Lateral knee injuries are common in football with landing from a jump or header, or during tackles when the tibia is forced into external rotation. This mechanism of injury often affects the Lateral/Fibular collateral ligament (LCL), however LCL injury is not always obvious from the patient’s history, and can be misdiagnosed.

In this podcast with Liverpool FC Physiotherapist Matt Konopinski, we discuss LCL and lateral knee injuries, and how you can identify and treat these. LCL injuries can often respond extremely well to an accelerated rehabilitation approach, and in this podcast you will discover:

• Sources of lateral knee pain   - Lateral meniscus   - Osteochondral defects   - Lateral/Fibular collateral ligament   - ACL   - Postero lateral corner

• Mechanism of injury

• What your patients will report with LCL injury

• Questions you need to ask your patients with lateral knee pain

• Red flags

• Objective assessment

• Assessment tests you can use with lateral knee pain

• When imaging is useful and when it should be avoided

• Risk factors for injury

• Management of LCL injury

• When to commence strengthening

• How to maintain strength and cardiovascular fitness during rehabilitation

• How to explain the injury and rehabilitation to your patients

You can download the free podcast handout that will take you through lateral knee and LCL injury assessment and rehabilitation by clicking here

Links mentioned in this episode

Matt Konopinski

Free sports injury assessment and treatment videos

Free podcast handout on LCL and lateral knee injuries

Matt Konopinski on Twitter @Matt_Kono

LFC Liverpool football club

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