What are the Collateral Ligaments?
If you have not yet reviewed the general knee anatomy page, please do so now. The MCL (Medial Collateral Ligament) and the LCL (Lateral Collateral Ligament) are two of the four stabalizing ligaments of the knee. They keep the tibia from moving too far from side to side in relation to the femur. How are the collateral ligaments injured? The collateral ligaments are commonly injured structures in the knee. These injuries usually occur when a significant force is put on the side of the leg, such as a fall while skiing. The most common combination ligament tear is a tear of the medial collateral ligament and the anterior cruciate ligament. The medial collateral ligament is injured more often than the lateral collateral ligament. This is because the MCL is stressed more when the foot is planted and the knee is struck from the outside. LCL tears do occur, but they occur more infrequently than MCL tears. What are the symptoms of a collateral ligament injury A tear of one of the collateral lig
