MCL Injury Farmington, MO | Sports Rehab

MCL Injury | Farmington, MO Physical Therapy

MCL Injury in Farmington, MO. For many people who maintain an active lifestyle, it’s easy to fear the worst when you hear that sudden “pop” in your knee: Did I suffer an MCL injury? Is it significant? How long will it take to recover? Will this be the end of my athletic career? At Axes Physical Therapy in Farmington, MO, we are driven by positive patient experiences. While we can’t, we can make your recovery safe and effective through tailored, evidence-based treatment plans. Physical therapy has proven to be an integral aspect of recovering from any MCL injury. Our physical therapists in Farmington, MO specialize helping a variety of injuries and conditions in the musculoskeletal system heal. For treatment plans you know will be effective, call the Axes location most convenient for you you or contact us online.

How the MCL Works

MCL an acronym for “medial collateral ligament.” A ligament is like a strong, firmly attached rope that affixes 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 guard against valgus stress, or the knee being forced unnaturally towards the other one. 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 tibia from sliding too far forward on the femur
PCL (posterior cruciate ligament), which crosses the ACL inside the knee and the femur from sliding off the tibia
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 helps keep the outer side of your knee joint stable

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 limit or completely restrict your mobility and ability to do what you love most, or just live a pain-free day-to-day life. Certain physical therapy exercises and other treatment modalities, prescribed by a doctor, have been demonstrated through research and studies to help those who have suffered an MCL injury manage their symptoms and return to optimal functionality.

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

What Types of MCL Injuries Are There?

For all intents and purposes, an MCL injury is either a sprain, wherein the MCL is stretched beyond its normal limits, 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 sprain or tear means that the ligament has been stretched, and less than 10% of the MCL has been torn. These are not generally severe, and your knee will still be stable. Your knee will feel tender, and you may also experience soreness.
Grade 2 — This injury is when the MCL suffers more significant tearing, most commonly to the middle layer of the ligament. Your knee will be slightly unstable, and your joint may be loose when moved by hand. 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.” Pain will be intense and you’ll likely feel several other symptoms. Grade 3 MCL injuries often occur alongside other knee injuries such as ACL tears.

However significant your MCL injuries, the team of licensed Farmington, MO physical and occupational therapists at Axes can, in concert with your doctor, create an extensive and tailored plan aimed at returning you to the life you’re used to without incurring further injury.

What Causes MCL Injuries?

Ligament injuries account for 40% of all knee injuries, and the MCL is the most commonly injured ligament. People often suffer and MCL injury because of 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 excessive bending, such as if your foot stays in one place 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 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 Farmington, MO, you’ll likely notice the pain right away. Other symptoms may include:

Hearing or feeling a popping noise or feeling
Instability
Pain or discomfort when trying to bear weight
Bruising
Tenderness along the inside of the joint
Inflammation, either of the MCL area or the whole knee

Sometimes you may feel like your knee is “shaky”, while other times you’ll barely be able to move the knee. If you suspect you may have suffered an MCL injury, do not participate in any more strenuous activity and seek medical treatment for a diagnosis.

Diagnosis and Treatment of an MCL Injury in Farmington, MO

MCL injuries are diagnosed in a physical examination. In the examination, your Farmington, 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 gently see if your knee is unstanble while bending inward, and your pain level.

Most physical therapists or doctors that specialize in mobility of the human body in Farmington, MO are qualified to determine if you have an MCL injury with the above procedures. Other tests to check severity or to confirm may include:

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 be helpful in checking the severity of your injury
An X-ray, which does not show soft tissue, to insure your femur, patella, tibia, and fibula have not fractured

You can also come to the Axes location nearest you for a free, no-obligation injury screening. While we can offer you an evaluation, Missouri law requires that physical therapy be prescribed by a doctor.

How to Treat and MCL Injury in Farmington, MO

Right after your MCL injury, you should start with basic first aid: inflammation reduction, managing discomfort, 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 enough for your body to heal itself.

More significant 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 of limited activity to allow your body to heal safely. Your Axes physical therapist in Farmington, MO can fit you for a knee brace in order to prevent your knee from moving side to side while your MCL is still healing. 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 an organ donor, to reattach the torn sections. You would not have to be hospitalized overnight. If you do require surgery in Farmington, MO, our physical therapists are experts at pre- and post-surgical rehabilitation get you the best possible results from your surgery.

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

For recovering from any injury, a physically therapist will implement 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 slowly get the knee used to normal motion again
More active exercises and stretches later to further develop strength and flexibility
Exercises with elastic bands, weight lifting equipment, 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 further help the body’s natural healing process
Blood flow restriction training to help you make greater strength gains while lessening stress on the joint
Athletic training and sports therapy for athletes who want to improve their performance

At Axes Physical Therapy in Farmington, MO, all of our treatment plans are designed individually to each patient, proven through peer-reviewed research, and created in concert with your physician, in order to get you the best patient outcome possible and get you back to doing what you love to do most.

Other injuries we help treat in Farmington, MO include:

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

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

An MCL injury is scary and anxiety-inducing at first, especially if you’re an athlete or someone who finds joy in an active lifestyle, but with our help, you can get back to how you used to feel. We know our clients trust us with their recovery, 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 anatomy of the knee so you can stay as healthy and active as possible. For meaningful and lasting recovery from your MCL injury in Farmington, MO, call the location nearest you and request an appointment online.