MCL Injury Avon, MO | Sports Rehab | Axes Physical Therapy

MCL Injury | Avon, MO Physical Therapy

MCL Injury in Avon, MO. For many athletes and physically active people, feeling that sudden “pop” in their knee creates a lot of doubts: Did I suffer an MCL injury? Is it significant? How long will I be sidelines for? Will my knee ever be the same again? At Axes Physical Therapy in Avon, MO, we are driven by positive patient outcomes. While we can’t, we can help ensure you get back to feeling like yourself with safe, evidence-backed treatments. Physical therapy has been shown time and time again to be a fundamental part of recovering from any MCL injury. Our physical therapists in Avon, MO are movement health experts. For lasting and meaningful recovery, reach out to the Axes location most convenient for you you or contact us online.

The Anatomy of the MCL

MCL an acronym for “medial collateral ligament.” A ligament is like a strong, firmly attached rope that connects bone to bone and keeps joints stable. The MCL connects your upper shin bone to the inner surface of the bottom thigh bone, running along your inner knee, and maintains stability in the inner knee. Its main purpose is to guard against valgus stress, or the knee being forced unnaturally inward. It is one of four ligaments that help keep the knee stable, along with the:

ACL (anterior cruciate ligament), which runs down the center of your knee and provides rotational stability and prevents the knee from bending inward
PCL (posterior cruciate ligament), which crosses the ACL in the middle of the knee and the femur from sliding off the tibia
LCL (lateral collateral ligament), which affixes the femur to the fibula (the smaller bone in the lower leg) and prevents the knee from being forced too far outward

The knee is one of the most complex joints in the human body. A healthy knee relies on surrounding bone and muscle, and the tendons and ligaments in order to provide stability and function properly. When any knee injury, such as an MCL tear, occurs it can have tremendous consequences for your mobility and pursue the activities you love most, or just live a pain-free day-to-day life. Certain physical therapy exercises and other treatment modalities, prescribed by a doctor, have been proven to help those who have suffered an MCL injury reduce pain and return to normal functionality.

MCL Injury Avon, MO | Sports Rehab | Injury Prevention | Physical Therapy Near Avon

What Types of MCL Injuries Are There?

Generally speaking, an MCL injury is either a sprain, wherein the MCL extends beyond its normal limits, or a tear, where the ligament may fray partially or entirely separate from the bone. MCL injuries are “graded” in three levels:

Grade 1 — A grade 1 sprain or tear means that the ligament has been stretched, and less than 10% of the the fibers in your ligament are torn. These injuries are typically not especially painful or debilitating, and your knee will still be stable. You will likely experience some tenderness and some soreness.
Grade 2 — This is more significant tearing, most commonly to the more fibrous part of the MCL. You will probably lose some stability in your knee, and your joint may be loose when manipulated manually. A grade 2 injury will result in significantly more pain than a grade 2 MCL injury.
Grade 3 — A grade 3 tear is a complete tear, or separation from the bone. You will likely feel like your knee’s about to “give out.” Pain will be intense and you’ll likely feel a wide array of symptoms. Grade 3 MCL injuries often occur alongside other knee injuries such as ACL tears.

Whatever grade MCL injury you have, our licensed Avon, MO physical and occupational therapists at Axes can, along with your physician, develop a comprehensive and personalized plan aimed at returning you to the life you’re used to without incurring further injury.

MCL Injuries: Causes and Symptoms

40% of all knee injuries involve damage to a ligament, and the MCL is the most commonly injured ligament. When you suffer a forceful trauma to the outside of your knee, it can push the knee inside far enough that the MCL strains or tears. MCL injuries can also by the knee rotating too forcefully. They can also take place when landing or unnatural bending, such as if a cleat is stuck in grass while your leg keeps moving.

Athletes in contact sports are the most likely to sustain an MCL injury. They are also common in those who lift weights or lift heavy objects at their employment.

Common Symptoms of MCL Injuries

If you suffer an MCL injury in Avon, MO, you’ll likely notice the pain right away. Other symptoms may include:

Hearing or feeling a popping sound or feeling
The knee being unstable
Pain or discomfort when trying to bear weight
Bruising
Tenderness along the inside of the joint
Inflammation, either on the inside of the knee or the entire knee joint

Sometimes you may feel like your knee is “shaky”, while other times the knee feels too rigid. If you experience any of the above symptoms, do not participate in any more strenuous activity and schedule a physical examination in order to get a diagnosis.

