Which statement best describes a grade 3 ligamentous injury?

Which statement best describes a grade 3 ligamentous injury?

• A. Complete tear
• B. On MRI there is complete disruption of ligament
• C. Little or no instability
• D. Extreme instability

Answer: (D)

When a ligament is graded, the level reflects how much it’s torn and how unstable the joint becomes. A grade 3 ligamentous injury means a complete rupture with gross instability. Clinically, you’d expect to find marked laxity on stress testing with a poor or absent endpoint, indicating the joint is highly unstable. Imaging such as MRI can show a complete disruption, but the grade is determined by the degree of instability rather than imaging alone. So while a full tear fits with grade 3, the emphasis is on the extreme instability that results, distinguishing it from milder grades that have little to no instability or only partial tearing.

When a ligament is graded, the level reflects how much it’s torn and how unstable the joint becomes. A grade 3 ligamentous injury means a complete rupture with gross instability. Clinically, you’d expect to find marked laxity on stress testing with a poor or absent endpoint, indicating the joint is highly unstable. Imaging such as MRI can show a complete disruption, but the grade is determined by the degree of instability rather than imaging alone. So while a full tear fits with grade 3, the emphasis is on the extreme instability that results, distinguishing it from milder grades that have little to no instability or only partial tearing.