MCL Injury Horine, MO | Sports Rehab

MCL Injury | Horine, MO Physical Therapy

MCL Injury in Horine, MO. If someone plays sports or engages in other physical activity, feeling that sudden “pop” in their knee creates a lot of doubts: Did I suffer an MCL injury? How bad is the injury? How long will I be sidelines for? Will I have to permanently give up the things I love doing? At Axes Physical Therapy in Horine, MO, all of our physical and occupational therapists are dedicated to positive patient experiences. While we’d like to be able to make your MCL injury go away, we can make your recovery safe and effective through tailored, evidence-based treatment plans. Physical therapy has proven to be a fundamental aspect of recovering from any MCL injury. Our physical therapists in Horine, 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 schedule an appointment online.

The Anatomy of the MCL

MCL an acronym for “medial collateral ligament.” A ligament is like a strong, firmly attached rope that attaches bone to bone and helps hold structures with the body together. The MCL runs from the inside of your upper shin bone to the inside of your bottoms thigh bone and maintains stability in the inner knee. Its functions to resist valgus pressure, or the knee being forced 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 prevents the knee from bending inward
PCL (posterior cruciate ligament), which crosses the ACL inside the knee and prevents excessive posterior translation of the tibia relative to the femur
LCL (lateral collateral ligament), which runs along the outside of the knee from the femur 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. Correct structure and function depends on surrounding bone, muscle, tendons, and ligaments. There are numerous knee injuries that can greatly affect your mobility and pursue the activities you love most, or just live a pain-free day-to-day life. Certain physical therapy techniques and other treatment modalities, prescribed by a doctor, have been proven to help patients manage their symptoms and return to optimal mobility.

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

What Types of MCL Injuries Are There?

In general, 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. 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 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 soreness.
Grade 2 — This is a more moderate tear, usually to the superficial part of the MCL. Your knee will be slightly unstable, and the knee will likely be loose when moved by hand. Pain is much more severe in a grade 2 MCL injury.
Grade 3 — This occurs when your MCL is entirely torn, both the fibrous and deep parts. You will retain little to no stability. You will likely experience intense 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 professional Horine, MO physical and occupational therapists at Axes can, alongside your doctor, implement an exhaustive and tailored plan aimed at returning you to the life you’re used to without incurring further injury.

MCL Injuries: Causes and Symptoms

40% of all knee injuries involve damage to a ligament, and most of the time that ligament is the MCL. Most MCL injuries occur due to a blow to the exterior of the knee. MCL injuries can also occur if the knee is rotated more than the ligament can support. They can also occur because of landing or excessive bending, such as if a cleat is stuck in grass while you’re moving.

MCL injuries usually occur athletes in contact sports and in activities that require a lot of cutting and jumping 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 Horine, MO, you’ll likely notice the pain right away. Other symptoms may include:

Hearing or feeling a popping noise or feeling
Feeling like the may buckle
Not being able to put any weight on the knee
Bruising
Tenderness where the MCL is located
Inflammation, either on the inside of the knee or the whole knee

Sometimes you may feel like your knee is “shaky”, while other times you’ll barely be able to move the knee. If you suspect you may have suffered an MCL injury, 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 Horine, MO

MCL injuries are diagnosed in a physical examination. In the examination, your Horine, 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 that specialize in the musculoskeletal system in Horine, MO are qualified to determine if you have 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 radio waves to take detailed images of the knee joint
An ultrasound, which uses sound waves and can help determine how severely the MCL is torn
An X-ray, which does not show soft tissue, to insure your femur, patella, 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 can determine if you have suffered an MCL sprain or tear, Missouri Revised Statute §334.506 requires a prescription for further physical therapy.

How to Treat and MCL Injury in Horine, MO

Right after your MCL injury, you should start with basic first aid: swelling reduction, relieving discomfort, and utilizing 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 with limited activity may be sufficient to get mostly back to normal.

Grade 2 or 3 tears 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 strenuous until your knee is strong again. Your Axes physical therapist in Horine, MO can 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.

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 structures of the knee. During the surgery, a surgeon will use a graft, either from one of your other ligaments or an organ donor, to reconstruct the MCL. The surgery is an outpatient procedure. If your doctor thinks surgery is necessary, our physical therapists are experts at pre- and post-surgical rehabilitation to make your surgery and recovery as successful as possible.

How Do Physical Therapists in Horine, MO Treat MCL Injuries?

The goal of physical therapy, when dealing with any injury, is to implement safe and evidence-backed exercises, each aimed at helping a specific part of the body regain a specific level or function. Physical therapy slowly and effectively improves strength in the surrounding muscles, flexibility of ligaments and tendons, and range of motion to the knee in the interest of not only recovery, but injury prevention. Depending on you and your injuries, your treatment plan may include:

To begin, passive motions carried about by your physical therapist to slowly get the knee 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 a stationary bike
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 athletes who want to improve their performance

At Axes Physical Therapy in Horine, MO, all of our treatment plans are as unique as each patient, and created with the help of your physician, in order to get you the best patient outcome possible and get you back to the activities you love.

Other conditions we help treat in Horine, MO include:

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

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