Ligaments are bands of tissue that hold bones together at a joint. They are not very stretchy and are prone to tearing, especially when subjected to sudden forceful twisting.
The injury may range from a minor tear, called a sprain, to complete rupture of a ligament.
The most commonly injured ligaments are those in the knee—the medial collateral ligament (MCL), anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), or posterior cruciate ligament (PCL)—and ankle.
Symptoms include sudden pain in the injured joint, swelling, and restricted movement of the joint.
Most minor injuries can be treated with self-help measures such as PRICE (Protection, Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation, and pain relievers.
A severe injury should receive medical attention, as it may require surgery to repair or replace the ligament

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