MCL Injury | Moscow Mills, MO Physical Therapy

MCL Injury in Moscow Mills, MO. For many people who maintain an active lifestyle, it’s easy to fear the worst when you feel sudden pain on the inside of your knee: Did I injure my MCL? Is it significant? How long will it take to recover? Will I ever be able to perform at the same level again? At Axes Physical Therapy in Moscow Mills, MO, all of our physical and occupational therapists are dedicated to getting our clients back to the activities they love most. While we can’t, we can make your recovery safe and effective through customized, proven treatment plans. Physical therapy has proven to be an integral aspect of recovering from any MCL injury. Our physical therapists in Moscow Mills, MO specialize helping a variety of injuries and conditions in the musculoskeletal system heal. For treatment plans you know will be effective, call the Axes location most convenient for you you or request an appointment online.

What is the MCL?

MCL stands for “medial collateral ligament.” A ligament is a fibrous of connective tissue that connects bone to bone 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 functions to withstand valgus pressure, or the knee being forced too far towards the other one. It is one of four ligaments in the knee, along with the:

• 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 inside the knee and the femur from sliding off the tibia
• LCL (lateral collateral ligament), which runs along the outside of the knee from the femur to the fibula (the smaller bone the small bone behind the tibia) and gives stability to the outer knee

The knee is known for being one of our most complex joints. Optimal 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 ability to do what you love most, or just get around the house pain-free. Certain physical therapy techniques and other treatment modalities, prescribed by a doctor, have been proven to help patients manage their symptoms and get back to normal functionality.

What Types of MCL Injuries Are There?

Generally speaking, an MCL injury either involves a sprain, which stretches the ligament farther than is naturally, or a tear, where the ligament may fray partially or entirely separate from the bone. MCL injuries are “graded” in three levels:

• 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. You will likely experience some tenderness and mild pain.
• Grade 2 — This is a more moderate tear, usually to the more fibrous part of the ligament. You will probably lose some stability in your knee, and the knee will likely be loose when manipulated manually. 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 likely feel like your knee’s about to “give out.” 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, the team of licensed Moscow Mills, MO physical and occupational therapists at Axes can, in concert with your doctor, develop an extensive plan specially made for you and your injuries to get you back to the activities your love most 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. Most MCL injuries occur due to a blow to the outside of the knee. MCL injuries can also by the knee rotating too forcefully. They can also occur because of landing or awkward bending, such as if your foot stays in one place while your leg keeps moving.

MCL injuries are common in athletes in contact sports and in sports that require a lot of torque being placed on the body such as football, soccer, skiing, basketball, and tennis. They are also common in those who lift weights or lift heavy objects at their work.

Common Symptoms of MCL Injuries

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

• Hearing or feeling a popping noise or sensation
• Instability
• Inability to bear weight
• Bruising
• Tenderness on the inside of your knee
• Swelling, either on the inside of the knee or the whole knee

Sometimes your knee may feel like it’s wobbling when you walk, even if walking doesn’t hurt, 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 Moscow Mills, MO

MCL injuries are diagnosed in a physical examination. The exam will usually start with a doctor or physical therapist in Moscow Mills, MO asking how the injury occurred. They’ll then bend your knee and apply slight pressure to the outside of it, noting how much pain you are in and whether or not your knee is unstable. They’ll also gently feel for swelling, and may compare your injured knee to the healthy one.

Most physical therapists or physicians that specialize in the musculoskeletal system in Moscow Mills, MO will be able to determine if you have an MCL injury with the above procedures. Other tests to check severity or to confirm may include:

• An MRI (magnetic resonance imaging), which uses a magnet and radio waves to produce three-dimensional images of your soft tissue
• An ultrasound, which uses sound waves and can help determine the grade of your injury
• An X-ray, which, while it won’t show the MCL or other ligaments, to insure your femur, kneecap, tibia, and fibula have not fractured

Axes Physical Therapy also offers injury screening injury screenings at no cost or obligation to you. While we can offer you an evaluation, Missouri law mandates that physical therapy be prescribed by a physician.

Treating an MCL Injury in Moscow Mills, MO

Typically, treating an MCL injury begins with basic first aid: swelling reduction, 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 some time spent off your feet may be all you need for your body’s natural healing processes to get you back on your feet.

More significant injuries 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 Moscow Mills, 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.

Though uncommon, the most severe cases — in which the MCL is completely torn, the injury is accompanied by an ACL tear, or you are not recovering after several weeks of nonsurgical treatment — may require surgery. The surgery is carried out by using a graft, either from one of your other ligaments or from another person, to reconstruct the MCL. The surgery is an outpatient procedure. If your doctor thinks surgery is necessary, our physical therapists specialize in pre- and post-surgical rehabilitation to make your surgery and recovery as successful as possible.

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

For recovering from any injury, a physically therapist will design safe, targeted, and evidence-backed treatment methods based on each patient as an individual. These treatments and exercises will, over time, build strength in the strength in the muscles that power the knee, flexibility of ligaments and tendons, and range of motion to the joint 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, passive movements performed by your physical therapist to help restore normal functionality
• Exercised performed by you later to regain strength
• Exercises with elastic 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 keeps the knee stable and encourages normal function
• 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 reduce the risk of reinjury

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

Other injuries we help treat in Moscow Mills, 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 Moscow Mills, 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, the ailment is only temporary. We know our clients trust us with their recovery, 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 Moscow Mills, MO, call the location nearest you and request an appointment online.