#4 – Ligament Injury

Phil Davidson, MD – Utah Orthopedic Surgeon

The knee has ligaments within the joint (ACL and PCL) and sets of ligaments outside and inside (LCL and MCL). The MCL is the most commonly injured. Since the outer ligaments are not within the joint, they are surrounded by healing elements and can often be treated non-surgically.

The ACL and PCL are within the knee, meaning they are surrounded by joint fluid and have little capacity for self-healing. Untreated, substantial ligament injury can lead to instability, which can limit activity and lead to arthritis.

If you are currently suffering from knee pain, the first step is to determine what may be causing your pain. Only once we identify the source of pain (diagnosis) can we outline and consider diagnosis-specific solutions, ranging from simple measures such as ice and exercises to surgery, which is often minimally invasive.