MCL Injury Herculaneum, MO | Sports Rehab

MCL Injury | Herculaneum, MO Physical Therapy

MCL Injury in Herculaneum, 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 suffer an MCL injury? Is it significant? How long will it take to recover? Will my knee ever be the same again? At Axes Physical Therapy in Herculaneum, MO, all of our physical and occupational therapists are dedicated to getting our patients back to the activities they love most. While we’d like to be able to magically fix your MCL, we can make your recovery safe and effective through customized, evidence-based 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 Herculaneum, MO are movement health experts. For lasting and meaningful recovery, call the Axes location nearest you or request an appointment online.

What is the MCL?

MCL an acronym for “medial collateral ligament.” A ligament is like a strong, firmly attached rope that connects 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 resist valgus stress, or the knee being forced 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 knee from bending inward
PCL (posterior cruciate ligament), which crosses the ACL in the middle of the knee and controls backward movement
LCL (lateral collateral ligament), which attaches 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 one of the largest joints in the human body. Optimal structure and movement depends on surrounding bone, muscle, tendons, and ligaments. When any knee injury, such as an MCL tear, occurs it can limit or completely restrict your mobility and pursue the activities you love most, or just get around the house pain-free. Particular physical therapy exercises and other treatment modalities, prescribed by a doctor, have been proven to help patients mitigate pain and swelling and return to normal mobility.

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

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 MCL is either partially or completely torn or separated 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 the fibers in your MCL are torn. These injuries are typically not especially painful or debilitating, and your knee largely remains 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 MCL. You will probably lose some stability in the joint, 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. Your knee will be significantly unstable. 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 licensed Herculaneum, MO physical and occupational therapists at Axes can, in concert with your physician, develop an exhaustive plan specially made for you and your injuries to get you back to the things you love without incurring further injury.

How Do MCL Injuries Occur?

Ligament injuries account for 40% of all knee injuries, and the MCL is the most commonly injured ligament. When you suffer a forceful trauma to the outside of your knee, it can push the knee inside far enough that the MCL strains or tears. MCL injuries can also occur if the knee is rotated more than the ligament can support. They can also occur because of landing or awkward 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 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 sudden, noticeable pain. Other symptoms may include:

A sudden “pop” on the inside of your knee
Instability
Inability to bear weight
Contusions
Tenderness on the inside of your knee
Inflammation, either on the inside of the knee or the whole knee

Sometimes you may feel like your knee is “shaky”, or in other cases the knee feels too rigid. If you suspect you may have suffered an MCL injury, stop any strenuous activity immediately and schedule a physical examination in order to get a diagnosis.

Diagnosing and Treating an MCL Injury in Herculaneum, MO

MCL injuries are diagnosed in a doctor’s office, emergency room or at a physical therapy center. In the examination, your Herculaneum, 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 check for stability.

Most physical therapists or doctors that specialize in the musculoskeletal system in Herculaneum, 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 magnetic field and computer-generated radio waves to produce detailed images of your soft tissue
An ultrasound, which uses sound waves and can help determine how severely the ligament is torn
An X-ray, which, while it won’t show the MCL or other ligaments, may be ordered for a severe MCL injury to ensure there are no broken bones

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 injury, Missouri law stipulates that physical therapy be prescribed by a physician.

How to Treat and MCL Injury in Herculaneum, MO

Right after your MCL injury, you should start with basic first aid: reducing swelling, reducing 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 off your feet may be enough for your body’s natural healing processes to get you back on your feet.

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 Herculaneum, MO will be able to fit you for a knee brace in order to prevent your knee from becoming more instable while your MCL is still 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. The surgery is carried out by using a graft, either from your hamstring or from another person, to reconstruct the MCL. 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 Do Physical Therapists in Herculaneum, MO Treat MCL Injuries?

For recovering from any injury, a physically therapist will create 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 soft tissue, 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 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 resistant bands, weight lifting equipment, or cardio machines such as a stationary bike
Instrument-assisted soft tissue mobilization, which research suggests 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 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 Herculaneum, MO, all of our treatment plans are designed specifically for you, backed by empirical evidence, and created alongside your doctor, in order to get you the best patient outcome possible and get you back to the activities you love.

Other services we offer in Herculaneum, MO include:

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

Schedule an Appointment With an Axes Physical Therapist in Herculaneum, MO for Your MCL Injury

An MCL injury is scary and anxiety-inducing at first, especially if you’re an athlete, but there’s no reason it has to put you on the sideline forever. We know our clients trust us with their recovery, 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 anatomy of the knee so you can stay as healthy and active as possible. For meaningful and lasting recovery from your MCL injury in Herculaneum, MO, call the location nearest you and request an appointment online.