Knee sprain

What is knee sprain?

Injury to one or more ligaments of the knee. This joint is composed of four ligaments:

  1. external lateral ligament
  2. internal lateral ligament
  3. anterior cruciate ligament
  4. posterior cruciate ligament

Knee sprain can be partial or complete.

Prognosis of the disease

The prognosis of a sprained knee will depend on the degree of the sprain. Thus, partial sprains usually have a good prognosis, provided that there is a proper recovery with some patience. The recovery program includes inflammatory measures and a proposal of exercises by the specialist in Traumatology.

In complete sprains, the prognosis is more complicated. In some cases it would be necessary to value the reparative surgery, although it is not the most common thing. Recovery time can range from 3 to 6 months with different factors to consider depending on the patient.

Symptoms of knee sprain

The symptoms of a knee sprain are very specific and usually occur at the same time the injury occurs:

  • Feeling a popping in the joint (may even be heard).
  • Continuous pain when trying to walk and/or to the touch
  • Decreased range of motion of the joint and stiffness of the joint
  • Difficulty walking
  • Swelling and redness of the affected area
  • Internal bleeding causing a bruise to develop

Treatment of knee sprain depends on its degree of severity and the ligaments that are involved.

Medical tests for knee sprain

The diagnosis of knee sprain is primarily clinical. The physician suspects a patient has a knee sprain when the patient presents with typical symptoms, such as swelling.

These tests can be performed to make a good diagnosis:

  • Stress test
  • Sometimes magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

What are the causes of knee sprain?

The main reasons for knee sprain are usually caused by bending or twisting of the knee, when the foot is resting firmly on the ground. When playing certain sports such as soccer or basketball, trauma can cause movement beyond the anatomical limits of the joint.

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Similarly, any gesture involving a fall or impact can cause the knee to twist while the foot remains locked.

Can it be prevented?

To prevent knee sprain, take these measures into account:

  • Maintain a good physical condition
  • Tone the muscles of the knee and the rest of the joints.
  • Do proprioception exercises
  • Control body weight to avoid overweight.
  • Exercise and train with caution
  • Maintain good muscle tone
  • Choosing the right footwear
  • Use knee braces on certain occasions under medical supervision.
  • Not to return to physical activity without the approval of professionals.

Treatments for knee sprains

The treatment of knee sprain depends on its degree of severity and the ligaments that are involved:

  • Medial and lateral lateral lateral ligaments: rest, ice, anti-inflammatories and in some cases requires the use of a stabilizer such as a knee brace.
  • Anterior and posterior cruciate ligaments: depending on the age, the activities performed by the patient and if the patient subsequently reports knee instability, the treatment is surgical management.

The physiotherapy is fundamental for the recovery of the knee, in these sessions strengthening and proprioception exercises are performed, that is to say, those exercises that teach a joint to face again the inequalities of the floor.

What specialist treats it?

The specialist in Physiotherapy offers non-pharmacological therapeutic solutions for multiple types of ailments, among them is the knee sprain.

The specialist in Traumatology works in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of diseases and injuries of the musculoskeletal system. The purpose of the orthopedic surgeon is to surgically and orthopedically treat injuries or fractures of bones, muscles, joints and ligaments.