Lateral collateral ligament of the knee
Last revised by atheer ali ha
on 25 Mar 2024
Citation, DOI, disclosures and article data
Citation:
Su S, ha a, Knipe H, et al. Lateral collateral ligament of the knee. Reference article, Radiopaedia.org (Accessed on 17 Jan 2025) https://doi.org/10.53347/rID-31367
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rID:
31367
Article created:
3 Oct 2014,
Shu Su
Disclosures:
At the time the article was created Shu Su had no recorded disclosures.
View Shu Su's current disclosures
Last revised:
25 Mar 2024,
atheer ali ha
Disclosures:
At the time the article was last revised atheer ali ha had no financial relationships to ineligible companies to disclose.
View atheer ali ha's current disclosures
Revisions:
13 times, by
9 contributors -
see full revision history and disclosures
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Synonyms:
- Lateral collateral ligament (LCL) of the knee
- Fibular collateral ligament (FCL)
The lateral (fibular) collateral ligament (LCL) is on the lateral aspect of the knee and forms part of the posterolateral corner. It is a major knee stabilizer against varus forces 6. The lateral aspect of the knee is divided into three layers and the LCL is part of the deep layer of the lateral aspect of the knee.
On this page:
Gross anatomy
The LCL originates within an osseous depression slightly posterosuperior to the lateral femoral epicondyle and inserts onto the anterolateral fibular head 4,5. Its average length is ~50 mm and is more commonly cord-like than band-like 5,6.
Unlike the medial collateral ligament, it is not attached to the knee capsule or lateral meniscus and as such, is more flexible and less susceptible to injury 1.
Relations
The popliteus tendon (through the popliteal hiatus), a bursa and the lateral inferior geniculate vessels and nerve run deep to the LCL. The iliotibial band is superficial to the LCL and attaches to Gerdy's tubercle 4,5.
Innervation
biceps femoris muscular branch of the tibial nerve
branch from the common fibular nerve at the popliteal fossa
branch of the common fibular nerve at the head of the fibula 4,5
Blood supply
inferior lateral genicular artery and anterior tibial recurrent artery 4,5
Related pathology
Quiz questions
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References
- 1. Chummy S. Sinnatamby. Last's Anatomy. (2011) ISBN: 9780702033940 - Google Books
- 2. Vohra S, Arnold G, Doshi S, Marcantonio D. Normal MR Imaging Anatomy of the Knee. Magn Reson Imaging Clin N Am. 2011;19(3):637-53. doi:10.1016/j.mric.2011.05.012 - Pubmed
- 3. Yaras R, O'Neill N, Yaish A. Lateral Collateral Ligament Knee Injuries. 2022. - Pubmed
- 4. Hassebrock J, Gulbrandsen M, Asprey W, Makovicka J, Chhabra A. Knee Ligament Anatomy and Biomechanics. Sports Med Arthrosc Rev. 2020;28(3):80-6. doi:10.1097/JSA.0000000000000279 - Pubmed
- 5. Grawe B, Schroeder A, Kakazu R, Messer M. Lateral Collateral Ligament Injury About the Knee. J Am Acad Orthop Surg. 2018;26(6):e120-7. doi:10.5435/jaaos-d-16-00028 - Pubmed
- 6. Shetty A, Prabhath S, Alappatt K, Krishna KN L, Bhat N, Sumalatha S. Lateral Collateral Ligament and Anterolateral Ligament of the Knee – A Morphological Analysis with Orthopedic Significance. The Knee. 2021;28:202-6. doi:10.1016/j.knee.2020.12.002 - Pubmed
Incoming Links
Articles:
- Knee bursae
- Anterior cruciate ligament tear
- Medical abbreviations and acronyms (F)
- Fabellofibular ligament
- Medical abbreviations and acronyms (L)
- Knee menisci
- Segond fracture
- Posterolateral corner injury of the knee
- Inferior lateral genicular artery
- Proximal tibiofibular joint
- Anterolateral ligament of the knee
- Posterior cruciate ligament tear
- Meniscotibial ligaments
- Fibular collateral ligament-biceps femoris bursa
