A knee sprain is stretching or tearing of the ligaments that support the knee. Ligaments are strong bands of tissue that connect bones to each other.
Knee sprains may be caused by:
These factors increase your chance of developing a knee sprain. Tell your doctor if you have any of these risk factors:
Symptoms include:
Your doctor will ask about your symptoms and how the injury occurred. The knee will be checked to see how stable the joint is and how severe the pain is. Tests may include:
Knee sprains are graded according to their severity. The more ligaments that are involved means the more severe the injury.
Treatment includes:
To reduce your risk of spraining a knee:
RESOURCES:
American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons
http://www.aaos.org/
American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine
http://www.sportsmed.org/
CANADIAN RESOURCES:
Canadian Orthopaedic Association
http://www.coa-aco.org/
Canadian Orthopaedic Foundation
http://www.canorth.org/
References:
Knee Injury. Emedicine Consumer Journal. 2001 May 28.
Martin TJ. American Academy of Pediatrics: Technical report: knee brace use in the young athlete. Pediatrics. 2001;108:503-507.
Najibi S, Albright JP. The use of knee braces, part 1: prophylactic knee braces in contact sports. Am J Sports Med. 2005;33:602-611.
Petersen W, Braun C, Bock W, et al. A controlled prospective case control study of a prevention training program in female team handball players: the German experience. Arch Orthop Trauma Surg. 2005;125:614-621.
Renstrom P, IOC Medical Commission, International Federation of Sports Medicine. Sports Injuries: Basic Principles of Prevention and Care. Boston, MA: Blackwell Scientific Publications; 1993.
Sprains and strains: what's the difference? American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons website. Available at: http://orthoinfo.aaos.org/topic.cfm?topic=A00111 . Updated October 2007. Accessed July 22, 2008.
What are sprains and strains? National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases. National Institutes of Health (NIH) website. Available at: http://www.niams.nih.gov/Health_Info/Sprains_Strains/sprains_and_strains_ff.pdf . Published March 2008. Accessed July 22, 2008.
Last reviewed November 2008 by John C. Keel, MD
Please be aware that this information is provided to supplement the care provided by your physician. It is neither intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. CALL YOUR HEALTHCARE PROVIDER IMMEDIATELY IF YOU THINK YOU MAY HAVE A MEDICAL EMERGENCY. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider prior to starting any new treatment or with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.
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