Multiligament Knee Injury Following Anterior Dislocation in a Young Adult: Surgical and Rehabilitative Management – A Case Study
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Abstract
Severe knee dislocations from powerful impacts represent rare yet critical orthopedic challenges, often tearing key ligaments and threatening blood vessels or nerves. Here we document the recovery path of a 21-year-old man whose motorbike crash produced forward displacement of the tibia relative to the femur, alongside full ruptures of the ACL, PCL, and MCL—fitting the Schenck KDIIIM pattern. Treatment began with open reduction and internal fixation for the associated shinbone fracture, progressed to hardware extraction, and culminated in ligament repairs.
At presentation, he reported intense pain (7/10 on the numeric scale), could only flex the knee to 55 degrees, and showed muscle weakness graded at 2+/5. Through targeted physical therapy across surgical phases, he regained 120 degrees of bend, dropped pain to 2/10, and walked unaided upon release. Imaging verified the injury; fortunately, circulation stayed intact. Sequential care warded off muscle wasting before surgery and scar tissue buildup afterward, paving the way back to college life. The experience spotlights rehab's essential contribution to healing intricate knee damage, especially where resources are stretched, and flags hurdles such as sticking to exercises despite discomfort.
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