MCL Injury | Creve Coeur, MO Physical Therapy

MCL Injury in Creve Coeur, MO. For many athletes and physically active people, it’s easy to fear the worst when you feel sudden pain on the inside of your knee: Did I injure my MCL? Is it significant? How long will it take to recover? Will my knee ever be the same again? At Axes Physical Therapy in Creve Coeur, MO, all of our physical and occupational therapists are committed to positive patient experiences. While we’d like to be able to magically fix your MCL, we can make your recovery safe and effective through personalized, evidence-based treatment plans. Physical therapy has proven to be a critical component of recovering from any MCL injury. Our physical therapists in Creve Coeur, MO specialize helping a variety of injuries and conditions in the musculoskeletal system heal. For lasting and meaningful recovery, call the Axes location most convenient for you you or contact us online.

The Anatomy of the MCL

MCL is an abbreviation for “medial collateral ligament.” A ligament is a tough band of connective tissue that connects bone to bone and provides stability. The MCL runs from the inside of your upper shin bone to the inside of your bottoms thigh bone and maintains stability in the inner knee. Its functions to resist valgus pressure, or the knee being forced unnaturally inward. It combines with three other ligaments to keep the knee stable:

• 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 inside the knee and acts as a secondary front and back stabilizer
• LCL (lateral collateral ligament), which attaches the thigh bone to the fibula (the smaller bone the small bone behind the tibia) and helps keep the outer side of your knee joint stable

The knee is one of the biggest joints we have. 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 compete like you’re used to, or just live a pain-free day-to-day life. Certain physical therapy techniques and other treatment modalities, prescribed by a doctor, have been demonstrated through evidence to help patients manage their symptoms and return to optimal functionality.

What Types of MCL Injuries Are There?

For all intents and purposes, an MCL injury is either a sprain, wherein the MCL extends beyond its normal range of motion, or a tear, where the MCL is either partially or completely torn or separated from the bone. MCL injuries are “graded” in three tiers:

• Grade 1 — A grade 1 MCL injury refers to a sprain, or a tear where 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. Symptoms will likely be tenderness and some soreness.
• Grade 2 — This is more significant tearing, generally to the superficial part of the ligament. You will probably lose some stability in your knee, and the knee will likely be loose when moved by hand. A grade 2 injury will result in significantly more pain than a grade 2 MCL injury.
• Grade 3 — This occurs when your MCL is entirely torn, both the superficial and deep parts. Your knee will be significantly unstable. You will likely feel 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, our professional Creve Coeur, MO physical and occupational therapists at Axes can, alongside your doctor, implement an exhaustive and personalized plan to get you back to the things you love in a safe and effective manner.

How Do MCL Injuries Occur?

40% of all knee injuries involve damage to a ligament, and the MCL is the most commonly injured ligament. Most people often suffer and MCL injury because of a blow to the outer edge of the knee. MCL injuries can also occur if the knee is rotated more than the ligament can stand. They can also happen 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 athletic events that require a lot of sudden movement such as football, soccer, skiing, basketball, and tennis. They can also occur in people who have to squat 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 Creve Coeur, MO, you’ll likely notice the pain right away. Other symptoms may include:

• Hearing or feeling a popping noise or feeling
• Feeling like the may buckle
• Inability to bear weight
• Contusions
• Tenderness along the inside of the joint
• Swelling, either on the inside of the knee or the entire knee joint

Sometimes you may feel like your knee is “shaky”, while other times you’ll barely be able to move the knee. Any time you feel pain or instability in your knee, stop any strenuous activity immediately and schedule a physical examination in order to get a diagnosis.

Diagnosis and Treatment of an MCL Injury in Creve Coeur, MO

Diagnosing an MCL injury requires going to a physical examination. In the examination, your Creve Coeur, MO doctor or physical therapist will go over how the injury occurred, will feel for swelling and how your knee is different from your healthy knee, and check for stability.

Most physical therapists or doctors with knowledge of movement health in Creve Coeur, 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 radio waves to produce three-dimensional images of your soft tissue
• An ultrasound, which uses sound waves and can help determine how severely the MCL is torn
• 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 stipulates a prescription for further physical therapy.

Treating an MCL Injury in Creve Coeur, MO

Right after your MCL injury, you should start with basic first aid: reducing swelling, managing pain, and implementing the R.I.C.E. Method of Rest, Ice, Compression, and Elevation. For mild injuries, the R.I.C.E method, over-the-counter pain relievers, and some time with limited activity 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 time resting to allow your body to heal safely. Your Axes physical therapist in Creve Coeur, MO will be able to fit you for a knee brace to give your knee stability while it’s healing. Even with physical therapy, you’ll likely still continue the R.I.C.E. method and anti-inflammatory medication.

Surgery is typically only needed with severe grade 1 MCL injuries, or if the MCL tear is accompanied by an ACL tear or other damage to the joint. During the surgery, a surgeon will use a graft, either from one of your other ligaments or from another person, to reattach the torn sections. You would be able to go home the day of the surgery. If you do require surgery in Creve Coeur, MO, our physical therapists are experts at pre- and post-surgical rehabilitation to make your surgery and recovery as successful as possible.

How Do Physical Therapists in Creve Coeur, MO Treat MCL Injuries?

For recovering from any injury, a physically therapist will implement safe and evidence-backed exercises, each aimed at helping a specific part of the body regain a specific level or function. Physical therapy slowly and effectively improves strength in the strength in the muscles that power the knee, flexibility of ligaments and tendons, and range of motion to the knee so you can get back to what you love most and prevent further injury. A physical therapist may recommend and implement the following practices:

• To begin, light movements performed 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 research suggests can accelerate knee ligament healing
• Kinesio Taping®, which keeps the knee stable and helps control motion
• Trigger point dry needling to further help the body’s natural healing process
• Blood flow restriction training to improve strength while lifting lighter weights
• Athletic training and sports therapy for athletes who want to reduce the risk of reinjury

At Axes Physical Therapy in Creve Coeur, MO, all of our treatment plans are designed individually to each patient, proven through peer-reviewed research, 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 Creve Coeur, MO include:

• Neck Pain Treatment
• 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

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

An MCL injury is scary and anxiety-inducing at first, especially if you’re an athlete, but with our help, the ailment is only temporary. We know you place a lot of trust in your physical therapists, so the treatment method we plan for you will be safe and 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 Creve Coeur, MO, call the location nearest you and request an appointment online.