The medial collateral ligament found in the knees plays a very important role of holding the knee joint structure in place. This ligament is supported by cartilage and muscles which are present around it. It helps to maintain the normal movements of our knees. In the event of this ligament failing to function properly, one experiences medial knee pain.

So what causes this kind of pain? Common causes are cycling too much because it can put additional pressure on the ligaments and running excessively in a short time period. Sports like basketball, football and even climbing stairs can lead to this pain because these tend to put a lot of stress on our medial collateral ligament.

When a person suffers from medial knee pain, his/her everyday activities get hampered or affected, in addition to that, this is a painful condition. When there is any direct injury inflicted on the medial collateral ligament, causing it to be torn partially or sprained, it can cause this type of pain. Whenever you hear a popping sound coming from your knees when you move them, it means that there is a possibility of your ligament being torn. Sometimes this may cause inflammation around and in the knee area, thus making it very difficult to straighten one's knee or to bend it.

In some people, this kind of pain is so severe that they are forced to limp around and they find walking very difficult. When one is suffering from such an injury, one can relieve oneself from the discomfort and pain temporarily by resting ice on the injured knee; however keep in mind that this should not be left for more than fifteen minutes at a stretch.

If you happen to be lying down, then you can put some pillow and rest your knee above them, the level of the raised position of the knees should be higher than the level of the heart, this will reduce swelling.

However these are just temporary solutions, in order to cure this condition completely you'll have to visit your doctor so that he/she can help you identify the real cause of the severity or pain of the injury and suggest an effective solution for it. Usually a lot of rest is recommended because there should be no strain on the knees during the healing period. If the tear is too big, then one will have to undergo surgery. Sometimes painkillers are also given in order to provide some relief to the patient.