MCL Injury | Femme Osage, MO Physical Therapy

MCL Injury in Femme Osage, MO. If someone plays sports or engages in other physical activity, feeling that sudden “pop” in their knee creates a lot of anxiety: Did I suffer an MCL injury? How bad is the injury? How long will it take to recover? Will I ever be able to perform at the same level again? At Axes Physical Therapy in Femme Osage, MO, all of our physical and occupational therapists are committed to positive patient outcomes. While we’d like to be able to magically fix your MCL, we can help ensure you get back to feeling like yourself with safe, evidence-backed treatments. Physical therapy has proven to be a fundamental aspect of any treatment plan for MCL injuries. Our physical therapists in Femme Osage, MO specialize helping a variety of injuries and conditions in the musculoskeletal system heal. For lasting and meaningful recovery, call the Axes location nearest you or schedule an appointment online.

The Anatomy of the MCL

MCL an acronym for “medial collateral ligament.” A ligament is like a strong, firmly attached rope that attaches bone to bone and keeps joints stable. 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 functions to resist valgus pressure, or the knee being pushed unnaturally towards the other one. It is one of four ligaments in the knee, along with the:

• 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 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 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 one of the biggest joints in the human body. Correct structure and movement depends on surrounding bone, muscle, tendons, and ligaments. There are countless knee injuries that can limit or completely restrict your mobility and ability to do what you love most, or just complete basic tasks pain-free. Particular physical therapy techniques and other treatment modalities, prescribed by a doctor, have been demonstrated through research and analysis to help patients manage their symptoms and return to normal mobility.

What Types of MCL Injuries Are There?

Generally speaking, an MCL injury is either a sprain, wherein the MCL is stretched farther than is naturally, 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 MCL injury refers to a sprain, or a tear where 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 is more significant tearing, generally to the superficial part of the MCL. You will probably lose some stability in the joint, and your joint may 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 buckle. Pain will be intense and you’ll likely feel a wide array of symptoms. The injury may actually caused by or accompanied by other serious knee injuries such as ACL tears.

However significant your MCL injuries, the team of qualified Femme Osage, MO physical and occupational therapists at Axes can, as a team with your physician, develop an extensive plan uniquely made for you and your injuries aimed at returning you to the life you’re used to without incurring further injury.

How Do MCL Injuries Occur?

40% of all knee injuries involve damage to a ligament, 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 more than the ligament can support. They can also take place when landing or excessive bending, such as if your foot stays in one place while the rest of your body moves.

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

Most people feel pain immediately on the inside of the knee when they experience an MCL sprain or tear. 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 along the inside of the joint
• Inflammation, either on the inside of the knee 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 Femme Osage, MO

Diagnosing an MCL injury requires going to a doctor’s office, emergency room or at a physical therapy center. The exam will usually start with a doctor or physical therapist in Femme Osage, 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 physicians with knowledge of movement health in Femme Osage, MO are qualified to diagnose 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 magnetic field and computer-generated radio waves to produce 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, patella, tibia, and fibula have not been broken

You can also come to the Axes location most convenient for you for a complimentary, no-obligation injury screening. While we can offer you an evaluation, Missouri law stipulates a prescription in order to officially begin physical therapy treatment.

Treating an MCL Injury in Femme Osage, MO

The initial treatment of an MCL injury consists of basic first aid: reducing swelling, easing pain, 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 enough for your body’s natural healing processes to get you back on your feet.

Professional physical therapy is needed for more severe injuries to restore strength and optimal range of motion and get you back to racing down or around the court or field. You’ll also need time off your feet to allow your body to heal safely. Your Axes physical therapist in Femme Osage, 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 over-the-counter meds.

Though rare, the worst grade 1 tears — 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. The surgery is carried out by using a graft, either from your hamstring 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 will be able to treat you with pre- and post-surgical rehabilitation, which ensures that your knee will be healthy enough for the ligament reconstruction, and you’ll safely restore, strength, flexibility, and range of motion after.

How Can Physical Therapy in Femme Osage, MO Treat My MCL Injury?

For recovering from any injury, a physically therapist will implement safe, effective, and evidence-backed treatment methods based on each patient as an individual. These treatments and exercises will, over time, build strength in the surrounding muscles, 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 motions carried about by your physical therapist to slowly get the joint used to normal motion again
• Exercised performed by you later to regain strength
• Exercises with elastic bands, weight lifting equipment, or cardio machines such as an elliptical
• Instrument-assisted soft tissue mobilization, which studies show can accelerate knee ligament healing
• Kinesio Taping®, which provides further stability while your body heals 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 improve their performance

At Axes Physical Therapy in Femme Osage, MO, all of our treatment plans are designed individually to each patient, backed by empirical evidence, and created in concert with your physician, 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 Femme Osage, 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 Femme Osage, MO for Your MCL Injury

An MCL injury can be painful and frightening, especially if you’re an athlete, but with our help, you can get back to how you used to feel. 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 Femme Osage, MO, call the location nearest you and request an appointment online.