LCL Tear Diagnosis

If you suspect you may have an LCL Tear, visit your doctor to have your knee examined. Your doctor will want to know what symptoms you're experiencing, how the injury occurred and how long you've been injured. Your doctor will take a look at your knee to see if you have any swelling on the outside of your knee. They might examine your knee in several positions and feel around the outside of your knee to see if it is tender. Your doctor will discuss your medical history with you to rule out any other issues, such as arthritis or gout.

In order to confirm a diagnosis, your doctor may send you to get an x-ray, MRI or ultrasound imaging test. You may need to wait until your inflammation goes down before having an imaging test done, so the tissue damage can be seen properly. An x-ray may be ordered if your doctor suspects an issue like arthritis, as soft tissue like the LCL won't show up on an x-ray. The LCL will show up on an MRI or ultrasound, however. These tests will allow your doctor to confirm the LCL Tear and get a gauge of how severe the injury is.