MCL Injury Crescent, MO | Sports Rehab

MCL Injury | Crescent, MO Physical Therapy

MCL Injury in Crescent, MO. If someone plays sports or engages in other physical activity, it’s easy to fear the worst when you feel sudden pain on the inside of your knee: Did I injure my MCL? How bad is the injury? How long will it take to recover? Will this be the end of my athletic career? At Axes Physical Therapy in Crescent, MO, all of our physical and occupational therapists are dedicated to positive patient experiences. While we’d like to be able to make your MCL injury go away, we can make your recovery safe and effective through tailored, proven treatment plans. Physical therapy has proven to be a critical component of recovering from any MCL injury. Our physical therapists in Crescent, MO are all licensed and average more than 15 years of individual experience. For lasting and meaningful recovery, call the Axes location nearest you or request an appointment online.

What is the MCL?

MCL stands for “medial collateral ligament.” A ligament is like a strong, firmly attached rope 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 keeps the knee from moving side to side. Its functions to withstand valgus pressure, or the knee being pushed too far towards the other one. It combines with three other ligaments to keep the knee stable:

ACL (anterior cruciate ligament), which goes through the middle 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 runs along the outside of the knee from the thigh bone to the fibula (the smaller bone the small bone behind the tibia) and prevents the knee from being pushed unnaturally outward

The knee is one of the biggest joints in the human body. Optimal structure and movement depends on surrounding bone, muscle, tendons, and ligaments. When any knee injury, such as an MCL tear, occurs it can limit or completely restrict your mobility and pursue the activities you love most, or just live a pain-free day-to-day life. Specific physical therapy techniques and other treatment modalities, prescribed by a doctor, have been proven to help patients reduce pain and return to normal mobility.

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

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 is either partially or completely torn or separated 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. These are not generally severe, and your knee will still be stable. Your knee will feel tender, and you may also experience mild pain.
Grade 2 — This is a more moderate tear, most commonly to the superficial part of the MCL. You will probably lose some stability in your knee, 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. Your knee will be significantly unstable. You will likely experience intense 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, the team of professional Crescent, MO physical and occupational therapists at Axes can, in concert with your physician, implement an exhaustive plan specially made for you and your injuries 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 the MCL, LCL, ACL, or PCL, and most of the time that ligament is the MCL. MCL injuries occur due to the knee suddenly being forced too far inward. MCL injuries can also by the knee rotating too forcefully. They can also take place when landing or awkward bending, such as if a cleat is stuck in grass while the rest of your body moves.

Athletes in contact sports are the most likely to sustain an MCL injury. They are also common in those who have to squat and lift heavy objects, either for athletic training or in the course of 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 sound or feeling
The knee being unstable
Not being able to put any weight on the knee
Contusions
Tenderness on the inside of your knee
Swelling, either on the inside of the knee or the entire knee joint

Sometimes your knee may feel like it’s wobbling when you walk, even if walking doesn’t hurt, while other times you’ll barely be able to move the knee. If you experience any of the above symptoms, stop any strenuous activity immediately and seek medical treatment for a diagnosis.

Diagnosis and Treatment of an MCL Injury in Crescent, MO

Diagnosing an MCL injury requires going to a doctor’s office, urgent care or at a physical therapy center. In the examination, your Crescent, 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 doctors that specialize in mobility of the human body in Crescent, MO will be able to determine if you have 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 magnetic field and radio waves to take three-dimensional images of your soft tissue
An ultrasound, which uses sound waves and can help determine the grade of your injury
An X-ray, which does not show soft tissue, to insure your femur, kneecap, tibia, and fibula have not fractured

You can also schedule and appointment with the Axes location most convenient for you for a free, no-obligation injury screening. While we will be able to diagnose your injury, Missouri Revised Statute §334.506 requires that physical therapy be prescribed by a physician.

How MCL Injuries are Treated in Crescent, MO

Typically, treating an MCL injury begins with basic first aid: swelling reduction, relieving discomfort, and implementing the R.I.C.E. Method of Rest, Ice, Compression, and Elevation. For grade 1 injuries, 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.

More significant 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 time of limited activity to allow your body to heal safely. Your Axes physical therapist in Crescent, MO will be able to 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 over-the-counter meds.

Though uncommon, 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 your hamstring or an organ donor, to reconstruct the MCL. You would be able to go home the day of the surgery. If you do require surgery in Crescent, MO, our physical therapists will be able to help you with pre- and post-surgical rehabilitation get you the best possible results from your surgery.

How Do Physical Therapists in Crescent, MO Treat MCL Injuries?

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 regain a specific level or function. These treatments and exercises will, over time, build strength in the strength in the muscles that power the joint, flexibility of soft tissue, and range of motion to the joint in the interest of not only recovery, but injury prevention. Depending on you and your injuries, your treatment plan may include:

To begin, passive motions performed by your physical therapist to slowly get the knee used to normal motion again
More active exercises and stretches later to regain strength
Exercises with resistant bands, weights, or cardio machines such as a stationary bike
Instrument-assisted soft tissue mobilization, which has been proven to help accelerate knee ligament healing
Kinesio Taping®, which keeps the knee stable and encourages normal motion
Trigger point dry needling to stimulate harder-to-reach tissue
Blood flow restriction training to help you make greater strength gains 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 Crescent, MO, all of our treatment plans are as unique as each patient, and created with the help of your doctor, in order to get you the best patient outcome possible and get you back to the activities you love.

Other injuries we help treat in Crescent, MO include:

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

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

An MCL injury can be painful and frightening, especially if you’re an athlete or someone who finds joy in an active lifestyle, 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. We also strongly believe in patient education so you can stay as healthy and active as possible. For meaningful and lasting recovery from your MCL injury in Crescent, MO, call the location nearest you and request an appointment online.