Collateral - injury

• COLLATERAL LIGAMENT SECTION
• intro
• anatomy
• injury
• complex injury
• assessment
• management

Collateral ligament injuries of the knee are common, either in isolation or in combination with damage to the meniscus or cruciate ligament or capsule. Collateral ligaments may be damaged by -

• a direct contact blow on the side of the knee while the foot is 'planted' (on the ground). This forces the joint to bend sideways ('varus' or 'valgus' force) and tears the ligament on the opposite side. The illustration above shows a valgus force, and it is the medial collateral ligament (on the inner aspect of the knee) which will be damaged.
• landing badly from a jump so that the knee is forced sideways by the weight of the body.