Second or third degree medial collateral ligament (MCL) injury

Alternative names:

injury - knee - second or third degree MCL; injury - MCL - second or third degree; injury - medial collateral ligament - second or third degree; knee injury - medial collateral ligament - second or third degree; medial collateral ligament injury - second or third degree

Definition:

An injury to the knee described as a partial or complete tear, dislocation, or stretch of the medial collateral ligament (MCL) from the bone attachment or anywhere else along the length of the ligament. A second degree injury is a partial tear with no firm endpoint on stress, and a third degree injury is a complete tear of the ligament. See also 1st degree medial collateral ligament (MCL) injury.

Causes, incidence, and risk factors:

The medial collateral ligament (MCL) is a ligament extending from the upper-inside surface of the tibia to the bottom-inside surface of the femur. The ligament prevents the knee joint from medial instability, that is, instability in the inside of the joint.

The MCL is usually injured by pressure placed on the knee-joint from the outside (lateral pressure) resulting in stress on the inside of the joint (valgus stress).