Diagnosis and Treatment of an MCL Injury in Avon, MO

MCL injuries are diagnosed in a physical examination. The examination will usually start with a doctor or physical therapist in Avon, MO asking how the injury occurred. They’ll then bend your knee and apply slight pressure to the outside of it, noting how much pain you are in and if your knee feels structurally sound. They’ll also gently feel for swelling, and may compare your injured knee to the healthy one.

Most physical therapists or physicians that specialize in the musculoskeletal system in Avon, MO will be able to determine if you have an MCL injury with a physical examination. Other tests to check severity or to confirm may include:

An MRI (magnetic resonance imaging), which uses a magnet and radio waves to take detailed images of your soft tissue
An ultrasound, which uses sound waves and can be helpful in checking the severity of your injury
An X-ray, which, while it won’t show the MCL or other ligaments, may be ordered for a severe MCL injury to ensure there are no broken bones

Axes Physical Therapy also offers injury screening injury screenings at no cost or obligation to you. While we will be able to diagnose your injury, Missouri Revised Statute §334.506 requires a prescription in order to officially begin physical therapy treatment.

How MCL Injuries are Treated in Avon, MO

Right after your MCL injury, you should start with basic first aid: reducing swelling, managing pain, and using the R.I.C.E. Method of Rest, Ice, Compression, and Elevation. For sprains or slight tears, the R.I.C.E method, pain and swelling relievers, and a few days or week or two of rest may be enough to get mostly back to normal.

Grade 2 or 3 tears will require professional physical therapy in order truly recover from your MCL injury and get back to the activities you love. You’ll also need to refrain from most physical until your knee is strong again. Your Axes physical therapist in Avon, MO will be able to fit you for a knee brace so that you don’t suffer further injury. With physical therapy, you’ll still continue icing your knee and taking anti-inflammatory pain medication.

Though rare, the most severe cases — in which the MCL is completely torn, the injury is accompanied by an ACL tear, or you are not recovering after several weeks of nonsurgical treatment — may require surgery. The surgery is carried out by using a graft, either from one of your other ligaments or an organ donor, to reconstruct the MCL. The surgery is an outpatient procedure. If you do require surgery in Avon, MO, our physical therapists specialize in pre- and post-surgical rehabilitation to make your surgery and recovery as successful as possible.

How Can Physical Therapy in Avon, MO Treat My MCL Injury?

For recovering from any injury, a physically therapist will create safe, targeted, and evidence-backed treatment methods based on each patient’s specific injury and the lifestyle they want to get back to. These treatments and exercises will, over time, build strength in the surrounding muscles, flexibility of soft tissue, and range of motion to the knee in the interest of not only recovery, but injury prevention. A physical therapist may recommend and implement the following practices:

To begin, passive motions carried about by your physical therapist to help restore normal functionality
Exercised performed by you later to further develop strength and flexibility
Exercises with resistant bands, weight lifting equipment, or cardio machines such as an elliptical
Instrument-assisted soft tissue mobilization, which has been proven to help accelerate knee ligament healing
Kinesio Taping®, which provides further stability while your body heals and encourages normal motion
Trigger point dry needling to further help the body’s natural healing process
Blood flow restriction training to improve strength while lessening stress on the joint
Athletic training and sports therapy for athletes who want to improve their performance

At Axes Physical Therapy in Avon, MO, all of our treatment plans are as unique as each patient, and created with the help of your physician, in order to get you the best patient outcome possible and get you back to the activities you love.

Other services we offer in Avon, MO include:

MCL Injury Avon, MO | Athletic Training | Sports Training | Physical Therapy Near Avon

Schedule an Appointment With an Axes Physical Therapist in Avon, MO for Your MCL Injury

An MCL injury can be painful and frightening, especially if you’re an athlete, but there’s no reason it has to put you on the sideline forever. We know you place a lot of trust in your physical therapists, so we repay that trust with safe and effective treatments that are backed by evidence. As part of our program, we’ll educate you on your injury and the structures of the knee so you can stay as healthy and active as possible. For meaningful and lasting recovery from your MCL injury in Avon, MO, call the location nearest you and request an appointment online.