Non-operative treatment of severe injuries to the medial and anterior cruciate ligaments of the knee.

We are reporting the results of conservative treatment of concomitant injuries to the medial collateral and anterior cruciate ligaments of the knee in twenty-eight patients (average age, twenty-eight years), who were followed for an average of three years. Twenty patients had a good or excellent result. Eleven of the fifteen patients who played contact sports and six of the nine who played non-contact sports returned to their preinjury levels of athletic activity. The older and nonathletic individuals had the poorest final results. We concluded that in many individuals with combined injury to the medial collateral and anterior cruciate ligaments, the knee responds well when treated conservatively.