LCL Sprain?

[corduroy]

Hello - The night and days after I play beach volleyball I have significant pain on the outer portion of my knees/legs. More so on the right leg, but both are sore. It especially hurts to walk down stairs or slopes. Usually after 5-7 days the pain goes away.

Here is a picture of the area that hurts and is sensitive when when I rub it. This is the outside of my right leg. The pain is kinda half way between my shin and calf.

http://img165.imageshack.us/img165/424/kneeuv2.jpg

I went to my family medicine doctor and had to look up the area that I was complaining about. He came back and said it was a LCL sprain. The treatment is to ice 4 times/day, take ibuprofen, and rest.

After reading up on LCL's on the internet, I am doubting his diagnosis. This area seems a bit low to be a LCL.

What do you think?

[Heidi]

Hi,

I agree with you, it is a bit low for LCL. My first thought is peroneal pain. The peroneals are two muscles on the outside of the lower leg, which attach to the head of the fibula (smaller shin bone) on the outside of the lower part of the knee. They are used when we evert and plantarflex our ankles (that is, turn the sole of the foot out and point the toes)

Here is the muscle I am talking about:

http://www.sportsinjuryclinic.net/cybertherapist/muscles/peroneus_longus.php

The other alternative to think about is ITB syndrome. This is caused by inflammation of the lower part of the IT band, where it attaches to the Tibia and crosses the knee joint. It does again look a little low to be this, but when you say it hurts when you walk down slopes and stairs - this is a common symptom. Have a look at this page and see what you think:

http://www.sportsinjuryclinic.net/cybertherapist/front/knee/irunnersknee.html