Collateral Ligament Injuries of the Knee

The posterolateral and posteromedial corners of the knee have important roles in normal knee function and kinematics. Injuries to the medial and lateral sides of the knee should be considered in patients presenting with suggestive symptoms. Proper examination maneuvers coupled with diagnostic imaging has led to more of these injuries being correctly diagnosed. Treatment strategies for these injuries are most often guided by the severity or grade of injury, with lower grade injuries more likely to be successfully treated by non-operative methods, and surgical repair or reconstruction reserved for higher grade injuries. Recent surgical trends have focused on anatomic restoration of the various structures on both sides of the knee, but there is still no general consensus regarding optimal surgical techniques. In the future, randomized controlled trials will be helpful in addressing current controversies related to the treatment of injuries to the lateral collateral ligament/posterolateral corner and medial collateral ligament/posteromedial corner.