MCL Injury | Flint Hill, MO Physical Therapy

MCL Injury in Flint Hill, MO. For many athletes and physically active people, feeling that sudden “pop” in their knee creates a lot of doubts: Did I suffer an MCL injury? Is it significant? How long will it take to recover? Will I have to permanently give up the things I love doing? At Axes Physical Therapy in Flint Hill, MO, all of our physical and occupational therapists are committed to getting our patients back to sprinting down the court. While we’d like to be able to magically fix your MCL, we can make your recovery safe and effective through personalized, proven treatment plans. Physical therapy has proven to be a fundamental part of recovering from any MCL injury. Our physical therapists in Flint Hill, MO specialize helping a variety of injuries and conditions in the musculoskeletal system heal. For lasting and meaningful recovery, reach out to the Axes location most convenient for you you or contact us online.

The Anatomy of the MCL

MCL stands 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 maintains stability in the inner knee. Its functions to guard against valgus stress, or the knee being pushed unnaturally towards the other one. It combines with three other ligaments that work together to support normal function and stability:

• 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 prevents excessive posterior translation of the tibia relative to the femur
• LCL (lateral collateral ligament), which affixes the femur to the fibula (the smaller bone the small bone behind the tibia) and gives stability to the outer knee

The knee is one of the largest joints we have. 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 pursue the activities you love most, or just live a pain-free day-to-day life. Particular physical therapy techniques and other treatment modalities, prescribed by a doctor, have been proven to help those who have suffered an MCL injury mitigate pain and swelling and get back to optimal movement health.

What Types of MCL Injuries Are There?

In general, an MCL injury either involves a sprain, wherein the MCL is stretched beyond its normal limits, 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 sprain or tear means that the ligament has been stretched, and less than 10% of the MCL has been torn. It’s typically a mild injury, and your knee largely remains stable. Your knee will feel tender, and you may also experience mild pain.
• Grade 2 — This is a more moderate tear, usually to the more fibrous part of the MCL. Your knee will be slightly unstable, and your joint may be loose when manipulated manually. 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. Your knee will be significantly unstable. 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.

Whatever grade MCL injury you have, the team of licensed Flint Hill, MO physical and occupational therapists at Axes can, alongside your doctor, implement an extensive and personalized 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 most of the time that ligament is the MCL. Most people often suffer and MCL injury because of a force to the outer edge of the knee. MCL injuries can also occur if the knee is rotated too forcefully. They can also take place when landing or awkward bending, such as if your foot stays in one place while the rest of your body moves.

MCL injuries usually occur athletes in contact sports and in athletic events that require a lot of cutting and jumping such as football, soccer, skiing, basketball, and tennis. They can also occur in people who have to hunch over and lift heavy objects, either for athletic training or in the course of their employment.

Common Symptoms of MCL Injuries

Most MCL injuries are accompanied by immediate, noticeable pain. Other symptoms may include:

• Hearing or feeling a popping noise or feeling
• Instability
• Inability to bear weight
• Contusions
• Tenderness on the inside of your knee
• Inflammation, either where the MCL is located or the entire knee joint

Sometimes you may feel like your knee is “shaky”, or in other cases you’ll barely be able to move the knee. 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 Flint Hill, MO

MCL injuries are diagnosed in a doctor’s office, urgent care or at a physical therapy center. In the examination, your Flint Hill, 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 that specialize in the musculoskeletal system in Flint Hill, MO will be able 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 create detailed 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, while it won’t show the MCL or other ligaments, to insure your femur, patella, tibia, and fibula have not fractured

Axes Physical Therapy also offers injury screening injury screenings at no cost or obligation to you. While we can determine if you have suffered an MCL sprain or tear, Missouri law requires a prescription in order to officially begin physical therapy treatment.

How to Treat and MCL Injury in Flint Hill, MO

Right after your MCL injury, you should start with basic first aid: inflammation reduction, managing pain, and using the R.I.C.E. Method of Rest, Ice, Compression, and Elevation. For mild injuries, the R.I.C.E method, pain and swelling relievers, and some time spent resting may be sufficient for your body to heal itself.

Professional physical therapy is needed for grade 2 and 3 tears to restore strength and function 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 Flint Hill, MO can fit you for a knee brace so that you don’t suffer further injury. With physical therapy, you’ll still continue icing your knee and taking anti-inflammatory pain medication.

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. 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. The surgery is an outpatient procedure. If you do require surgery in Flint Hill, MO, our physical therapists specialize in pre- and post-surgical rehabilitation get you the best possible results from your surgery.

How Can Physical Therapy in Flint Hill, MO Treat My MCL Injury?

For recovering from any injury, a physically therapist will implement safe, targeted, and evidence-backed treatment methods based on each patient’s specific injury and the lifestyle they want to get back to. 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. Depending on you and your injuries, your treatment plan may include:

• To begin, passive movements performed by your physical therapist to help restore normal functionality
• 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 helps control 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 Flint Hill, MO, all of our treatment plans are as unique as each patient, and created in concert with your doctor, in order to get you the best patient outcome possible and get you back to doing what you love to do most.

Other services we offer in Flint Hill, 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 Flint Hill, 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. 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 Flint Hill, MO, call the location nearest you and request an appointment online.