Muscle injuries are called pulls, but knee sprains are the result of ligament injuries. Ligaments support the joints of your body and connect your bones. Ligaments are made of fibrous tissue, which stretches like elasticity. Most sprains occur in ankles, knees or wrists and are the result of physical activity. Knee sprains can be particularly painful.
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span= "article-image caption-inner">untreated knee sprain can cause knee joint sprain. Chronic injury. (Image: katarzynabialasiewicz/istock/getty images)Sprained knees are usually caused by traumatic events, such as twisting the knee into an unnatural position, falling or acting too fast or slowly. When your knee ligament stretches beyond its limit, the ligament fibers begin to break in turn. Fiber rupture eventually leads to complete ligament tear. Four major ligaments provide stability for your knee and can be sprained: the medial medial collateral ligament of the knee; the lateral collateral ligament of the knee; the anterior cruciate ligament and the posterior cruciate ligament deep in the knee.
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If sprains occur, you may notice a sense of bursting, breaking or tearing when you are injured. This is usually accompanied by pain, swelling and unbearable knee weight. Stiffness and bruises usually develop within 24 to 48 hours of injury. The most common MCL injury occurs when the knee is impacted from the side to the outside of the knee, forcing the knee to bend inward with force, such as in a collision. Anterior cruciate ligament injury is more likely to occur in non-contact torsion mechanisms, such as sudden stop and rotation during cutting.
See a doctor, especially if your knee is swollen. To determine the stability of your knee and the extent of the injury, your doctor will examine the area for swelling, tenderness and bruises. If your injury is deep in the knee joint, the symptoms may not be obvious. It's always a good idea to compare injured knees with uninjured ones. Checking your injuries can be difficult because your joints can be very painful. Some ligament injuries require special clinical examinations to determine the extent of injury and instability. Valgus or valgus pressure tests are used to diagnose MCL or LCL sprains. In this test, the examiner places one hand on the thigh, bends the knee to 30 degrees, or turns the calf inward (inverted) or outward (inverted). Medial knee pain caused by valgus stress represents mcl's strain, and lateral knee pain caused by varus stress also represents lcl's strain. Untreated sprains or chronic injuries can lead to joint instability, and persistent joint instability can accelerate the deterioration of the knee joint.
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