When you sprain your knee, it is important to know what kind it is to determine the best course of treatment.
There are four types of sprain you can suffer in the knee joint:
- medial collateral ligament (MCL) sprain
- lateral collateral ligament (LCL) sprain
- anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) sprain
- posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) sprain
Can you walk on a Sprained Knee?
Depending on the type and severity of your knee sprain, you may be able to walk on it. However, this will likely cause additional pain and swelling. If you have a mild MCL or LCL sprain, you may be able to walk on it with little pain. If you have a severe sprain, avoid putting weight on your knee.
Today I will explain which knee sprains are okay to walk on, and which you must rest. Some types require the use of a knee brace or even surgery.
If you have just sprained your knee, please read our article about what Doctor to see for knee pain, so you can receive help quickly.
Types of Knee Ligament Sprains
MCL Sprain
The MCL is the most commonly injured knee ligament. It is located on the inner side of your knee and bridges the medial femur to the medial tibia (shin bone). An MCL sprain usually happens when your knee is hit from the outside while your foot is planted on the ground.
Almost 8% of all knee injuries feature a tear in the medial collateral ligament. [1]
The MCL is the most vulnerable knee ligament during sports, where knee injuries happen a lot! Being on the inner side of the knee, you can see why it gets sprained or torn when a player is hit from the outside of the knee (valgus stress).
It’s common with sports like soccer and football.
LCL Sprain
The LCL is found on the outer side of your knee and connects the lateral femur to the fibular head (top of your shin bone). It stabilizes the knee when it’s stressed from the inner side.
Unlike an MCL sprain, an LCL sprain is less common because this area is better protected by muscles and tendons, like the ITB.
When this ligament does get sprained or torn, it’s usually due to a direct blow or falls onto the outer side of the knee.
An ACL Sprain
The ACL is located in the middle of your knee joint and prevents the tibia from sliding out in front of the femur. An ACL sprain can occur from a direct blow to the knee or from a sudden change in direction while your foot is planted. This type of injury is common among athletes, especially those who play soccer, football, and basketball.
How many ligaments are sprained in a “blown knee”?
About half of all ACL sprains also damage other structures in the knee, such as the meniscus and MCL. When this triple injury happens, it’s called “the unhappy triad”. This is a knee blow-out where three things are sprained at once: The medial meniscus, anterior cruciate ligament, and medial collateral ligament. Football and rugby are common ways to suffer an unhappy triad. [2]
Related Post
- Quadriceps Tendon Insertion
- Lateral and Medial Ligaments
- [read the full list]
PCL Sprain
The PCL is located in the back of your knee and prevents the tibia from sliding too far backward on the femur. A PCL sprain can occur from a direct hit to the knee, falling on your knees, or knee hyperextension.
What do Knee Sprains feel like?
Symptoms of an MCL sprain include:
- pain on the inside of your knee
- swelling on the inside of your knee within 24 hours
- bruising on the inside of your knee within 2-3 days
- knee instability or “giving way”
- knee stiffness and decreased range of motion
Symptoms of an LCL sprain include:
- pain on the outside of your knee
- swelling on the outside of your knee within 24 hours
- bruising on the outside of your knee within 2-3 days
- knee instability or “giving way”
- knee stiffness and decreased range of motion
Symptoms of an ACL sprain include:
- severe pain in your knee, often at the time of injury
- a “pop” or snapping sound when the ACL is torn
- swelling in your knee within 24 hours of injury
- bruising in your knee within 2-3 days of injury
- knee instability or “giving way”
- decreased range of motion in your knee
- a feeling of the knee “locking” in place and an inability to straighten your leg
If you have popping or clicking knees, we can help you understand your niggle.
Symptoms of a PCL sprain include:
- pain in the back of your knee
- swelling in the back of your knee within 24 hours
- bruising in the back of your knee within 2-3 days
- knee instability or “giving way”
- decreased range of motion in your knee
So, should I be walking on my Sprained Knee?
If you have an ACL sprain, it is important to not put any weight on your knee as this can further damage the ligament. How can you tell if your ACL is sprained or torn? check your ACL symptoms here.
You can walk on a Grade 1 PCL sprain because the injury to the ligament is minor. You may not even realize there is a problem. Grade 2 and 3 you should not walk on, until consultation with your physical therapist.
With a mild collateral ligament sprain, you will not likely cause yourself more harm. However, do not walk on a severe MCL/LCL sprain because there may be blood and swelling at the injury site [3] and you may require a knee brace after resting your leg.
Treatment for Knee Sprains
Treatment for each type of sprain may vary, but typically includes some combination of rest, ice, compression, and elevation (RICE) protocol before you can consider walking on your sprained knee.
When in doubt, use RICE immediately! Why? because the sprain may swell with fluid and sometimes blood. This inflammatory cascade can cause more damage to the sprained area. It is best practice to try to limit this initial swelling.
What is the RICE protocol?
Rest: Avoid activities that put stress on your injured ligament. This means no running, jumping, or sports!
Ice: Apply ice to your knee for 15-20 minutes every few hours to reduce pain and swelling.
Compression: Use an elastic compression bandage to help reduce swelling.
Elevation: Prop your leg up on a pillow when you’re sitting or lying down to help swelling clear from the injured ligament and knee joint.
Severe Knee Sprains
If you have a severe knee sprain, you will need:
- MRI to further evaluate the ligament damage. This is the gold standard for severe knee sprains of all types.
- Immobilization in a knee brace and/or crutches
- Surgery to repair the torn ligament if the MRI shows a complete tear.
- Physical therapist consultation for range-of-motion and strength work.
Knee sprain recovery time
Knee sprain recovery time varies depending on the type and severity of your injury. For most people with a mild collateral ligament sprain, you’ll be back on your feet in a few weeks. It will take 4-8 weeks to recover from a moderate MCL or LCL sprain.
For a more severe LCL/MCL sprain, recovery will take 12 weeks.
- If you have an ACL sprain, it may take 3-6 months to recover.
- If you have a PCL sprain, it may take 6-12 weeks to recover.
How to heal a knee sprain quickly
- RICE protocol
- massage to the surrounding soft tissues of the knee sprain
- strengthening exercises to the hip, quadriceps, and hamstring muscle groups
Follow a treatment plan prescribed by your doctor or physical therapist to heal a knee sprain quickly. This will help you regain range of motion and strength in a de-conditioned knee [4]. It is important to get adequate sleep and nutrition while healing from a knee sprain to promote tissue repair and prevent further injury.
Have you sprained your knee? Tell us below if this was helpful, and if you could walk on your knee sprain or not.
Author Bio
Dr. Jason Whealing is a Chiropractor with extensive experience across the UK and Australia. He is passionate about family care and injury management. The cases Jason works with daily include back pain, neck pain, jaw pain, sciatica, knee pain, shoulder pain, headaches and migraine.
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Sources:
- Majewski M., Susanne H., Klaus S. Epidemiology of athletic knee injuries: a 10-year study. Knee. 2006
- https://3d4medical.com/blog/the-unhappy-triad
- Andrews, Kyle et al. “Review: Medial collateral ligament injuries.” Journal of orthopaedics vol. 14,4 550-554. 15 Aug. 2017
- Shelbourne, K Donald et al. “Deconditioned Knee: The Effectiveness of a Rehabilitation Program that Restores Normal Knee Motion to Improve Symptoms and Function.” North American journal of sports physical therapy : NAJSPT vol. 2,2 (2007): 81-9.