In some sports, such as skiing, football, or rugby the level of trauma to the knee can result in significant soft tissue injury to the knee. The ligaments that stabilise the knee are the medial collateral ligament (MCL), lateral collateral ligament (LCL), anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), posterior cruciate ligament (PCL),and a complex called the postero-lateral corner (PLC).

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Although the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) is the most common ligamentous injury, there can sometimes be multiple ligaments injured. The injuries are related to the level of trauma and the direction any force is applied to the knee. A common combination is an ACL and medial collateral ligament (MCL) injury. But many other combinations of injury are possible.

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Careful clinical assessment of the knee is required to assess stability and the likely structures injured. An MRI scan is used to fully assess the injuries. A plan regarding what structures need surgery and which may just require bracing is needed. The surgical reconstruction of the ligaments injured needs to be planned. Sometimes this can be done in one stage, but sometimes staged operations are required. The sooner after your injury you get an assessment and appropriate scan, the better.