The "Unhappy Triad"
Monday October 11, 2004
The "Unhappy Triad" is an injury to the knee. The unhappy triad injury commonly occurs in contact sports such as football when the knee is hit from the outside. This causes an injury to three knee structures: the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), medial collateral ligament (MCL), and the medial meniscus.
Comments
How long does it normally take to recover from these kinds of unjuries?
Can you walk normally efter q few weeks or does the knee need a surgery directly?
Dear Robert,
Often after knee ligament injuries, as the swelling and pain subsides, people are able to return to normal activities such as walking.
This does not necessarily mean that the knee has healed properly, so make sure you follow-up with your doctor to ensure the knee is properly healed, and doesn’t just feel better.
Good luck!
Jonathan Cluett, M.D.