Ligament injuries refer to sprains and partial or complete tears of ligaments. Ligaments are bands of connective tissues that join two bones, often over a joint. People who are active participants in sports are more likely to experience ligament injuries in their lives, but otherwise normally active people have the potential to experience these injuries as well. For example, global anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury incidence ranges from 68.6 to 81.7 per 100,000 person‑years (Ponkilainen et al., 2022), while the burden is even more pronounced in sport‑related ACL injuries which account for up to 65% of all ACL tears (Martinez‑Calderon et al., 2025). These data suggest that ligament injuries are one of the most frequent musculoskeletal challenges faced by active individuals.
Ligament injuries are commonly felt as sharp pain which may be accompanied by swelling and tenderness that takes time to subside. The pattern of pain and its resolution depends on the nature of the injury to the ligament, as well as the joint over which the ligament is passing. Pain is often the first and most reliable indicator of ligament compromise, and its progression provides valuable insight into injury severity. Because ligaments serve as the scaffolding and rigging of joint stability, even minor disruptions can alter movement patterns and load distribution.
Ligament Injuries are organised by grade of severity. Grade one Ligament Injuries are the least severe, and refer to strains or minor tears of the ligament. Such injuries will be accompanied by a sharp pain which may resolve into a dull, persistent ache that may resolve quickly or slowly, depending on the nature of the injury. Grade one Ligament Injuries generally resolve themselves, though monitoring is needed to ensure they do not worsen.
Grade two Ligament Injuries refer to partial tears of the ligament. In this case, the bundles of connective tissue that compose the ligament become separated, and this is accompanied by pain, swelling, tenderness, and aggravation of pain when the joint becomes unstable, where partial ligament ruptures can reduce joint stability by up to 50% (Sayampanathan et al., 2017). Typically, these Ligament Injuries are managed conservatively through pain and symptom relief followed by a strengthening and balance program, combined with monitoring to minimise the likelihood of complications.
Grade three Ligament Injuries refer to almost total or total separation of the ligament fibers. This is the most severe injury that a ligament may experience, and as a consequence they need to be managed appropriately. Depending on lifestyle demands, occupational requirements, and desired return‑to‑activity timelines, surgical reconstruction may be recommended. The need for surgery is well‑documented: complete ACL ruptures require surgical reconstruction in approximately 70–90% of active individuals (Singh, 2018). Following surgery, rehabilitation is essential both in the clinic and at home, with structured programs shown to reduce reinjury risk by up to 51% (Maniar at al., 2022). Surgical repair is only the beginning of recovery; rehabilitation is what restores performance.
Management of Ligament Injuries depends on the cause of the pain, how it feels and changes over the day, what makes it better or worse, and the length of time you have been experiencing the pain. Your first assessment will explore all of these aspects, laying the groundwork for reducing pain and improving comfort. From there, your treatment plan will be personalised to target the root cause, with a focus on easing pain, restoring free movement, and building strategies to reduce the chance of future flare-ups.
At Atlas Physio, we guide you with practical education, structured care, and ongoing support both in the clinic and at home. To make treatment accessible, we’re open seven days a week with evening appointments available, we offer bulk billing for eligible clients, and there are no gap fees for WorkCover or TAC clients. Get in touch today to take the first step toward moving with ease and confidence, supported by care that is consistent, straightforward, and designed to deliver lasting results.
REFERENCES
Maniar, N., Verhagen, E., Bryant, A. L., & Opar, D. A. (2022). Trends in Australian knee injury rates: An epidemiological analysis of 228,344 knee injuries over 20 years. The Lancet Regional Health–Western Pacific, 21.
Martinez-Calderon, J., Infante-Cano, M., Matias-Soto, J., Perez-Cabezas, V., Galan-Mercant, A., & Garcia-Muñoz, C. (2025). The Incidence of Sport-Related Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injuries: An Overview of Systematic Reviews Including 51 Meta-Analyses. Journal of functional morphology and kinesiology, 10(2), 174.
Ponkilainen, V., Kuitunen, I., Liukkonen, R., Vaajala, M., Reito, A., & Uimonen, M. (2022). The incidence of musculoskeletal injuries: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Bone & joint research, 11(11), 814–825.
Sayampanathan, A. A., Howe, B. K., Bin Abd Razak, H. R., Chi, C. H., & Tan, A. H. (2017). Epidemiology of surgically managed anterior cruciate ligament ruptures in a sports surgery practice. Journal of orthopaedic surgery (Hong Kong), 25(1).
Singh, N. (2018). International epidemiology of anterior cruciate ligament injuries. Orthop Res Online J, 1(5), 3-5.