MCL Injury Lakeshire, MO | Sports Rehab

MCL Injury | Lakeshire, MO Physical Therapy

MCL Injury in Lakeshire, MO. For many athletes and physically active people, feeling that sudden “pop” in their knee creates a lot of anxiety: Did I suffer an MCL injury? How bad is the injury? How long will I be sidelines for? Will my knee ever be the same again? At Axes Physical Therapy in Lakeshire, MO, all of our physical and occupational therapists are dedicated to getting our clients back to sprinting down the court. While we can’t, we can make your recovery safe and effective through personalized, evidence-based treatment plans. Physical therapy has been shown time and time again to be a critical aspect of recovering from any MCL injury. Our physical therapists in Lakeshire, MO are movement health experts. For lasting and meaningful recovery, reach out to the Axes location most convenient for you you or contact us online.

What is the MCL?

MCL is an abbreviation for “medial collateral ligament.” A ligament is like a strong, firmly attached rope that attaches bones to each other 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 keeps the knee from moving side to side. Its main purpose is to withstand valgus stress, or the knee being pushed unnaturally inward. 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 controls forward movement
PCL (posterior cruciate ligament), which forms an “X” with the ACL inside the knee and controls backward movement
LCL (lateral collateral ligament), which runs along the outside of the knee from the thigh bone to the fibula (the smaller bone between the knee and ankle) and prevents the knee from being pushed too far outward

The knee is one of the most complex joints in the human body. Correct 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 live a pain-free day-to-day life. Certain physical therapy techniques and other treatment modalities, prescribed by a doctor, have been demonstrated through research and analysis to help those who have suffered an MCL injury reduce pain and return to optimal mobility.

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

What Types of MCL Injuries Are There?

In general, an MCL injury is either a sprain, wherein the MCL is stretched beyond its normal range of motion, or a tear, where the MCL 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 the fibers in your MCL are torn. These injuries are typically not especially painful or debilitating, and your knee largely remains stable. Symptoms will likely be tenderness and some soreness.
Grade 2 — This is a more moderate tear, generally to the middle layer 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 — A grade 3 tear is a complete tear, or separation from the bone. You will likely feel like your knee’s about to buckle. Pain will be intense and you’ll likely feel several other symptoms. The injury may actually caused by or accompanied by other serious knee injuries such as ACL tears.

However significant your MCL injuries, our qualified Lakeshire, MO physical and occupational therapists at Axes can, as a team with your doctor, create an exhaustive plan uniquely made for you and your injuries aimed at returning you to the life you’re used to in a safe and effective manner.

MCL Injuries: Causes and Symptoms

Ligament injuries account for 40% of all knee injuries, and most of the time that ligament is the MCL. 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 too forcefully. They can also take place when 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 squat and lift heavy objects, either for athletic training or in the course of their employment.

Common Symptoms of MCL Injuries

Most people feel pain immediately on the inside of the joint when they experience an MCL sprain or tear. Other symptoms may include:

Hearing or feeling a popping noise or sensation
Feeling like the may buckle
Not being able to put any weight on the knee
Bruising
Tenderness along the inside of the joint
Inflammation, either on the inside of the knee or the entire knee joint

Sometimes you may feel a “wobbly” sensation, 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 Lakeshire, MO

Diagnosing an MCL injury requires going to a doctor’s office, emergency room or at a physical therapy center. In the examination, your Lakeshire, 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 gently see if your knee is unstanble while bending inward, and your pain level.

Most physical therapists or physicians that specialize in the musculoskeletal system in Lakeshire, 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 magnet and computer-generated radio waves to produce three-dimensional images of the inside of your knee
An ultrasound, which uses sound waves and can be helpful in checking the severity of your injury
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

You can also come to the Axes location most convenient for you for a free, no-risk injury screening. While we will be able to diagnose your injury, Missouri Revised Statute §334.506 stipulates that physical therapy be prescribed by a doctor.

How to Treat and MCL Injury in Lakeshire, MO

Right after your MCL injury, you should start with basic first aid: inflammation reduction, managing discomfort, and implementing 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 with limited activity may be sufficient for your body’s natural healing processes to get you back on your feet.

More significant 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 time off your feet to allow your body to heal safely. Your Axes physical therapist in Lakeshire, MO can 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 anti-inflammatory 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. The surgery is performed by using a graft, either from your hamstring or an organ donor, to reconstruct the ligament. You would not have to be hospitalized overnight. 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 Lakeshire, MO Treat MCL Injuries?

The aim of physical therapy, when dealing with any injury, is to design 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 strength in the muscles that power the joint, 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:

To begin, light motions 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 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 lessening stress on the joint
Athletic training and sports therapy for athletes who want to reduce the risk of reinjury

At Axes Physical Therapy in Lakeshire, MO, all of our treatment plans are as unique as each patient, and created with the help of your physician, in order to deliver you the best client experience and get you back to doing what you love to do most.

Other conditions we help treat in Lakeshire, MO include:

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

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

An MCL injury can be painful and frightening, 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 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 Lakeshire, MO, call the location nearest you and request an appointment online.