MCL Injury | Imperial, MO Physical Therapy

MCL Injury in Imperial, MO. For many athletes and physically active people, 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 I be sidelines for? Will this be the end of my athletic career? At Axes Physical Therapy in Imperial, MO, all of our physical and occupational therapists are committed 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 an integral component of any treatment plan for MCL injuries. Our physical therapists in Imperial, MO are all licensed and average more than 15 years of individual experience. For treatment plans you know will be effective, 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 a tough, flexible of connective tissue that affixes bone to bone and provides stability. The MCL runs from the inside of your upper shin bone to the inside of your bottoms thigh bone and helps keep your knee stable and functioning normally. Its main purpose is to guard against valgus pressure, or the knee being forced unnaturally inward. It combines with three other ligaments to keep the knee stable:

• ACL (anterior cruciate ligament), which goes through the middle of your knee and controls rotation and controls forward movement
• PCL (posterior cruciate ligament), which crosses 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 connects the thigh bone to the fibula (the smaller bone between the knee and ankle) 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 numerous knee injuries that can have tremendous consequences for your mobility and ability to do what you love most, or just complete basic tasks pain-free. Specific physical therapy exercises and other treatment modalities, prescribed by a doctor, have been proven to help patients manage their symptoms and return to normal mobility.

What Types of MCL Injuries Are There?

Generally speaking, an MCL injury either involves a sprain, wherein the MCL is stretched beyond its normal range of motion, or a tear, where the ligament may fray partially or entirely separate 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. It’s typically a mild injury, and don’t result in much instability. You will likely experience some tenderness and some soreness.
• Grade 2 — This is more significant tearing, most commonly to the superficial part of the MCL. You will probably lose some stability in your knee, and the knee will likely be loose when manipulated manually. A grade 2 injury will result in significantly more pain than a grade 2 MCL injury.
• Grade 3 — This occurs when your MCL is entirely torn, both the fibrous and deep parts. You will likely feel like your knee’s about to “give out.” Pain will be intense and you’ll likely feel a wide array of symptoms. Grade 3 MCL injuries often occur alongside other knee injuries such as ACL tears.

Whatever grade MCL injury you have, our professional Imperial, MO physical and occupational therapists at Axes can, alongside your physician, implement an exhaustive plan specially made for you and your injuries aimed at returning you to the life you’re used to without incurring further injury.

MCL Injuries: Causes and Symptoms

Ligament injuries account for 40% of all knee injuries, 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 too forcefully. They can also take place when landing or unnatural bending, such as if your foot stays in one place while you’re moving.

MCL injuries are common in 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 lift weights or lift heavy objects at their employment.

Common Symptoms of MCL Injuries

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

• Hearing or feeling a popping sound or sensation
• Feeling like the may buckle
• Inability to bear weight
• Contusions
• Tenderness along the inside of the joint
• Swelling, either where the MCL is located or the entire knee joint

Sometimes your knee may feel like your knee is loose when you walk, even if walking doesn’t hurt, or in other cases the knee feels too stiff. If you suspect you may have suffered an MCL injury, stop any strenuous activity immediately and seek medical treatment for a diagnosis.

Diagnosis and Treatment of an MCL Injury in Imperial, MO

Diagnosing an MCL injury requires going to a doctor’s office, urgent care or at a physical therapy center. In the examination, your Imperial, 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 perform a valgus stress test.

Most physical therapists or physicians that specialize in mobility of the human body in Imperial, MO will be able to diagnose an MCL injury with a physical examination. 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 produce detailed images of the knee joint
• 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 most convenient for you for a free, no-obligation injury screening. While we can determine if you have suffered an MCL injury, Missouri law requires that physical therapy be prescribed by a doctor.

How to Treat and MCL Injury in Imperial, MO

The initial treatment of an MCL injury consists of basic first aid: inflammation reduction, managing pain, and utilizing the R.I.C.E. Method of Rest, Ice, Compression, and Elevation. For grade 1 injuries, the R.I.C.E method, over-the-counter pain relievers, and a few days or week or two of rest may be all you need to get mostly back to normal.

Professional physical therapy is needed for grade 2 and 3 injuries to restore strength and function and get you back to the activities you love. You’ll also need time of limited activity to allow your body to heal safely. Your Axes physical therapist in Imperial, MO will be able to fit you for a knee brace so that you don’t suffer further injury. Even with physical therapy, you’ll likely still continue the R.I.C.E. method and over-the-counter meds.

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. The surgery is performed by using a graft, either from one of your other ligaments or an organ donor, to reattach the torn sections. You would not have to be hospitalized overnight. 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 build back strength safely after the surgery.

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

For recovering from any injury, a physically therapist will implement safe and evidence-backed exercises, each aimed at helping a specific part of the body get back to optimal movement health. Physical therapy slowly and effectively improves strength in the strength in the muscles that power the knee, flexibility of ligaments and tendons, and range of motion to the knee in the interest of not only recovery, but injury prevention. A physical therapist may recommend and implement the following practices:

• At the start, passive movements performed by your physical therapist to slowly get the ligament used to normal motion again
• More active exercises and stretches later to regain strength
• Exercises with resistant bands, weights, or cardio machines such as treadmill
• Instrument-assisted soft tissue mobilization, which has been proven to help accelerate knee ligament healing
• Kinesio Taping®, which provides further stability while your body heals and helps control motion
• Trigger point dry needling to stimulate harder-to-reach tissue
• Blood flow restriction training to improve strength while lifting lighter weights
• Athletic training and sports therapy for athletes who want to reduce the risk of reinjury

At Axes Physical Therapy in Imperial, MO, all of our treatment plans are designed individually to each patient, backed by empirical evidence, and created in concert with 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 Imperial, 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

Call an Axes Physical Therapist in Imperial, MO for Your MCL Injury

An MCL injury can be painful and frightening, especially if you’re an athlete or someone who finds joy in an active lifestyle, but with our help, the ailment is only temporary. 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 Imperial, MO, call the location nearest you and request an appointment online.