Lower limb
Medial collateral ligament of the knee (MCL / Tibial collateral ligament)
Ligamentum collaterale tibiale (MCL / Binnenband van de knie)
- Origin
- Medial femoral epicondyle
- Insertion
- Medial condyle and shaft of tibia (superficial MCL inserts 4–5 cm distal to joint line; deep MCL attaches to medial meniscus)
- Function
- Primary restraint against valgus stress (provides 78% of valgus restraint at 25° flexion) and secondary stabilizer against external tibial rotation
- Innervation
- Saphenous nerve (femoral nerve) and obturator nerve (L3–L4)
- Movement & chain
- Anterior fibers tighten in flexion; posterior oblique ligament (POL) tightens in extension
- Palpation
- Easily palpable along medial knee joint line and femoral epicondyle
- Clinical
- MCL sprain/tear (Grades I–III from valgus contact); Pellegrini-Stieda syndrome (post-traumatic calcification at femoral origin); positive Valgus stress test at 30°.
- Segmental innervation
- L3–L4
- In clinical practice
- Valgus stress testing, hinged knee brace management (high spontaneous healing capacity due to rich vascularity), and progressive closed kinetic chain rehab
- Region in the model
- Lower limb