Causes
The inner band is often stretched during stronger and sudden loads, abrupt stops, fast starts, for example during sports. Inner ligament stretching often occurs when the foot is fixed and the knee is rotated, for example during soccer. However, skiing or handball are also among the high-risk sports due to the heavy strain.
Violent impact on the extended knee can also lead to injuries – for example, a kick against the leg in soccer. Ligament stretching, however, can also occur during everyday activities – carelessness, slipping on wet ground or the foot slipping off an edge can be decisive. Inner ligament stretching at the knee is one of the most common sports injuries in soccer.
If the patient performs incorrectly or we are injured unfavorably by a teammate or opponent, an inner ligament stretching can be the result. The stretching is caused by the lower leg stretching too far outwards compared to the thigh. This can happen, for example, when the lower leg is kicked against the lower leg while squatting.
Doctors refer to this type of injury as varus stress. If the lower leg is overstretched very much in a short period of time, the ligament stretching can turn into a torn ligament. Often, only a few centimeters determine the degree of injury at this moment.
A tear can be recognized by a hematoma. On the other hand, the lower leg can be folded to the side with the hand to an unusual degree. After a ligament stretch, the patient should not play soccer for at least 4 weeks.
This time is important to completely cure the inner ligament stretch and to avoid serious secondary injuries. If the pain and swelling persist for more than 4-6 weeks, a doctor should be consulted to rule out more serious injuries. As a rule, conservative therapy is always performed for an extension of the inner ligament of the knee.
Splints or supporting bandages are often used to stabilize the knee. Depending on the severity of the complaints, the knee should also be protected, i.e. relieved. For example by putting the knee up.Furthermore, the pain should be treated with painkillers such as ibuprofen or diclofenac.
After about 4 weeks of rest, physiotherapy can be started. This can be prescribed by an orthopedist or a general practitioner. A splint should be worn for about 6 weeks or until the inner ligament stretching has completely healed.
Physiotherapy can still be started slowly from the 4th week. Stress-related training and strengthening of the knee joint can usually be started from week 6. After an inner ligament stretching at the knee, the treating physician can prescribe a knee bandage.
However, this is not absolutely necessary and is considered an additional service. The patient should then wear the bandage for a few days. Care must be taken to ensure that the patient wears the bandage correctly and for no more than 8 hours a day.
The bandage can be stretched lengthwise, but not crosswise. This prevents a varus malposition while normal gait is still possible. The support thus provides stability for the knee joint until the inner ligament is fully able to bear weight again.
However, the support should only be seen as a temporary solution, as the body quickly gets used to the additional support and can become dependent on it after a long period of time. Therefore, accompanying physiotherapy is advisable to strengthen the supporting apparatus and to make the knee functional again as quickly as possible. A tape is a kind of elastic adhesive tape, which is used in sports medicine to additionally stabilize joints.
The tape should be applied by an orthopedist, family doctor or physiotherapist, but can also be applied by the patients themselves. However, this is only advisable with sufficient experience in handling tapes, since sticking in the wrong position and using too much or too little tape can have the opposite effect on the knee joint. In case of doubt, you should therefore always have a specialist explain the problem.
In the case of the knee, make sure that the tape is not stuck lengthwise over the kneecap. It is best to apply two adhesive strips both inside and outside the knee. The tape should bridge the entire knee joint.
For additional stability, a transverse adhesive tape can also be stuck under the kneecap. It is important to note, however, that taping alone does not constitute a full therapy for an inner ligament injury. The means of choice is often a splint for stabilization. The tape is only considered an additional aid to relieve the strain on the ligament after an injury.
