The difference between ligament damage and tears.

Written by Wang Jing
Pediatric Orthopedics
Updated on March 12, 2025
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For doctors, the damage or tearing of ligaments actually means more or less the same thing, but for ordinary people, there always seems to be a difference between the two, feeling that the range covered by ligament damage is broader than that of ligament tearing. From a medical perspective, ligament damage is divided into four grades. The first grade is a sprain, which is a partial fiber break. The second type is a partial ligament rupture, the third type is a complete ligament rupture, and the fourth type involves a complete rupture of the ligament with damage to other parts as well. This is the four-category classification of ligament damage. Ordinary people might think that ligament tearing refers to either a partial or complete rupture of the ligament, which is the more serious kind. Therefore, though these two concepts are relatively similar in meaning, ordinary people might feel that ligament tearing is relatively more severe, consisting of either a partial or complete rupture of the ligament.

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Written by Wang Jing
Pediatric Orthopedics
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Can a ligament injury cause the knee to make noise?

Whether the knee will make noise after ligament damage depends on the condition of the ligament damage. If it is an anterior cruciate ligament injury, generally the knee will not make noise. However, if the anterior cruciate ligament injury is combined with damage to the meniscus or cartilage, forming loose bodies, popping noises in the knee joint can occur. If there is damage to the medial or lateral collateral ligaments of the knee joint, which causes instability in the knee joint, this can also lead to popping sounds. If instability of the patella is caused by damage to the patellar ligament of the knee joint, changes in the alignment of the patellar joint during movement can also cause popping noises in the knee joint.

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Written by Wang Fei
Orthopedics
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How long will it take for a ligament sprain and soft tissue injury to fully heal?

Ligament strains or soft tissue injuries are common in everyday life, and they also typically require grading. Some minor ligament strains or soft tissue injuries generally heal after about three weeks of rest and immobilization. If a ligament strain or soft tissue injury is very severe, such as when the ligament has reached the level of tearing, or if there is significant bleeding, edema, and swelling at the time of the injury, this indicates a very serious soft tissue injury. In such cases, the duration of immobilization might be much longer, possibly around six weeks. The recovery time for such soft tissue injuries or ligament strains can also be very lengthy, sometimes extending up to three months or even six months.

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Written by Wang Jing
Pediatric Orthopedics
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Can ankle ligament injuries heal by themselves?

Ankle ligament sprains vary in prognosis depending on the severity of the injury. This type of ligament damage generally falls into several categories: the first type is partial fiber damage to the ligament, the second type is partial rupture of the ligament, the third type is complete rupture of the ligament, and the fourth type includes additional injuries. For partial fiber damage and partial ruptures of the ligament, immobilization is often used, and generally after six to eight weeks, the ligament can repair itself. However, if there is a complete rupture of the ligament or additional injuries are involved, surgery is often required for healing.

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Written by Cheng Bin
Orthopedics
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How to recover from ligament damage

For patients with ligament injuries, it is first necessary to determine the severity of the ligament damage in order to establish an active treatment plan to promote rapid repair of the ligament. If the ligament injury is relatively mild and joint stability is good, it is entirely possible for such patients to choose active conservative treatment. It is necessary to strictly use plaster casts or supportive external fixation. During this period, treatment can include oral non-steroidal anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving medication as well as drugs that promote blood circulation and disperse blood stasis. For those with more severe ligament injuries and poor joint stability, it becomes necessary to actively proceed with surgical treatment, which might involve repairing or reconstructing the damaged ligament. (Please use medication under the guidance of a doctor.)

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Written by Wang Jing
Pediatric Orthopedics
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Can ligament injuries heal by themselves?

Whether ligament injury can be healed depends on the severity of the injury. Generally, there are four types of ligament injuries. The mildest is a sprain, which is when some fibers of the ligament are torn. The second type is a partial tear of the ligament, the third type is a complete tear of the ligament, and the fourth type is a combined injury, which includes damage to other structures in addition to the ligament injury. If the ligament injury is just a sprain, it can generally heal within two to three weeks with immobilization. However, partial ligament tears that are more severe may require surgical intervention. If the partial ligament injury is not severe and does not affect stability, it can also heal with about three to six weeks of immobilization. However, complete ligament tears or combined injuries often require surgery for suturing or reconstruction in order to heal.