Knee ligament tears and fractures around the Knee joint can occur during certain sport activities or following Road accidents or falls at home. 

The most common ligament rupture in the knee is a tear of the ACL or the MCL. However, ligament tears frequently occur in conjunction with other injuries within the knee, such as meniscal cartilage tears, articular cartilage damage or ruptures of other ligaments in or around the knee such as the PCL or PLC. MRI scans give useful information regarding the various structures in the knee, in particular the articular cartilage and ligaments and menisci.

Some patients are able to regain good functionality and a stable knee without any reconstructive surgery, simply by strengthening up the muscles of the knee, others might need surgery. 

Non-surgical strengthening can be achieved through an intensive rehabilitation program under the supervision of an appropriately trained physiotherapist. However, with conservative treatment, although a good proportion of patients are able to cope, many end up unable to return to their same pre-injury exercise and sporting levels.

Those patients who are suffering from symptoms of recurrent giving way of the knee should seriously consider undergoing surgical stabilisation of the knee. Each time the knee gives way further damage is potentially being caused inside the knee to the articular cartilage and to the meniscal cartilages, with the risk of worsening long-term outcomes and the need for premature Total knee replacement in their forties.