MCL Injury Festus, MO | Sports Rehab

MCL Injury | Festus, MO Physical Therapy

MCL Injury in Festus, 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 suffer an MCL injury? Is it significant? How long will I be sidelines for? Will I have to permanently give up the things I love doing? At Axes Physical Therapy in Festus, MO, we are driven by positive patient outcomes. While we can’t, we can make your recovery safe and effective through personalized, proven treatment plans. Physical therapy has been shown time and time again to be a critical part of any treatment plan for MCL injuries. Our physical therapists in Festus, MO specialize helping a variety of injuries and conditions in the musculoskeletal system heal. For treatment plans you know will be effective, reach out to the Axes location nearest you or contact us online.

What is the MCL?

MCL is an abbreviation for “medial collateral ligament.” A ligament is like a strong, firmly attached rope that attaches bone to bone and helps hold structures with the musculoskeletal system together. 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 chief purpose is to resist valgus stress, or the knee being pushed unnaturally inward. 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 controls rotation and controls forward movement
PCL (posterior cruciate ligament), which forms an “X” with the ACL inside 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 thigh bone to the fibula (the smaller bone in the lower leg) and helps keep the outer side of your knee joint stable

The knee is known for being one of our most complex joints. It depends on surrounding bone and muscle, and the tendons and ligaments in order to provide support and function properly. When any knee injury, such as an MCL tear, occurs it can greatly affect your mobility and ability to do what you love most, or just complete basic tasks pain-free. Certain physical therapy techniques and other treatment modalities, prescribed by a doctor, have been demonstrated through research and studies to help patients mitigate pain and swelling and get back to normal functionality.

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

What Types of MCL Injuries Are There?

In general, an MCL injury either involves a sprain, which stretches the ligament beyond its normal range of motion, or a tear, where the ligament 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 mild pain.
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. Symptoms of a grade 2 MCL injury generally include much more noticeable pain.
Grade 3 — A grade 3 tear is a complete tear, or separation from the bone. You will retain little to no stability. You will likely feel intense pain and several other symptoms. Grade 3 MCL injuries often occur alongside other knee injuries such as ACL tears.

Whatever grade MCL injury you have, the team of professional Festus, MO physical and occupational therapists at Axes can, as a team with your physician, create a comprehensive plan specially made for you and your injuries to get you back to the activities your love most without incurring further injury.

What Causes MCL Injuries?

Ligament injuries account for 40% of all knee injuries, and most of the time that ligament is the MCL. Most people often suffer and MCL injury because of a blow to the exterior of the knee. MCL injuries can also by the knee rotating more than the ligament can stand. They can also take place when landing or excessive 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

If you suffer an MCL injury in Festus, MO, you’ll probably notice the pain right away. Other symptoms may include:

A sudden “pop” on the inside of your knee
Feeling like the may give out
Inability to bear weight
Contusions
Tenderness where the MCL is located
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 the knee feels too rigid. Any time you feel pain or instability in your knee, do not participate in any more strenuous activity and schedule a physical examination in order to get a diagnosis.

Diagnosing and Treating an MCL Injury in Festus, MO

Diagnosing an MCL injury requires going to a doctor’s office, emergency room or at a physical therapy center. The examination will usually start with a doctor or physical therapist in Festus, MO asking how the injury occurred. They’ll then bend your knee and apply slight pressure to the outside of it, noting your pain level 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 that specialize in mobility of the human body in Festus, MO are qualified to diagnose an MCL injury with the above procedures. 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 computer-generated 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, may be ordered for a severe MCL injury to ensure there are no broken bones

You can also come to the Axes location nearest you for a free, no-risk injury screening. While we will be able to diagnose your injury, Missouri law mandates a prescription for further physical therapy.

Treating an MCL Injury in Festus, MO

Typically, treating an MCL injury begins 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 some time spent off your feet may be all you need for your body to heal itself.

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 Festus, MO will be able to fit you for a knee brace to give your knee stability while it’s healing. With physical therapy, you’ll still continue icing your knee and taking anti-inflammatory pain medication.

Though rare, 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 carried out by using a graft, either from one of your other ligaments or an organ donor, to reconstruct the ligament. You would be able to go home the day of the surgery. If your doctor thinks surgery is necessary, our physical therapists are experts at pre- and post-surgical rehabilitation, which ensures that your knee will be healthy enough for the ligament reconstruction, and you’ll build back strength safely after the surgery.

How Do Physical Therapists in Festus, 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. 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 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, light movements carried about by your physical therapist to slowly get the knee used to normal motion again
Exercised performed by you later to regain strength
Exercises with resistant bands, weights, or cardio machines such as an elliptical
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 improve strength while lifting lighter loads
Athletic training and sports therapy for athletes who want to improve their performance

At Axes Physical Therapy in Festus, MO, all of our treatment plans are as unique as each patient, and created with the help of your doctor, 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 Festus, MO include:

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

Schedule an Appointment With an Axes Physical Therapist in Festus, 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 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 Festus, MO, call the location nearest you and request an appointment online.