Lateral Collateral Ligament (LCL) Injury Intermediate Exercise Programme
Aim to perform this programme a minimum of once per day unless prescribed otherwise. As with any new exercise, start slowly (repetitions as able) and build up as you are able within the guidelines below.
Pain should not exceed 4/10 whilst completing this exercise programme.
1. Bodyweight squat
- Stand with your feet hip width apart and your arms across your chest.
- Sit back as if you are sitting into a chair.
- At the same time your head should move forwards to keep your balance.
- As you do this aim to keep your back straight.
- Go down as far as you feel comfortable or until your thighs are parallel with the floor.
- Come back up to standing and repeat.
2. Bridge in lying
- Lie on your back on the floor or bed with your knees bent at 90 degrees and your feet on the floor and your arms down by your side.
- Push your heels down into the floor to gently lift your hips upwards. Lift as high as you feel comfortable but no higher than a straight line between hips, knees and shoulders.
- If you feel discomfort, then try squeezing your tummy and bum muscles before starting the lift.
- Hold at the top for 5 seconds.
- Push up as far as you feel comfortable, and pain and stiffness allow.
3. Single leg balance - knee bent
- Perform this exercise barefoot or in socks, in a clear space near a wall/stable object and on a flat, non-slip surface.
- Shift your weight on to the affected leg then lift the supporting leg slightly off the floor – maintain a slight bend in the standing knee.
- Look down at the knee and focus on balancing whilst keeping the knee in line with the hip and ankle – use the object/wall to prevent yourself falling.
- Aim to hold your balance for up to 1 minute or until reaches 4/10 on your pain scale.
- To progress, try looking straight ahead rather than down at the knee. To advance further, this can be performed with the eyes closed.
We recommend consulting a musculoskeletal physiotherapist to ensure exercises are best suited to your recovery. If you are carrying out an exercise regime without consulting a healthcare professional, you do so at your own risk. If you have any concerns whilst completing these exercises, please contact a healthcare professional.
More Plans
This programme focuses on maintaining a range of movement within the knee, appropriate activation of quadriceps muscle and maintenance of lower limb strength and stability. We suggested you carry this out once a day over for approximately 2-3 weeks as pain allows.
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This programme is a further progression with challenging plyometric exercises of the affected knee, strengthening of whole kinetic chain and aerobic conditioning.
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