An injury to the inner or outer ligament often occurs when the knee is rotated with a fixed lower leg. Sports with jerky movements, such as soccer, handball or squash/tennis, can cause the above-mentioned mechanism. The inner ligament is more frequently affected than the outer ligament and is usually accompanied by injury to the inner meniscus and anterior cruciate ligament (Unhappy Triad).
The injury of the ligament is divided into 3 degrees. Grade 1 is a stretching, grade 2 is a partial rupture and the most severe grade 3 is a complete rupture. The stability of the knee is therefore no longer guaranteed. How the injury is treated depends on the severity and accompanying symptoms.
Physiotherapy
The acute symptoms should be treated in physiotherapy. This can be done through the following therapeutic approaches: In the long term, the stabilizing muscles of the knee joint must be trained. For a better sensitivity of the joint position and to promote coordination and balance skills, stability exercises should be performed using uneven surfaces or one-legged stands.
Airex cushions, wobble boards, spinning tops, large sports mats, trampolines and seesaws are particularly suitable for this purpose. Supportive taping and electrotherapy can support wound healing and give the knee some stability even when running. You can find all exercises under: Exercises inner/outer ligament rupture All exercises can be found under: exercises inner/outer ligament rupture
- The pain in the area of the ligament can be reduced with an ice treatment.
- Cross friction is used to prevent a new inflammatory reaction and to support wound healing.
The therapist starts at a right angle to the treated structure with his finger and pulls it towards him. In between, the tissue can be soothed by cold.
- A mobilization of the knee joint and also the hip and ankle joint is recommended due to the incorrect load during walking. Malpositions in the pelvis and spine should be corrected to maintain general mobility.
- Lymphatic drainage is very important in case of severe swelling in the knee joint.
- Likewise, the metabolism can be activated and the knee relieved by traction of the knee joint in different starting positions of the patient.
- In the case of hard muscle tension of the knee muscles, the tonus can be lowered by soft tissue techniques, heat therapy or massage.
- In the case of a ruptured inner ligament, the Pes Anserinus group (adductors of the knee joint) and the medial vastus of the quadriceps muscle should therefore be trained.
Exercises from the PNF therapy are suitable for this purpose, which train the muscle groups specifically. In addition, general strengthening exercises such as bridging and knee bends with facilitation by a ball between the knees can be used to increase adductor tension.
- In less frequent cases of rupture of the external ligament, the lateral vastus, the tensor fascia latae and the small gluteal muscles (buttocks) are the muscles to be trained accordingly. The PNF patterns corresponding to the muscle groups or general strengthening exercises with emphasis on the lateral and rear muscles are also suitable.
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