Knee Ligament Injury: Knee Pain When Going Up or Down Stairs? Does Your Knee Often Give Out While Walking? Learn the 3 Major Causes of Ligament Injuries

Knee pain can first be evaluated by a Pain Clinic: physicians use high-resolution ultrasound and X-rays to locate the source, and then arrange physical therapy, injections, prolotherapy, or catheter-based C-TAME according to the condition. Shyi Medical Clinic is located in Da'an District, Taipei, where both evaluation and treatment are completed.

Knee pain when going up and down stairs, and frequent loss of strength or buckling when walking can be signs of knee ligament injuries. If ligament injuries are not treated in time, there is a chance of leaving long-term joint instability, which should not be ignored. Below is an explanation of the structure of knee ligaments, the three injury grades, how to self-test, and the directions for treatment and prevention.

What are Knee Ligaments? Why Do Injuries Cause Buckling?

The knee joint is stabilized by four main ligaments, which are crucial for absorbing shock and preventing joint dislocation. They are often injured due to violent impacts:

• Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL), Posterior Cruciate Ligament (PCL): Resist forces in the front and back directions and are the main ligaments determining knee joint stability.

• Medial Collateral Ligament (MCL), Lateral Collateral Ligament (LCL): Provide stability for lateral joint movement.

When the cruciate ligaments are damaged, the knee loses stability like a loose door hinge, leading to feelings of instability and weakness when going up and down stairs or walking, commonly known as "buckling."

3 Major Causes and Three Grades of Knee Ligament Injuries

Based on the severity of the injury, knee ligament injuries can be divided into three grades:

• Grade I: Mild ligament sprain with intact fibers and stable joint, mainly presenting as pain and swelling.

• Grade II: Partial ligament tear, with joint looseness starting to appear.

• Grade III: Complete ligament rupture, with obvious joint instability.

There are three common causes of injury: first, tears or ruptures caused by jumping, sudden stops, and twisting during sports (such as basketball, soccer, skiing); second, violent impacts, such as head-on impacts in car accidents, which often cause PCL injuries; third, decreased muscle strength and degeneration with age, making ligaments more susceptible to injury during daily movements (chasing buses, walking down stairs, squatting to lift heavy objects).

How to Self-Test for Knee Ligament Injuries?

In addition to daily signs like "pain going up and down stairs and buckling while walking," you can also look out for: whether a "pop" sound was heard when the injury occurred, whether the knee swelled rapidly, whether you can stand stably on one foot, and whether there is a feeling of joint looseness or displacement. Doctors will also compare the two legs through a physical examination — for example, pulling the tibia forward. The healthy side is less likely to be pulled open, and if the injured side moves a significantly greater distance, it is a clue to ligament laxity. These methods are only for preliminary judgment, and the exact degree of damage still needs to be confirmed by a physician through a physical examination combined with ultrasound or MRI.

Which Clinic Should I Choose for a Knee Ligament Injury? How Is It Treated?

Knee ligament problems can first be evaluated by a Pain Clinic or Orthopedics, and the treatment direction is determined by the grade of injury:

• Conservative Treatment: For acute swelling and inflammation, controlled with medication and physical therapy, accompanied by brace protection.

• Physical Therapy and Strength Training: Strengthening the strength and elasticity of the quadriceps and hamstring muscles to help stabilize loose ligaments is a foundation required for all grades of injury.

• Regenerative Medicine: Injections of PRP, amniotic fluid extract, etc., assisted by ultrasound guidance for tissue repair, without surgery, and with short single treatment times.

• C-TAME (Catheter-Based Transcatheter Microembolization): For chronic pain associated with long-term inflammation around the ligaments or joints, accompanied by abnormal microvascular proliferation, a physician can evaluate whether it is suitable to use catheter-based microvascular embolization to reduce source inflammation and pain.

• Surgical Suture: For complete ligament ruptures, or in young populations and athletes, the physician may recommend surgical reconstruction, although final decisions are subject to the physician's evaluation.

How to Prevent Knee Ligament Injuries?

• Warm up fully before exercise, and strengthen movement control during landing and direction changes.

• Regularly train the quadriceps and handstrings to share the ligament load with muscle strength and slow down loosening.

• For those with old injuries, have a physician confirm stability before returning to exercise, and wear protective gear if necessary.

Your Next Steps

Shyi Medical Clinic adopts a step-by-step treatment for knee pain: starting from evaluation by physicians with high-resolution ultrasound and X-rays, then choosing suitable methods step-by-step according to the medical condition, from physical therapy and drugs, ultrasound-guided injections, prolotherapy (PRP, amniotic fluid extract, BMAC) to catheter-based C-TAME. All stages are completed in-house by the same medical team — if the effect of prolotherapy is limited, there is no need for re-referral, and Dr. Pingshing Lu, director of the clinic, can directly evaluate whether C-TAME is suitable. This is also the biggest difference between Shyi Medical Clinic and clinics with a single treatment model: there is no disconnect in your treatment.

If you experience recurrent knee pain or buckling when going up and down stairs or walking, feel free to make an appointment via LINE, bring your past imaging and treatment records, and discuss suitable options after the doctor evaluates your ligament and joint conditions.