Knee ligament injuries are all too common, whether you’re an athlete or just going about your daily routine. These injuries can bring pain, limit your movement, and if left untreated, lead to long-term complications. But there’s good news—early and accurate diagnosis, often starting with a clinical exam and sometimes imaging like MRI, is the first step toward recovery.
While severe cases may require surgery, many knee ligament injuries can be treated conservatively through manual therapy and rehabilitation exercises. Research has shown that these approaches not only help you heal but also significantly lower the risk of re-injury.
Our Success Rate is Over 90%
Our approach to treating ligament injuries of the knee consistently delivers a 90% success rate in reducing pain and restoring function.
Article Index:
Anatomy of the Knee
The knee is stabilized by four primary ligaments that work together to ensure smooth movement and prevent injury. Here’s how each ligament functions and how injuries commonly occur:
Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL)
Injury Cause: Abrupt rotational movements, common in sports like soccer or basketball.
Origin: Anterior intercondylar area of the tibia.
Insertion: Lateral femoral condyle.
Function: Prevents the tibia from sliding forward on the femur and protects against knee hyperextension, aided by posterior knee muscles.
Posterior Cruciate Ligament (PCL)
Injury Cause: Direct impacts, such as during a fall or motor vehicle accident.
Origin: Posterior intercondylar area of the tibia.
Insertion: Medial femoral condyle.
Function: Restrains the tibia from moving backward on the femur, providing posterior knee stability.
Medial Collateral Ligament (MCL)
Injury Cause: Lateral knee trauma, often seen in high-contact sports like football or rugby.
Origin: Medial femoral condyle.
Insertion: Upper medial shaft of the tibia.
Function: Stabilizes the inner (medial) side of the knee joint, preventing it from collapsing inward.
Lateral Collateral Ligament (LCL)
Injury Cause: Impacts to the inner knee, leading to lateral instability.
Origin: Lateral femoral condyle.
Insertion: Head of the fibula.
Function: Stabilizes the outer (lateral) side of the knee, protecting against outward buckling.
These ligaments function both independently and together to maintain knee stability without relying on active muscle involvement. For example, when the knee is fully extended, all ligaments tighten. When slightly flexed, muscles play a more active role in stabilizing the joint.
The body maintains a delicate balance between passive ligament stability and active muscular control. Disruptions in this balance—whether due to ligament damage or muscular imbalances—can lead to increased stress on the knee, potentially causing friction syndromes, inflammation, and further injury.
Ligament Injuries Examinations
A thorough knee examination is crucial for accurately diagnosing ligament injuries and other common causes of knee pain. This section will discuss various orthopedic examination techniques and their key components, as demonstrated in the accompanying video.
Knee Examination - Effective Orthopaedic Testing
In this video, you'll discover a clear, step-by-step approach to diagnosing knee pain using proven orthopaedic techniques. We start with observing the knee's appearance and move to palpation, identifying areas of tenderness and swelling. You'll also learn how to assess the knee’s range of motion, key ligaments, and joint stability, including tests for common injuries like ACL, PCL, MCL, and LCL damage, as well as meniscal tears.
Classification of Ligament Injuries
The management strategy for ligament injuries hinges on the severity of the injury and the patient's expected post-injury activities[15]. Ligament injuries are categorized into three principal grades:
Grade 1 injury comprises microscopic tears, which generally exhibit favourable responses to soft-tissue treatments and rehabilitative interventions[16].
Grade 2 injury involves partial tears and typically does not mandate surgical intervention when adequately managed via soft-tissue treatments[17].
Grade 3 injury consists of complete tears or ligament ruptures, necessitating surgical intervention for repair[18].
Conservative Management of Ligament Injuries
Conservative management offers a variety of non-surgical therapies aimed at treating ligament injuries with care and precision. Techniques such as Motion Specific Release (MSR), massage therapy, the Graston Technique, fascial manipulation, physiotherapy, and chiropractic care work together to relieve pain, restore movement, and encourage tissue healing. By focusing on soft tissues and improving mobility, these treatments help your body recover and function optimally.
Acute Stage of Ligamentous Injury Management
In the immediate aftermath of a ligamentous injury, appropriate management of the acute stage is essential to prevent further damage and facilitate optimal healing. The following measures should be implemented:
Rest: Minimize stress on the affected knee by refraining from weight-bearing activities or using assistive devices such as crutches if necessary[20]. This helps protect the injured ligament from additional strain and promotes healing.
Ice: Employ cold therapy by applying ice to the injured knee for 20-30 minutes at intervals of 2-3 hours[21]. This intervention aids in vasoconstriction, reducing swelling and inflammation while relieving pain.
Elevation: Position the injured knee above heart level using a rolled-up blanket or pillow to facilitate the venous return and minimize inflammation[22]. Elevating the limb can also help alleviate pain and discomfort associated with the injury.
Compression: Utilize an elastic bandage or a compression sleeve to apply gentle pressure around the knee joint[23]. This intervention aids in reducing swelling and provides additional support to the injured structures, contributing to a more favourable healing environment.
Adhering to these guidelines during the acute stage of injury helps establish a conducive environment for tissue repair and recovery, reducing the risk of complications and optimizing the healing process.
Manual Therapy
Pairing manual therapy with exercise can be a highly effective way to treat ligament injuries in the knee. By releasing restrictions in the ligaments, muscles, and surrounding soft tissues, manual therapy improves circulation and lymphatic flow, speeding up the healing process. It also helps prevent further complications by enhancing the overall quality of the soft tissues around the knee.
