MCL Injury Bridgeton, MO | Sports Rehab

MCL Injury | Bridgeton, MO Physical Therapy

MCL Injury in Bridgeton, MO. For many people who maintain an active lifestyle, feeling that sudden “pop” in their knee creates a lot of anxiety: Did I injure my MCL? Is it significant? How long will I be sidelines for? Will this be the end of my athletic career? At Axes Physical Therapy in Bridgeton, MO, we are driven by getting our clients back to tearing up the filed. While we’d like to be able to magically fix your MCL, we can help ensure you get back to feeling like yourself with safe, effective treatments. Physical therapy has been shown time and time again to be a critical aspect of recovering from any MCL injury. Our physical therapists in Bridgeton, MO are movement health experts. For lasting and meaningful recovery, reach out to the Axes location most convenient for you you or request an appointment online.

How the MCL Works

MCL is an abbreviation for “medial collateral ligament.” A ligament is a fibrous of connective tissue that connects bone to bone and provides stability. 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 functions to resist valgus pressure, 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 tibia from sliding too far forward on the femur
PCL (posterior cruciate ligament), which forms an “X” with the ACL in the middle of the knee and the femur from sliding off the tibia
LCL (lateral collateral ligament), which attaches the thigh bone to the fibula (the smaller bone the small bone behind the tibia) and gives stability to the outer knee

The knee is known for being one of our most complex joints. Healthy structure and movement depends on surrounding bone, muscle, tendons, and ligaments. When any knee injury, such as an MCL tear, occurs it can greatly affect your mobility and pursue the activities you love most, or just complete basic tasks pain-free. Particular physical therapy techniques and other physician-prescribed treatment plans have been demonstrated through research and analysis to help those who have suffered an MCL injury reduce pain and return to normal movement health.

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

What Types of MCL Injuries Are There?

In general, an MCL injury either involves a sprain, which stretches the ligament beyond its normal limits, or a tear, where the ligament may fray partially or entirely separate from the bone. There are three grades to MCL injuries:

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 MCL are torn. These injuries are typically not especially painful or debilitating, and don’t result in much instability. Your knee will feel tender, and you may also experience mild pain.
Grade 2 — This is more significant tearing, generally to the superficial part of the MCL. You will probably lose some stability in your knee, and your joint may be loose when manipulated manually. Pain is much more severe in a grade 2 MCL injury.
Grade 3 — A grade 3 tear is a complete tear, or separation from the bone. Your knee will be significantly unstable. You will likely feel significant pain and a wide array of symptoms. The injury may actually caused by or accompanied by other serious knee injuries such as ACL tears.

However significant your MCL injuries, the team of expert Bridgeton, MO physical and occupational therapists at Axes can, in concert with your physician, develop a comprehensive and customized plan to get you back to the activities your love most safely.

What Causes MCL Injuries?

40% of all knee injuries involve damage to a ligament, and most of the time that ligament is the MCL. Most people often suffer and MCL injury because of a force to the exterior of the knee. MCL injuries can also occur if the knee is rotated too forcefully. They can also take place when landing or excessive 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 can also occur in people who have to hunch over and lift heavy objects, either for athletic training or in the course of their employment.

Common Symptoms of MCL Injuries

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

A sudden “pop” on the inside of your knee
Instability
Inability to bear weight
Contusions
Tenderness on the inside of your knee
Swelling, either of the MCL area or the whole knee

Sometimes you may feel like your knee is “shaky”, or in other cases the knee feels too stiff. Any time you feel pain or instability in your knee, do not participate in any more strenuous activity and seek medical treatment for a diagnosis.

Diagnosis and Treatment of an MCL Injury in Bridgeton, MO

MCL injuries are diagnosed in a doctor’s office, emergency room or at a physical therapy center. In the examination, your Bridgeton, MO doctor or physical therapist will go over what led to the injury, will feel for swelling and how your knee is different from your healthy knee, and check for stability.

Most physical therapists or physicians with knowledge of movement health in Bridgeton, MO are qualified to diagnose an MCL injury with a physical examination. A phsycian may also order the following imaging tests to check the severity of the injury and whether or not you have suffered other damage to the knee:

An MRI (magnetic resonance imaging), which uses a magnet and computer-generated 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 does not show soft tissue, 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 can offer you an evaluation, Missouri Revised Statute §334.506 requires that physical therapy be prescribed by a doctor.

How to Treat and MCL Injury in Bridgeton, MO

Typically, treating an MCL injury begins with basic first aid: inflammation reduction, relieving pain, and implementing 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 all you need for your body’s natural healing processes to get you back on your feet.

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 Bridgeton, MO can 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 performed by using a graft, either from one of your other ligaments or an organ donor, to reattach the torn sections. You would be able to go home the day of the surgery. If you do require surgery in Bridgeton, MO, our physical therapists are experts at pre- and post-surgical rehabilitation to make your surgery and recovery as successful as possible.

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

For recovering from any injury, a physically therapist will create safe and evidence-backed treatments, each aimed at helping a specific part of the body get back to optimal movement health. These treatments and exercises will, over time, build strength in the surrounding muscles, flexibility of soft tissue, and range of motion to the knee so you can get back to what you love most and prevent further injury. Depending on you and your injuries, your treatment plan may include:

To begin, passive movements carried about by your physical therapist to help restore normal functionality
More active exercises and stretches later to further develop strength and flexibility
Exercises with resistant bands, weights, or cardio machines such as a stationary bike
Instrument-assisted soft tissue mobilization, which studies show can 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 those whose main goal is to get back onto the court or field

At Axes Physical Therapy in Bridgeton, MO, all of our treatment plans are as unique as each patient, and created with the help of your doctor, in order to deliver you the best client experience and get you back to doing what you love to do most.

Other injuries we help treat in Bridgeton, MO include:

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

Schedule an Appointment With an Axes Physical Therapist in Bridgeton, 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 anatomy of the knee so you can stay as healthy and active as possible. For meaningful and lasting recovery from your MCL injury in Bridgeton, MO, call the location nearest you and request an appointment online.