MCL Injury | Country Life Acres, MO Physical Therapy

MCL Injury in Country Life Acres, MO. For many athletes and physically active people, it’s easy to fear the worst when you hear that sudden “pop” in your knee: Did I injure my MCL? How bad is the injury? How long will I be sidelines for? Will I ever be able to perform at the same level again? At Axes Physical Therapy in Country Life Acres, MO, all of our physical and occupational therapists are dedicated to positive patient outcomes. While we can’t, we can make your recovery safe and effective through customized, proven treatment plans. Physical therapy has proven to be a fundamental aspect of any treatment plan for MCL injuries. Our physical therapists in Country Life Acres, MO are all licensed and average more than 15 years of individual experience. For treatment plans you know will be effective, call the Axes location nearest you or schedule an appointment online.

How the MCL Works

MCL an acronym for “medial collateral ligament.” A ligament is a tough band of connective tissue that attaches bone to bone and helps hold structures with the musculoskeletal system together. The MCL runs from the inside of your upper shin bone to the inside of your bottoms thigh bone and keeps the knee from moving side to side. Its chief purpose is to guard against valgus stress, or the knee being pushed too far towards the other one. It is one of four ligaments that help control the knee, along with the:

• ACL (anterior cruciate ligament), which runs down the center of your knee and provides rotational stability and controls forward movement
• PCL (posterior cruciate ligament), which forms an “X” with the ACL in the middle of the knee and acts as a secondary front and back stabilizer
• LCL (lateral collateral ligament), which runs along the outside of the knee from the femur to the fibula (the smaller bone between the knee and ankle) and provides 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. There are a variety of knee injuries that can greatly affect your mobility and compete like you’re used to, or just live a pain-free day-to-day life. Particular physical therapy techniques and other physician-prescribed treatment plans have been demonstrated through research and studies to help those who have suffered an MCL injury manage their symptoms and get back to normal functionality.

What Types of MCL Injuries Are There?

Generally speaking, an MCL injury either involves a sprain, which stretches the ligament beyond its normal range of motion, or a tear, where the MCL 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 ligament are torn. It’s typically a mild injury, and your knee will still be stable. Your knee will feel tender, and you may also experience mild pain.
• Grade 2 — This injury is when the MCL suffers more significant tearing, generally to the more fibrous part of the ligament. You will probably lose some stability in the joint, and your joint may be loose when moved by hand. Pain is much more severe in a grade 2 MCL injury.
• Grade 3 — This injury is a complete tear to both the fibrous and deep parts. You will likely feel like your knee’s about to “give out.” You will likely experience significant pain and several other symptoms. The injury may actually caused by or accompanied by other serious knee injuries such as ACL tears.

Whatever grade MCL injury you have, our qualified Country Life Acres, MO physical and occupational therapists at Axes can, in concert with your doctor, develop an extensive and personalized plan to get you back to the things you love in a safe and effective manner.

What Causes MCL Injuries?

40% of all knee injuries involve damage to the MCL, LCL, ACL, or PCL, and the MCL is the most commonly injured ligament. MCL injuries occur due to the knee suddenly being forced too far inward. MCL injuries can also occur if the knee is rotated more than the ligament can stand. They can also occur because of landing or unnatural bending, such as if a cleat is stuck in grass while the rest of your body moves.

MCL injuries are common in athletes in contact sports and in sports that require a lot of torque being placed on the body such as football, soccer, skiing, basketball, and tennis. They are also common in those who lift weights or lift heavy objects at their employment.

Common Symptoms of MCL Injuries

Most MCL injuries are accompanied by sudden, noticeable pain. Other symptoms may include:

• Hearing or feeling a popping noise or sensation
• Feeling like the may give out
• Not being able to put any weight on the knee
• Bruising
• Tenderness on the inside of your knee
• Inflammation, either on the inside of the knee or the whole knee

Sometimes you may feel a “wobbly” sensation, while other times the knee feels too rigid. If you experience any of the above symptoms, cease any strenuous activity immediately and seek medical treatment for a diagnosis.

Diagnosing and Treating an MCL Injury in Country Life Acres, MO

Diagnosing an MCL injury requires going to a doctor’s office, urgent care or at a physical therapy center. In the examination, your Country Life Acres, 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 gently see if your knee is unstanble while bending inward, and your pain level.

Most physical therapists or physicians with knowledge of movement health in Country Life Acres, MO will be able 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 create detailed images of the inside of your knee
• 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, to insure your femur, kneecap, tibia, and fibula have not been broken

Axes Physical Therapy also offers injury screening injury screenings at no cost or obligation to you. While we can determine if you have suffered an MCL sprain or tear, Missouri law stipulates a prescription for further physical therapy.

How MCL Injuries are Treated in Country Life Acres, MO

Typically, treating an MCL injury begins with basic first aid: reducing swelling, reducing 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, over-the-counter pain relievers, and a few days or week or two of rest may be sufficient to get mostly back to normal.

Grade 2 or 3 injuries 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 activity for an even longer period. Your Axes physical therapist in Country Life Acres, MO can fit you for a knee brace so that you don’t suffer further injury. Even with physical therapy, you’ll likely still continue the R.I.C.E. method and anti-inflammatory medication.

Though rare, the most severe cases — in which the MCL is completely torn, the injury is accompanied by an ACL tear, or nonsurgical treatment just isn’t working — may require surgery. During the surgery, a surgeon will use a graft, either from one of your other ligaments or from another person, to reconstruct the MCL. The surgery is an outpatient procedure. If your doctor thinks surgery is necessary, our physical therapists will be able to treat you with pre- and post-surgical rehabilitation, which ensures that your knee will be healthy enough for the operation, and you’ll safely restore, strength, flexibility, and range of motion after.

How Do Physical Therapists in Country Life Acres, MO Treat MCL Injuries?

For recovering from any injury, a physically therapist will design safe and evidence-backed treatments, each aimed at helping a specific part of the body get back to optimal movement health. Physical therapy slowly and effectively improves 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:

• At the start, light motions carried about by your physical therapist to help restore normal functionality
• More active exercises and stretches later to regain strength
• Exercises with resistant bands, weights, or cardio machines such as an elliptical
• Instrument-assisted soft tissue mobilization, which research suggests can accelerate knee ligament healing
• Kinesio Taping®, which provides further stability while your body heals and helps control motion
• Trigger point dry needling to stimulate harder-to-reach tissue
• Blood flow restriction training to help you make greater strength gains while lifting lighter weights
• Athletic training and sports therapy for those whose main goal is to get back onto the court or field

At Axes Physical Therapy in Country Life Acres, MO, all of our treatment plans are designed individually to each patient, backed by empirical evidence, and created alongside your physician, in order to deliver you the best client experience and get you back to the activities you love.

Other services we offer in Country Life Acres, MO include:

• Physical Therapy Clinic
• Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Treatment
• Sciatica Treatment
• Sports Medicine
• Hand Pain Physical Therapy
• Foot & Ankle Pain Treatment
• Hip Pain Treatment
• Plantar Fasciitis Treatment
• Stroke Rehabilitation
• Hip Replacement Physical Therapy

Schedule an Appointment With an Axes Physical Therapist in Country Life Acres, MO for Your MCL Injury

An MCL injury can be painful and frightening, especially if you’re used to being physically active, 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 Country Life Acres, MO, call the location nearest you and request an appointment online.