- Schenck classification of knee dislocation
- Ultrasound of the knee
- Knee joint
- Lateral extra-articular tenodesis
- Posterolateral ligamentous complex
- Tibiofemoral joint
Cases:
- Kfuri and Schatzker classification of tibial plateau fractures
- Lateral collateral ligament calcification - knee
- Lateral collateral ligament calcification - knee
- Knee ligaments (Gray's illustration)
- Chondromalacia patellae
- Discoid medial meniscus with horizontal tear
- Morel-Lavallée lesion with ACL sprain - knee
- Hyperextension knee injury
- Lateral collateral ligament rupture
- Popliteal arteriovenous malformation
- Bucket handle meniscal tear with collateral and anterior cruciate ligament tears
- Lateral collateral ligament calcification - knee
- Avulsion fracture of lateral collateral ligament femoral attachment
- Posterior knee anatomy (illustrations)
- Arcuate sign
Multiple choice questions:
Related articles: Anatomy: Lower limb
- skeleton of the lower limb
- joints of the lower limb
-
hip joint
- ligaments
- muscles
- additional structures
- hip joint capsule
- zona orbicularis
- iliotibial band
-
hip bursae
- anterior
- iliopsoas bursa (iliopectineal bursa)
- lateral
- subgluteal bursae
- greater trochanteric bursa (subgluteus maximus bursa)
- subgluteus medius bursa
- subgluteus minimus bursa
- gluteofemoral bursa
- subgluteal bursae
- postero-inferior
- anterior
- ossification centers
-
knee joint
- ligaments
- anterior cruciate ligament
- posterior cruciate ligament
- medial collateral ligament
- lateral collateral ligament
- meniscofemoral ligament (mnemonic)
-
posterolateral ligamentous complex
- arcuate ligament
- patellar tendon and quadriceps tendon
- anterolateral ligament
- posterior oblique ligament
- oblique popliteal ligament
- medial patellofemoral ligament
- additional structures
- extensor mechanism of the knee
- groove for the popliteus tendon
- knee bursae
- anterior bursae
- medial bursae
- lateral bursae
- posterior bursae
- knee capsule
- lateral patellar retinaculum
- medial patellar retinaculum
- menisci
- pes anserinus (mnemonic)
- ossification centers
- ligaments
- tibiofibular joints
-
ankle joint
- regional anatomy
- medial ankle
- lateral ankle
- anterior ankle
- ligaments
- medial collateral (deltoid) ligament
- lateral collateral ligament
- additional structures
- ankle bursae
- ossification centers of the ankle
- variants
- regional anatomy
- foot joints
- subtalar joint
- mid-tarsal (Chopart) joint
-
tarsometatarsal (Lisfranc) joint
- ligaments
- intermetatarsal joint
- metatarsophalangeal joint
- interphalangeal joint
- ossification centers
-
hip joint
- spaces of the lower limb
-
muscles of the lower limb
- muscles of the pelvic group
- muscles of the thigh
- muscles of the leg
- anterior compartment of the leg
- posterior compartments of the leg
- lateral compartment of the leg
- muscles of the foot
- dorsal muscles
- plantar muscles
- 1st layer
- 2nd layer
- 3rd layer
- 4th layer
- accessory muscles of the lower limb
- accessory gluteal muscles
-
accessory muscles of the ankle
- accessory peroneal muscles
- accessory flexor digitorum longus muscle
- accessory soleus muscle
- peroneocalcaneus internus muscle
- tibiocalcaneus internus muscle
- extensor hallucis capsularis tendon
- anterior fibulocalcaneus muscle
- accessory extensor digiti secundus muscle
- tibioastragalus anticus of Gruber muscle
- vascular supply of the lower limb
- arterial supply of the lower limb
- venous drainage of the lower limb
- innervation of the lower limb
- lymphatic system of the lower limb
- lymphatic pathways
- anteromedial group
- anterolateral group
- posteromedial group
- posterolateral group
- lower limb lymph nodes
- lymphatic pathways
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