Multi-Ligament Knee Injuries

What are multi-ligament knee injuries?

When more than one of the knee’s ligaments is injured at the same time, we call this a multi-ligament knee injury. These injuries can happen during sports, falls, accidents or any event that forces the knee to move in a way it wasn’t designed to move.

At Novant Health, we know how upsetting a sudden knee injury can be. That’s why our expert team is here to help you understand what’s going on with your knee and how we can help you get back to the activities you love.

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Illustration of a human knee joint with labeled parts including quadriceps, femur, patella, and ligaments.

A look at knee anatomy

Think of your knee as a strong, flexible hinge that connects your thigh bone (femur), shinbone (tibia) and kneecap (patella).

Holding everything together are important bands of tissue called ligaments, which help keep the knee stable.

Your knee has four major ligaments:

ACL (Anterior Cruciate Ligament) – keeps the shin bone from sliding forward
PCL (Posterior Cruciate Ligament) – keeps the shin bone from sliding backward
MCL (Medial Collateral Ligament) – supports the inner side of the knee
LCL (Lateral Collateral Ligament) – supports the outer side of the knee

When two or more of these ligaments are injured, the knee can feel loose, unstable, or unable to bear weight.

Overview

Symptoms

You might have a multi-ligament injury if you notice:

A loud pop at the moment of injury
Sudden swelling
A feeling that the knee is “giving out”
Sharp or severe pain
Pain when trying to put weight on the leg

These symptoms can vary depending on how many ligaments are involved and how badly they’re injured.

How serious are these injuries?

Diagnosis

Your orthopedic specialists use several tools to fully understand what’s happening inside your knee, including:

A hands-on physical exam
X-rays, to rule out fractures
An MRI, to see the ligaments and soft tissues

We’ll walk you through every step, so you never feel rushed or confused.

Why getting treatment matters

If left untreated, multi-ligament injuries can lead to long-term instability, chronic pain and even damage to blood vessels or nerves in the most severe cases. Early evaluation and treatment give you the best chance for a full recovery.

Treatment may include nonsurgical approaches such as bracing, icing, and physical therapy. In other cases, the damage may require surgery.