MCL Injury Lake Tekawitha, MO | Sports Rehab

MCL Injury | Lake Tekawitha, MO Physical Therapy

MCL Injury in Lake Tekawitha, 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 injure my MCL? How bad is the injury? How long will it take to recover? Will I ever be able to perform at the same level again? At Axes Physical Therapy in Lake Tekawitha, MO, we are driven by positive patient outcomes. While we can’t, we can make your recovery safe and effective through tailored, proven treatment plans. Physical therapy has been shown time and time again to be an integral part of any treatment plan for MCL injuries. Our physical therapists in Lake Tekawitha, MO are all licensed and average more than 15 years of individual experience. For treatment plans you know will be effective, reach out to the Axes location most convenient for you you or contact us online.

What is the MCL?

MCL stands for “medial collateral ligament.” A ligament is like a strong, firmly attached rope that connects 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 chief purpose is to resist valgus pressure, or the knee being forced too far inward. It is one of four ligaments that help control 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 inside the knee and the femur from sliding off the tibia
LCL (lateral collateral ligament), which connects 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 known for being one of our most complex joints. Healthy structure and movement depends on surrounding bone, muscle, tendons, and ligaments. When any knee injury, such as an MCL tear, occurs it can have tremendous consequences for your mobility and pursue the activities you love most, or just get around the house pain-free. Particular physical therapy techniques and other treatment modalities, prescribed by a doctor, have been demonstrated through research and analysis to help patients manage their symptoms and return to normal functionality.

MCL Injury Lake Tekawitha, MO | Sports Rehab | Injury Prevention | Physical Therapy Near Lake Tekawitha

What Types of MCL Injuries Are There?

In general, an MCL injury is either a sprain, which stretches the ligament beyond its normal limits, 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 MCL injury refers to a sprain, or a tear where less than 10% of the MCL has been torn. These are not generally severe, and don’t result in much instability. Your knee will feel tender, and you may also experience soreness.
Grade 2 — This is a more moderate tear, generally to the more fibrous part of the ligament. Your knee will be slightly unstable, 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 — A grade 3 tear is a complete tear, or separation from the bone. 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 qualified Lake Tekawitha, MO physical and occupational therapists at Axes can, along with your physician, create an exhaustive and customized plan to get you back to the things you love without incurring further injury.

What Causes MCL Injuries?

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 by the knee rotating 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.

Athletes in contact sports are the most likely to sustain an MCL injury. They can also occur in people 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 MCL injuries are accompanied by sudden, noticeable pain. 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 on the inside of the knee or the whole knee

Sometimes you may feel like your knee is “shaky”, or in other cases you’ll barely be able to move the knee. Any time you feel pain or instability in your knee, stop any strenuous activity immediately and seek medical treatment for a diagnosis.

Diagnosing and Treating an MCL Injury in Lake Tekawitha, MO

Diagnosing an MCL injury requires going to a physical examination. In the examination, your Lake Tekawitha, 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 the musculoskeletal system in Lake Tekawitha, MO are qualified to diagnose an MCL injury with a physical examination. 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 computer-generated radio waves to produce detailed images of your soft tissue
An ultrasound, which uses sound waves and can be helpful in checking the severity of your injury
An X-ray, which does not show soft tissue, 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 will be able to diagnose your injury, Missouri law requires a prescription for further physical therapy.

Treating an MCL Injury in Lake Tekawitha, MO

Right after your MCL injury, you should start with basic first aid: reducing swelling, managing 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 a few days or week or two of rest may be enough to get mostly back to normal.

Professional physical therapy is needed for more severe tears to restore strength and function and get you back to the activities you love. You’ll also need to refrain from most physical activity for an even longer period. Your Axes physical therapist in Lake Tekawitha, 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 joint. During the surgery, a surgeon will use a graft, either from one of your other ligaments or an organ donor, to reattach the torn sections. The surgery is an outpatient procedure. If you do require surgery in Lake Tekawitha, MO, our physical therapists are experts at 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 Lake Tekawitha, MO Treat MCL Injuries?

For recovering from any injury, a physically therapist will design safe and evidence-backed treatments, each aimed at helping a specific part of the body regain a specific level or function. These treatments and exercises will, over time, build strength in the surrounding muscles, flexibility of ligaments and tendons, and range of motion to the knee so you can get back to what you love most and prevent further injury. A physical therapist may recommend and implement the following practices:

To begin, passive movements carried about 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 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 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 Lake Tekawitha, 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 doing what you love to do most.

Other services we offer in Lake Tekawitha, MO include:

MCL Injury Lake Tekawitha, MO | Athletic Training | Sports Training | Physical Therapy Near Lake Tekawitha

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

An MCL injury is scary and anxiety-inducing at first, especially if you’re used to being physically active, but with our help, you can get back to how you used to feel. 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 Lake Tekawitha, MO, call the location nearest you and request an appointment online.