Anterolateral ligament of the knee
Last revised by Magdalena Chmiel-Nowak
on 14 Jun 2020
Citation, DOI, disclosures and article data
Citation:
Morgan M, Chmiel-Nowak M, Luijkx T, et al. Anterolateral ligament of the knee. Reference article, Radiopaedia.org (Accessed on 14 Dec 2024) https://doi.org/10.53347/rID-39957
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rID:
39957
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Disclosures:
At the time the article was created Matt A. Morgan had no recorded disclosures.
View Matt A. Morgan's current disclosures
Last revised:
14 Jun 2020,
Magdalena Chmiel-Nowak
Disclosures:
At the time the article was last revised Magdalena Chmiel-Nowak had no recorded disclosures.
View Magdalena Chmiel-Nowak's current disclosures
Revisions:
7 times, by
5 contributors -
see full revision history and disclosures
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Synonyms:
- ALL
- Retrograde tract fibers
The anterolateral ligament of the knee (ALL) is a ligament that is thought to aid with rotational stability of the knee joint. Some think that its presence (or reconstruction) may result in better outcomes from ACL stabilization surgery 2.
On this page:
Gross anatomy
- origin: prominence of the lateral femoral epicondyle, slightly anterior to the origin of the lateral collateral ligament
- proximal ALL fibers connect with LCL
- insertion: anterolateral aspect of the proximal tibia (between Gerdy's tubercle and the tip of the fibular head), with firm attachments to the lateral meniscus
Function
The ALL is together with ACL involved in rotational stability of the knee, resisting internal tibial rotation and anterior tibial translation. Injury of the ligament is related to pivot-shift injuries with ACL tear, and can result in lateral meniscus tear and Segond fracture 3,8.
Radiographic features
The normal ligament can be identified with MRI and ultrasound 5,6. Whether imaging modalities are able to distinguish an injured ligament from an absent ligament is still an area of research.
History and etymology
Thought to have been first described by Paul Segond, a French surgeon, in 1879 7.
References
- 1. Claes S, Vereecke E, Maes M et-al. Anatomy of the anterolateral ligament of the knee. J. Anat. 2013;223 (4): 321-8. doi:10.1111/joa.12087 - Pubmed citation
- 2. Monaco E, Ferretti A, Labianca L et-al. Navigated knee kinematics after cutting of the ACL and its secondary restraint. Knee Surg Sports Traumatol Arthrosc. 2012;20 (5): 870-7. doi:10.1007/s00167-011-1640-8 - Pubmed citation
- 3. Porrino J, Maloney E, Richardson M et-al. The anterolateral ligament of the knee: MRI appearance, association with the Segond fracture, and historical perspective. AJR Am J Roentgenol. 2015;204 (2): 367-73. doi:10.2214/AJR.14.12693 - Pubmed citation
- 4. Kennedy MI, Claes S, Fuso FA et-al. The Anterolateral Ligament: An Anatomic, Radiographic, and Biomechanical Analysis. Am J Sports Med. 2015;43 (7): 1606-15. doi:10.1177/0363546515578253 - Pubmed citation
- 5. Helito CP, Helito PV, Costa HP et-al. MRI evaluation of the anterolateral ligament of the knee: assessment in routine 1.5-T scans. Skeletal Radiol. 2014;43 (10): 1421-7. doi:10.1007/s00256-014-1966-7 - Pubmed citation
- 6. Cavaignac E, Wytrykowski K, Reina N et-al. Ultrasonographic Identification of the Anterolateral Ligament of the Knee. Arthroscopy. 2015; . doi:10.1016/j.arthro.2015.07.015 - Pubmed citation
- 7. Segond P. Recherches cliniques et expérimentales sur les épanchements sanguins du genou par entorse. Progres Med. 1879;7:297-299, 319-321, 340-341.
- 8. William Palmer, Laura Bancroft, Fiona Bonar, Jung-Ah Choi, Anne Cotten, James F. Griffith, Philip Robinson, Christian W.A. Pfirrmann. Glossary of terms for musculoskeletal radiology. (2020) Skeletal Radiology. doi:10.1007/s00256-020-03465-1 - Pubmed
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