extent of the injuries to identify which ligaments are ripped and torn.

They may ask you to perform various mobility movements, touch and feel the affected area, and ask you to rate the level of pain. Your physiotherapist may also take x-rays and use other diagnostic tests. Once your injury is accurately diagnosed, a formal treatment plan tailored to your injuries is created.

Our physiotherapists will take the time to educate you about your injury, as well as ask for your input when creating your treatment and recovery plan.

How Are Knee Ligament Injuries Treated?

The form for treatment can and does vary from one patient to the next. Some of the more common treatments used to treat knee ligament injuries can include:

Hot and Cold Therapies – These therapies can help alleviate swelling and pain. They can be used individually or alternated depending on your diagnosis.
Electrical Wave Stimulation Therapy – Small electrical impulses are used in the injury location to help stimulate the healing response, reduce pain and swelling, and promote healing processes.
Leg Elevation Therapy – You may need to have your leg elevated for specific periods of various durations. Elevation helps keep weight off the leg and prevent additional injuries.
Manual Manipulation Therapy – Soft tissue manipulation can be used to massage the area to alleviate pain and discomfort.
Exercise Therapy – After swelling and soreness dissipates, the injured area will need to be restrengthened through targeted exercises.
Assistive Device Therapy – Assistive devices, like knee braces and crutches, are often used to help keep weight off the injured leg and keep the upper and lower leg bones from moving outside their normal range and causing reinjury.

Please keep in mind, the goal of your physiotherapist is to address your pain and discomfort and bring relief first and foremost. Once this has been addressed, then other forms of therapies are used to promote healing and recovery.

Why Choose Physiotherapy First For Knee Ligament Injury Treatment?

Physiotherapy First provides access to well-educated and trained physiotherapists. Our Brampton physiotherapists receive ongoing education and training in the latest techniques and methods to treat knee ligament injures non-surgically using physiotherapy.

For further information about knee ligament injury physiotherapy treatments and services in Brampton, or to schedule an initial consultation with one of our physiotherapists, please feel free to contact Physiotherapy First at 905-796-6662 today!

We look forward to discussing your health benefits plan coverage, answering your questions you may have, and helping you recover to start feeling better.