Knee instability & sharp pain — what’s really going on

Knees that “give way”, swell or ache after a twist often point to a ligament injury. Ligaments tie bone to bone and stabilise the joint, but because they have poor blood supply, they heal slowly. Early, targeted care speeds recovery and prevents long‑term looseness.

Quick anatomy at a glance

Ligament	Main job (what it stops)	If injured, you may feel…
ACL (anterior cruciate)	Tibia sliding forward	Giving‑way on pivots, difficulty going downstairs
PCL (posterior cruciate)	Tibia sliding backward	Deep ache, trouble decelerating/downhill walking
MCL (medial collateral)	Tibia drifting inward	Inside‑knee pain, valgus stress discomfort
LCL (lateral collateral)	Tibia drifting outward	Outside‑knee pain, instability on side‑steps

Symptoms you shouldn’t ignore

• A “pop” at injury and swelling within hours

• “Giving‑way” sensation on turns or descents

• Pain, stiffness and sometimes bruising

When to seek urgent assessment

• Knee feels locked or you cannot fully straighten

• Marked instability or you can’t weight‑bear after 24–48 hours

Not all tears are the same

• Partial sprain (Grade I–II): often recover with structured rehab.

• Complete rupture (Grade III): needs orthopaedic opinion; rehab remains essential pre/post‑op.

Our treatment at J&J Therapy (London): calm the tissue + fix the cause

Stage	Goals	What we do
Acute (0–2 weeks)	Reduce swelling & pain; protect motion	Lymphatic/therapeutic massage, electro‑therapy, compression/elevation, gentle ROM
Sub‑acute	Restore glide & movement quality	Manual therapy to release spasm, patellar/soft‑tissue mobilisation
Strength & control	Rebuild stability	Quad–hamstring co‑contractions, hip stability, balance/proprioception, taping/brace if needed
Stubborn pain focus	Tackle chronic soft‑tissue hotspots	Focused shockwave for patellar tendon/collateral insertions (non‑invasive). Not a replacement for ACL/PCL surgical repair.

Most clients with sprains report better stability and less swelling within 3–6 sessions when they follow their plan.

Home plan for week one

• Relative rest with compression & elevation

• Pain‑free heel slides and quad sets 2–3×/day

• Avoid twisting/fast pivots; use a step‑to pattern on stairs

• Book an assessment to grade the sprain and tailor rehab

Ready to steady your knee? Book at JJTHERAPY365.com or WhatsApp 07882 943 540 (English & Korean supported).