MCL Injury | Old Jamestown, MO Physical Therapy

MCL Injury in Old Jamestown, 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 suffer an MCL injury? How bad is the injury? How long will it take to recover? Will my knee ever be the same again? At Axes Physical Therapy in Old Jamestown, MO, we are driven by positive patient experiences. While we’d like to be able to make your MCL injury go away, we can help ensure you get back to feeling like yourself with safe, effective treatments. Physical therapy has been shown time and time again to be a critical part of recovering from any MCL injury. Our physical therapists in Old Jamestown, 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 nearest 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 connects bones to each other and provides stability. The MCL connects your upper shin bone to the inner surface of the bottom thigh bone, running along your inner knee, and helps keep your knee stable and functioning normally. Its main purpose is to resist valgus stress, or the knee being pushed 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 controls forward movement
• PCL (posterior cruciate ligament), which crosses the ACL in the middle of the knee and the femur from sliding off the tibia
• LCL (lateral collateral ligament), which runs along the outside of the knee from the thigh bone 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. A healthy knee relies on surrounding bone and muscle, and the tendons and ligaments in order to provide stability and function properly. 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. Particular physical therapy techniques and other treatment modalities, prescribed by a doctor, have been proven to help those who have suffered an MCL injury reduce pain and return to optimal functionality.

What Types of MCL Injuries Are There?

For all intents and purposes, an MCL injury is either a sprain, which stretches the ligament 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 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 some soreness.
• Grade 2 — This injury is when the MCL suffers more significant tearing, most commonly to the superficial part of the MCL. You will probably lose some stability in your knee, and your joint may be loose when manipulated manually. Pain is much more severe in a grade 2 MCL injury.
• Grade 3 — This injury is a complete tear to both the superficial and deep parts. Your knee will be significantly unstable. 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.

However significant your MCL injuries, our qualified Old Jamestown, MO physical and occupational therapists at Axes can, in concert with your physician, create a comprehensive 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. Most MCL injuries occur due to a force to the outer edge of the knee. MCL injuries can also occur if the knee is rotated 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 sudden movement such as football, soccer, skiing, basketball, and tennis. They are also common in those who lift weights or lift heavy objects at 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:

• A sudden “pop” on the inside of your knee
• Instability
• Pain or discomfort when trying to bear weight
• Bruising
• Tenderness on the inside of your knee
• Swelling, either of the MCL area or the entire knee joint

Sometimes you may feel a “wobbly” sensation, while other times you’ll barely be able to move the knee. If you experience any of the above symptoms, do not participate in any more strenuous activity and seek medical treatment for a diagnosis.

Diagnosis and Treatment of an MCL Injury in Old Jamestown, MO

Diagnosing an MCL injury requires going to a physical examination. In the examination, your Old Jamestown, 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 mobility of the human body in Old Jamestown, MO will be able 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 magnetic field and computer-generated radio waves to take detailed 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, to insure your femur, patella, tibia, and fibula have not been broken

Alternatively, you can schedule and appointment with the Axes location most convenient for you for a free, no-obligation injury screening. While we can offer you an evaluation, Missouri law requires that physical therapy be prescribed by a doctor.

How MCL Injuries are Treated in Old Jamestown, MO

Typically, treating an MCL injury begins with basic first aid: inflammation reduction, relieving discomfort, and implementing the R.I.C.E. Method of Rest, Ice, Compression, and Elevation. For grade 1 injuries, the R.I.C.E method, pain and swelling relievers, and some time spent off your feet may be sufficient for your body to heal itself.

Professional physical therapy is needed for more severe tears to restore strength and optimal range of motion and get you back to the activities you love. You’ll also need to refrain from most physical until your knee is strong again. Your Axes physical therapist in Old Jamestown, MO can fit you for a knee brace to give your knee stability while it’s healing. 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. During the surgery, a surgeon will use a graft, either from one of your other ligaments or an organ donor, to reconstruct the MCL. You would be able to go home the day of the surgery. If you do require surgery in Old Jamestown, MO, 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 surgery, and you’ll safely restore, strength, flexibility, and range of motion after.

How Do Physical Therapists in Old Jamestown, MO Treat MCL Injuries?

For recovering from any injury, a physically therapist will 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 knee, 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:

• At the start, light movements performed by your physical therapist to slowly get the ligament used to normal motion again
• Exercised performed by you later to further develop strength and flexibility
• Exercises with resistant bands, weight lifting equipment, or cardio machines such as an elliptical
• Instrument-assisted soft tissue mobilization, which research suggests can 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 those whose main goal is to get back onto the court or field

At Axes Physical Therapy in Old Jamestown, MO, all of our treatment plans are as unique as each patient, and created alongside 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 Old Jamestown, 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

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