Objectives Isolated rupture of the lateral collateral ligament (LCL) of the knee is extremely rare in professional football, and there is a paucity of literature describing the rehabilitation for this injury. This case report demonstrates the use of a return-to-performance (RTPerf) pathway that is time-independent, has clear criteria, and progressive phases to help inform decisions made by a multidisciplinary team (MDT). Methods A 25-year-old professional footballer sustained an isolated LCL rupture following a tackle by an opposing player, forcing his knee into excessive varus motion. Five days after the injury, the player underwent surgical repair of the LCL before commencing an RTPerf pathway. Results The player returned to team training 12 weeks after surgery before successfully returning to play (RTPlay) at 13.5 weeks. The player completed full RTPerf at 16 weeks and continued to play with no evidence of instability or pain. Conclusion This case report outlines how an RTPerf pathway can be successfully used to guide the management of isolated LCL ruptures of the knee.
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