Think of healthy muscles like elastic cords—able to store and release energy efficiently. But with injury, repetitive motions, or imbalances, adhesions form, making these “cords” less effective. Manual therapy helps restore this elasticity, allowing your knee to function as it should.
In the upcoming videos, we’ll walk you through key Motion Specific Release techniques to show how these methods can promote recovery and restore optimal knee function.
Knee Release Protocol - Motion Specific Release
In the accompanying video, Dr. Abelson demonstrates an effective knee release protocol using Motion Specific Release (MSR) procedures. These procedures address the localized area of pain and the broader kinetic chain, contributing to a more comprehensive treatment approach. It is essential to recognize that each instance of knee pain should be assessed and managed as a unique dysfunction tailored to the individual patient. In some cases, the treatment may focus on local structures, while in other instances, it may involve addressing a more extensive kinetic chain to achieve optimal results.
Increasing Knee Joint Mobility - 4 Point MSR Knee protocol
Effective Motion Specific Release knee mobility procedures are demonstrated in this video, which effectively addresses the body's entire kinetic chain. The femur, tibia, and patella, as well as a large number of muscles and ligaments, make up the complicated structure of the knee joint.
Exercise: The Key to Knee Injury Recovery and Prevention
When it comes to ligament injuries in the knee, targeted rehabilitation exercises are essential for regaining strength, flexibility, and stability. A well-rounded exercise program not only supports recovery but also helps prevent future injuries.
Here’s what a comprehensive program should include:
Mobility: Gentle Range of Motion (ROM) exercises improve flexibility and reduce stiffness, helping your knee move more freely and efficiently.
Strengthening: Strengthening the quadriceps and hamstrings is critical. These muscles play a key role in stabilizing the knee and protecting ligaments from further damage.
Balance: Balance and proprioception exercises enhance your knee's stability, keeping it strong during everyday movements and athletic activities.
Sport-Specific Exercises: Once your knee is stronger, adding sport-specific drills and plyometrics ensures a smooth and safe return to your favorite activities while lowering the risk of re-injury.
These exercises form the backbone of an effective recovery plan, helping you regain optimal knee function and get back to the activities you love with confidence.
Best ACL Exercises - Non-Surgical Rehab
In the following video, Miki Burton, RMT and exercise instructor, in collaboration with Dr. Brian Abelson, developer of Motion Specific Release, demonstrate effective exercise and treatment procedures for rehabilitating ACL injuries. Partially torn ACLs (anterior cruciate ligaments) often have a favourable prognosis, with the recovery and rehabilitation period typically lasting approximately three months. (36)
Why Choose Our Approach for Knee Ligament Injury Treatment
Our comprehensive approach to treating ligament injuries of the knee consistently delivers a 90% success rate in reducing pain and restoring function. Here's why our method is so effective:
Proven Expertise: Developed by Dr. Brian Abelson, our Motion-Specific Release (MSR) methodology is backed by over 30 years of clinical experience and the successful treatment of more than 25,000 patients. You’re in capable hands.
In-Depth Assessments: We conduct thorough evaluations to pinpoint all contributing factors, including the involvement of surrounding muscles, ligaments, and soft tissue structures that may be restricting movement or causing pain.
Advanced MSR Techniques: Our MSR procedures are designed to release fascial restrictions, reduce tension in the ligaments, and improve overall biomechanics, providing targeted and effective relief.
Personalized Rehabilitation Programs: We create custom exercise programs tailored to strengthen the knee, restore balance, and enhance flexibility, supporting a full and sustainable recovery.
Evidence-Based Solutions: Our approach combines manual therapy with functional exercises, ensuring a logical and scientifically sound pathway to long-term knee health.
Choose our patient-focused, results-driven method for effective, lasting recovery from knee ligament injuries. Take your first step toward healing with confidence.
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DR. BRIAN ABELSON, DC. - The Author
With over 30 years of clinical practice and experience in treating over 25,000 patients with a success rate of over 90%, Dr. Abelson created the powerful and effective Motion Specific Release (MSR) Treatment Systems.
As an internationally best-selling author, he aims to educate and share techniques to benefit the broader healthcare community.
A perpetual student himself, Dr. Abelson continually integrates leading-edge techniques into the MSR programs, with a strong emphasis on multidisciplinary care. His work constantly emphasizes patient-centred care and advancing treatment methods. His practice, Kinetic Health, is located in Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
Join Us at Motion Specific Release
Enroll in our courses to master innovative soft-tissue and osseous techniques that seamlessly fit into your current clinical practice, providing your patients with substantial relief from pain and a renewed sense of functionality. Our curriculum masterfully integrates rigorous medical science with creative therapeutic paradigms, comprehensively understanding musculoskeletal diagnosis and treatment protocols.
Join MSR Pro and start tapping into the power of Motion Specific Release. Have access to:
Protocols: Over 250 clinical procedures with detailed video productions.
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Article Library: Our Article Index Library with over 45+ of the most common MSK conditions we all see in clinical practice. This is a great opportunity to educate your patients on our processes. Each article covers basic condition information, diagnostic procedures, treatment methodologies, timelines, and exercise recommendations. All of this is in an easy-to-prescribe PDF format you can directly send to your patients.
Discounts: MSR Pro yearly memberships entitle you to a significant discount on our online and live courses.
Integrating MSR into your practice can significantly enhance your clinical practice. The benefits we mentioned are only a few reasons for joining our MSR team.
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