Another Knee Injury Post

Training Bodybuilding
1

Hi guys, I suffered an injury a little over a month ago to my left LCL. I got it checked out and my doctor said it was just a strain and that a tear had not taken place. After what is about a month and a half the pain continues with my knee stiffening up. I havent done any leg workouts since that time and have experienced a great deal of atrophy. I’m bummed out because I havent seen a great deal of improvement. I’m out of school for the summer so I’m uninsured. My question is what should the timeline be for any injury of this nature. I read other similar posts and I tried to perform a squat with no weight and my ROM was horrendous and I still had pain in my knee.

Any info. provided would be appreciated

2

You really can’t strain the LCL; it’s a ligament, not a muscle. Do you have the exact wording on the doctor’s diagnosis? Typically, the LCL goes along with the entire lateral complex. Here’s a good link:

http://www.physsportsmed.com/issues/1996/03_96/meislin.htm

And an applicable excerpt:

[quote]
Isolated LCL tears are rare, which may explain why there is little basic science or clinical research on their healing. The LCL heals more slowly than the MCL; this may reflect differences in collagen fibers per unit area. Most clinicians would agree that grade 1 and 2 LCL tears should be managed nonoperatively with a protective hinged knee brace, ice, compression, and weight bearing as tolerated.

Rehabilitation for patients who have LCL tears is similar to the protocol described for MCL injuries: functional activities and closed kinetic chain exercises. Knee brace protection on return to play at approximately 8 weeks is recommended.

Grade 3 LCL tears probably are best managed operatively because grade 3 LCL injuries inevitably involve the posterolateral corner of the knee (arcuate complex and popliteus). Kannus (13) reported satisfactory results with nonoperative treatment for grade 2 LCL injuries, but unsatisfactory results with such treatment for grade 3 LCL tears. The type of operation–repair or reconstruction–will often not be decided until the LCL is visualized during surgery.[/quote]