A 19-year-old football player was hit on the lateral side of his knee just as he put that foot on the ground.Unable to walk without assistance, he is taken to the hospital. An MRI examination reveals a torn medial collateral ligament. Which structure would most likely also be injured due to its attachment to this ligament?,

The medial meniscus is firmly attached to the medial (tibial) collateral ligament. Damage to the medial collateral ligament often causes concomitant damage to the medial meniscus because of this relationship. The anterior cruciate ligament may be torn when the knee is hyperextended. The lateral meniscus is not attached to the medial collateral ligament but receives muscular attachment to the popliteus muscle. The posterior cruciate ligament also lies outside of the synol cavity and limits hyperflexion of the knee.