MCL Injury Hematite, MO | Sports Rehab

MCL Injury | Hematite, MO Physical Therapy

MCL Injury in Hematite, 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? How bad is the injury? How long will it take to recover? Will my knee ever be the same again? At Axes Physical Therapy in Hematite, MO, all of our physical and occupational therapists are committed to positive patient outcomes. While we can’t, we can help ensure you get back to feeling like yourself with safe, effective treatments. Physical therapy has been shown time and time again to be a fundamental aspect of recovering from any MCL injury. Our physical therapists in Hematite, 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.

How the MCL Works

MCL is an abbreviation for “medial collateral ligament.” A ligament is like a strong, firmly attached rope that attaches bone to bone 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 helps keep your knee stable and moving normally. Its functions to guard against valgus pressure, or the knee being pushed unnaturally towards the other one. It is one of four ligaments that help keep the knee stable, 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 forms an “X” with the ACL inside the knee and controls backward movement
LCL (lateral collateral ligament), which affixes the femur to the fibula (the smaller bone between the knee and ankle) and provides stability to the outer knee

The knee is one of the most complex joints we have. Optimal structure and function depends on surrounding bone, muscle, tendons, and ligaments. There are a variety of knee injuries that can have tremendous consequences for 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 demonstrated through research and studies to help those who have suffered an MCL injury manage their symptoms and return to normal movement health.

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

What Types of MCL Injuries Are There?

For all intents and purposes, an MCL injury is either a sprain, wherein the MCL extends beyond its normal range of motion, or a tear, where the ligament is either partially or completely torn or separated from the bone. MCL injuries are “graded” in three levels:

Grade 1 — A grade 1 sprain or tear means that the ligament has been stretched, and less than 10% of the the fibers in your MCL are torn. These injuries are typically not especially painful or debilitating, and don’t result in much instability. Your knee will feel tender, and you may also experience mild pain.
Grade 2 — This injury is when the MCL suffers more significant tearing, usually to the superficial part of the MCL. You will probably lose some stability in your knee, 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. You will likely feel like your knee’s about to buckle. You will likely experience significant pain and several other symptoms. The injury may actually caused by or accompanied by other serious knee injuries such as ACL tears.

Whatever grade MCL injury you have, our professional Hematite, MO physical and occupational therapists at Axes can, alongside your physician, create an extensive and customized plan to get you back to the activities your love most without incurring further injury.

How Do MCL Injuries Occur?

40% of all knee injuries involve damage to the MCL, LCL, ACL, or PCL, and the MCL is the most commonly injured ligament. MCL injuries occur due to the knee suddenly being forced too far inward. MCL injuries can also occur if the knee is rotated more than the ligament can support. They can also take place when landing or awkward bending, such as if a cleat is stuck in grass while your leg keeps moving.

MCL injuries are common in athletes in contact sports and in athletic events that require a lot of sudden movement such as football, soccer, skiing, basketball, and tennis. They can also occur in people who lift weights or lift heavy objects at their work.

Common Symptoms of MCL Injuries

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

A sudden “pop” on the inside of your knee
The knee being unstable
Inability to bear weight
Bruising
Tenderness on the inside of your knee
Inflammation, either where the MCL is located or the whole knee

Sometimes you may feel like your knee is “shaky”, while other times the knee feels too stiff. If you experience any of the above symptoms, cease any strenuous activity immediately and schedule a physical examination in order to get a diagnosis.

Diagnosis and Treatment of an MCL Injury in Hematite, MO

Diagnosing an MCL injury requires going to a doctor’s office, urgent care or at a physical therapy center. In the examination, your Hematite, 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 physicians with knowledge of movement health in Hematite, MO will be able 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 create detailed images of the inside of your knee
An ultrasound, which uses sound waves and can help determine the grade of your injury
An X-ray, which, while it won’t show the MCL or other ligaments, to insure your femur, kneecap, tibia, and fibula have not been broken

Axes Physical Therapy also offers injury screening injury screenings at no cost or obligation to you. While we will be able to diagnose your injury, Missouri law mandates that physical therapy be prescribed by a doctor.

How to Treat and MCL Injury in Hematite, MO

Typically, treating an MCL injury begins with basic first aid: swelling reduction, relieving discomfort, and utilizing 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 all you need for your body’s natural healing processes to get you back on your feet.

Professional physical therapy is needed for grade 2 and 3 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 Hematite, MO can fit you for a knee brace in order to prevent your knee from becoming more instable while your MCL is still healing. With physical therapy, you’ll still continue icing your knee and taking anti-inflammatory pain medication.

Surgery is typically only needed with severe grade 1 MCL injuries, or if the MCL tear is accompanied by an ACL tear or other damage to the knee. During the surgery, a surgeon will use a graft, either from your hamstring or from another person, to reconstruct the ligament. You would be able to go home the day of the surgery. If you do require surgery in Hematite, MO, our physical therapists are experts at pre- and post-surgical rehabilitation get you the best possible results from your surgery.

How Can Physical Therapy in Hematite, 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’s specific injury and the lifestyle they want to get back to. Physical therapy slowly and effectively improves strength in the surrounding muscles, flexibility of soft tissue, and range of motion to the joint in the interest of not only recovery, but injury prevention. Depending on you and your injuries, your treatment plan may include:

At the start, light 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 a stationary bike
Instrument-assisted soft tissue mobilization, which studies show can accelerate knee ligament healing
Kinesio Taping®, which provides further stability while your body heals and encourages normal function
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 reduce the risk of reinjury

At Axes Physical Therapy in Hematite, MO, all of our treatment plans are designed individually to each patient, proven through peer-reviewed research, and created with the help of 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 Hematite, MO include:

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

Call an Axes Physical Therapist in Hematite, 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 we repay that trust with safe and effective treatments that are 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 Hematite, MO, call the location nearest you and request an appointment online.