MCL Injury Desloge, MO | Sports Rehab

MCL Injury | Desloge, MO Physical Therapy

MCL Injury in Desloge, MO. For many people who maintain an active lifestyle, 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 Desloge, MO, we are driven by getting our clients back to the activities they love most. While we’d like to be able to make your MCL injury go away, 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 an essential aspect of any treatment plan for MCL injuries. Our physical therapists in Desloge, MO are movement health experts. For lasting and meaningful recovery, reach out to the Axes location nearest you or contact us online.

The Anatomy of the MCL

MCL an acronym for “medial collateral ligament.” A ligament is a fibrous of connective tissue that attaches bones to each other 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 helps keep your knee stable and moving normally. Its chief purpose is to resist valgus stress, or the knee being forced 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 controls forward movement
PCL (posterior cruciate ligament), which crosses 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 the small bone behind the tibia) and prevents the knee from being pushed too far outward

The knee is known for being one of our most complex joints. Optimal structure and function depends on surrounding bone, muscle, tendons, and ligaments. There are a variety of knee injuries that can greatly affect your mobility and pursue the activities you love most, or just complete basic tasks pain-free. Certain physical therapy exercises and other treatment modalities, prescribed by a doctor, have been demonstrated through research and analysis to help those who have suffered an MCL injury manage their symptoms and get back to normal movement health.

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

What Types of MCL Injuries Are There?

For all intents and purposes, an MCL injury is either 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. 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. 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, generally to the middle layer of the ligament. Your knee will be slightly unstable, and the knee will likely 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. You will likely feel like your knee’s about to “give out.” You will likely experience significant pain and 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 professional Desloge, MO physical and occupational therapists at Axes can, as a team with your physician, create an extensive and personalized plan to get you back to the activities your love most in a safe and effective manner.

How Do MCL Injuries Occur?

Ligament injuries account for 40% of all knee injuries, and most of the time that ligament is the MCL. 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 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 you’re moving.

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 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:

A sudden “pop” on the inside of your knee
Instability
Not being able to put any weight on the knee
Contusions
Tenderness where the MCL is located
Swelling, either where the MCL is located or the entire knee joint

Sometimes you may feel a “wobbly” sensation, or in other cases the knee feels too rigid. If you experience any of the above symptoms, do not participate in any more strenuous activity and seek medical treatment for a diagnosis.

Diagnosis and Treatment of an MCL Injury in Desloge, MO

MCL injuries are diagnosed in a physical examination. The examination will usually start with a doctor or physical therapist in Desloge, 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 doctors that specialize in the musculoskeletal system in Desloge, 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 magnetic field and radio waves to create three-dimensional images of the inside of your knee
An ultrasound, which uses sound waves and can help determine how severely the ligament is torn
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 law mandates a prescription for further physical therapy.

How to Treat and MCL Injury in Desloge, MO

Right after your MCL injury, you should start with basic first aid: reducing swelling, relieving discomfort, and utilizing 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 some time with limited activity may be sufficient for your body to heal itself.

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 resting to allow your body to heal safely. Your Axes physical therapist in Desloge, MO will be able to fit you for a knee brace in order to prevent your knee from bending too far inward while your MCL is still healing. Even with physical therapy, you’ll likely still continue the R.I.C.E. method and over-the-counter meds.

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 knee. The surgery is carried out by using a graft, either from one of your other ligaments or from another person, to reattach the torn sections. The surgery is an outpatient procedure. If your doctor thinks surgery is necessary, 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 Desloge, MO Treat My MCL Injury?

For recovering from any injury, a physically therapist will design safe, targeted, and evidence-backed treatment methods based on each patient as an individual. Physical therapy slowly and effectively improves strength in the strength in the muscles that power the joint, flexibility of ligaments and tendons, and range of motion to the joint 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, light motions carried about by your physical therapist to help restore normal functionality
More active exercises and stretches later to regain strength
Exercises with elastic 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 provides further stability while your body heals and encourages normal motion
Trigger point dry needling to stimulate harder-to-reach tissue
Blood flow restriction training to improve strength while lifting lighter loads
Athletic training and sports therapy for those whose main goal is to get back onto the court or field

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

Other conditions we help treat in Desloge, MO include:

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

Call an Axes Physical Therapist in Desloge, 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 the treatment method we plan for you will be safe and 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 Desloge, MO, call the location nearest you and request an appointment online.