MCL Injury Grantwood Village, MO | Sports Rehab

MCL Injury | Grantwood Village, MO Physical Therapy

MCL Injury in Grantwood Village, MO. If someone plays sports or engages in other physical activity, it’s easy to fear the worst when you hear that sudden “pop” in your knee: Did I injure my MCL? How bad is the injury? How long will it take to recover? Will this be the end of my athletic career? At Axes Physical Therapy in Grantwood Village, MO, all of our physical and occupational therapists are dedicated 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, effective treatments. Physical therapy has proven to be a critical aspect of recovering from any MCL injury. Our physical therapists in Grantwood Village, MO are movement health experts. For treatment plans you know will be effective, 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 connects 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 keeps the knee from moving side to side. Its functions to withstand valgus stress, or the knee being forced too far inward. It combines with three other ligaments that work together to support normal function and stability:

ACL (anterior cruciate ligament), which goes through the middle of your knee and controls rotation and controls forward movement
PCL (posterior cruciate ligament), which forms an “X” with the ACL in the middle of the knee and prevents excessive posterior translation of the tibia relative to the femur
LCL (lateral collateral ligament), which attaches the thigh bone 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. A healthy knee relies on surrounding bone and muscle, and the tendons and ligaments in order to provide stability and function properly. There are countless knee injuries that can greatly affect your mobility and ability to do what you love most, or just get around the house pain-free. Certain physical therapy techniques and other treatment modalities, prescribed by a doctor, have been proven to help those who have suffered an MCL injury reduce pain and return to normal functionality.

MCL Injury Grantwood Village, MO | Sports Rehab | Injury Prevention | Physical Therapy Near Grantwood Village

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 ligament is either partially or completely torn or separated from the bone. There are three grades to MCL injuries:

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 largely remains stable. Your knee will feel tender, and you may also experience soreness.
Grade 2 — This is more significant tearing, most commonly to the middle layer of the MCL. Your knee will be slightly unstable, and the knee will likely 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. Your knee will be significantly unstable. You will likely feel significant pain and several other symptoms. Grade 3 MCL injuries often occur alongside other knee injuries such as ACL tears.

However significant your MCL injuries, our qualified Grantwood Village, MO physical and occupational therapists at Axes can, in concert with your doctor, implement a comprehensive plan specially made for you and your injuries to get you back to the things you love safely.

MCL Injuries: Causes and Symptoms

Ligament injuries account for 40% of all knee injuries, and the MCL is the most commonly injured ligament. 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 unnatural bending, such as if a cleat is stuck in grass while your leg keeps moving.

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

Most people feel pain immediately on the inside of the joint when they experience an MCL sprain or tear. 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. Any time you feel pain or instability in your knee, cease any strenuous activity immediately and seek medical treatment for a diagnosis.

Diagnosing and Treating an MCL Injury in Grantwood Village, MO

Diagnosing an MCL injury requires going to a doctor’s office, urgent care or at a physical therapy center. In the examination, your Grantwood Village, MO doctor or physical therapist will go over what led to the injury, 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 Grantwood Village, 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 magnetic field 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, to insure your femur, patella, tibia, and fibula have not fractured

You can also visit the Axes location nearest you for a complimentary, no-obligation injury screening. While we will be able to diagnose your injury, Missouri Revised Statute §334.506 requires a prescription for further physical therapy.

How to Treat and MCL Injury in Grantwood Village, MO

Typically, treating an MCL injury begins with basic first aid: inflammation reduction, easing discomfort, and using the R.I.C.E. Method of Rest, Ice, Compression, and Elevation. For sprains or slight tears, the R.I.C.E method, over-the-counter pain relievers, and some time spent resting may be sufficient to get mostly back to normal.

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 to refrain from most physical until your knee is strong again. Your Axes physical therapist in Grantwood Village, MO can fit you for a knee brace to give your knee stability while it’s healing. 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. During the surgery, a surgeon will use 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 you do require surgery in Grantwood Village, 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 Grantwood Village, 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’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 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:

At the start, light movements performed by your physical therapist to slowly get the MCL used to normal motion again
More active exercises and stretches later to regain strength
Exercises with resistant bands, weight lifting equipment, or cardio machines such as an elliptical
Instrument-assisted soft tissue mobilization, which research suggests can accelerate knee ligament healing
Kinesio Taping®, which keeps the knee stable and helps control 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 Grantwood Village, MO, all of our treatment plans are as unique as each patient, and created with the help of your physician, in order to deliver you the best client experience and get you back to the activities you love.

Other injuries we help treat in Grantwood Village, MO include:

MCL Injury Grantwood Village, MO | Athletic Training | Sports Training | Physical Therapy Near Grantwood Village

Call an Axes Physical Therapist in Grantwood Village, 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 our clients trust us with their recovery, 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 Grantwood Village, MO, call the location nearest you and request an appointment online.