LCL Tear Treatment

LCL Tear Treatment in Hoover and Birmingham, Serving Central Alabama

A knee injury can be defeating. Injuries like LCL tears aren’t just painful, but they also significantly impact a person’s mobility. This can interfere with sports participation and other favorite activities, leading to a lower quality of life.

If you or a loved one has recently experienced an LCL injury, Southlake Orthopaedics can offer less pain, more living. We are a multi-specialty orthopedic care provider located in Hoover and Birmingham-Grandview, AL, helping patients throughout central Alabama recover from knee injuries. Learn more about our treatments for LCL tears.

What Is an LCL Tear?

An LCL tear is an injury to the lateral collateral ligament, a band of connective tissue in the knee. The knee joint is made up of three bones: the femur, tibia, and patella, which are held in place by bands of strong connective tissue, called ligaments. These bands keep the joint stable enough to hold weight.

The lateral collateral ligament, also called the LCL, is one of two collateral ligaments found on either side of the knee that control the knee’s side-to-side movement. The LCL is found on the outside of the leg and connects the femur to the fibula. It limits the knee’s ability to bend inward or toward the other leg.

LCL tears are relatively uncommon when compared to other knee ligament injuries. However, they still occur, especially among athletes. Injuries can be partial tears where the ligament is not fully severed, or they can be a full severing of the ligament.

LCL Tear Symptoms

Most LCL tears happen suddenly. The person feels a popping sensation in their knee or hears a popping noise. Immediately afterward, the knee gives out or loses stability. Some individuals feel intense pain, while others may not experience much discomfort at first. Other symptoms develop soon afterward. Patients with an LCL tear may experience:

Pain in the knee
Swelling in the knee, resulting in stiffness
Tenderness or bruising
Feeling as if the knee is weak or unstable

The RICE method (rest, ice, compression, and elevation) may help a person reduce pain and swelling after an injury. However, this treatment will not provide long-term relief. For proper treatment, patients should seek medical assistance from the board-certified physicians at Southlake Orthopaedics.

LCL Tear Causes and Risk Factors

LCL tears are caused by a powerful force that causes the leg to hyperextend outward. In some cases, this is a direct blow to the knee from a vehicle accident or a contact sport. In others, it is due to a sudden movement. If the leg bends or twists while holding weight, the LCL may snap. This often occurs in sports that involve sharp cutting or side-to-side movements, such as football, soccer, or skiing. This becomes more likely with inadequate training or preparation, such as:

Insufficient stretching
Poor or uneven muscle conditioning
Inappropriate or poorly fitting footwear
Increasing sports intensity too quickly
Improper technique

While LCL injuries are typically traumatic, they may sometimes be the product of stress. Repeated pressure or strain to the LCL can make it lose its elasticity, making it more vulnerable to tearing. Similarly, previous knee injuries can weaken the entire joint. This puts the person at greater risk of a second injury.

Diagnosing LCL Tears

When patients visit Southlake Orthopaedics for a knee injury, our team’s first step is to confirm the diagnosis. The physician begins by performing a thorough physical exam to evaluate the knee’s range of motion and determine which ligaments, if any, have been damaged. They will also ask about the injury, when it occurred, and the patient’s symptoms.

The physical exam may not be conclusive, or the physician may want more information to plan treatment. If this is the case, medical imaging may be requested. X-rays provide clear images of skeletal structures, allowing the physician to rule out a bone fracture. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans let the physician examine the damaged ligament to determine the location and extent of the tearing.

Treatment Options for LCL Tear

The next step after diagnosis is treatment. Southlake Orthopaedics employs a variety of treatment strategies to help patients find relief.

Most LCL injuries can be treated non-invasively. The patient is fitted with a custom hinged brace at our full-service, surgeon-led orthotics lab. The brace provides extra support to the joint, keeping it stable while the ligament heals. Once the swelling has receded, the patient will participate in a personalized physical therapy and rehabilitation plan. This strengthens the muscles to restore function and mobility, helping the person get back to their favorite activities.

If the injury does not respond to conservative treatments, surgery may be considered. The typical procedure for LCL tears involves rebuilding the ligament using grafted tissue. Recovery often takes several months but may fully repair the knee when other methods fail.

Meet Our Team

Southlake Orthopaedics is home to a multi-specialty team of board-certified physicians, including sports medicine specialists. They employ their broad expertise in providing every level of care, from diagnosis to surgery and rehabilitation. Our team includes:

These experienced physicians help patients achieve less pain, more living, through a comprehensive approach to care that covers every phase from diagnosis to rehabilitation. Our offices are located in Birmingham-Grandview and Hoover, AL. Contact us to learn more about our knee injury treatments or to schedule an appointment for diagnosis.

Find Treatment for LCL Injuries in Alabama

Don’t let an LCL injury keep you from doing what you love. Find less pain, more living at Southlake Orthopaedics. Located in Hoover and Birmingham-Grandview, AL, we serve patients throughout central Alabama with state-of-the-art orthopedic care. Contact us to learn more about our services or to schedule an appointment for LCL tear treatment.

LCL Tear Treatment