MCL Injury | Old Monroe, MO Physical Therapy

MCL Injury in Old Monroe, MO. For many people who maintain an active lifestyle, 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 I be sidelines for? Will I have to permanently give up the things I love doing? At Axes Physical Therapy in Old Monroe, MO, all of our physical and occupational therapists are committed to positive patient outcomes. While we can’t, we can help ensure you get back to feeling like yourself with safe, evidence-backed treatments. Physical therapy has proven to be a fundamental aspect of recovering from any MCL injury. Our physical therapists in Old Monroe, MO specialize helping a variety of injuries and conditions in the musculoskeletal system heal. For treatment plans you know will be effective, reach out to the Axes location most convenient for you you or contact us online.

The Anatomy of the MCL

MCL stands for “medial collateral ligament.” A ligament is like a strong, firmly attached rope that affixes bone to bone 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 maintains stability in the inner knee. Its chief purpose is to resist valgus pressure, or the knee being pushed unnaturally inward. It combines with three other ligaments to keep the knee stable:

• 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 keeps the tibia from sliding back too far
• LCL (lateral collateral ligament), which attaches 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. Correct structure and movement depends on surrounding bone, muscle, tendons, and ligaments. When any knee injury, such as an MCL tear, occurs it can greatly affect your mobility and pursue the activities you love most, or just live a pain-free day-to-day life. Particular physical therapy exercises and other physician-prescribed treatment plans 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?

Generally speaking, an MCL injury either involves a sprain, wherein the MCL extends farther than is naturally, or a tear, where the MCL is either partially or completely torn or separated from the bone. MCL injuries are “graded” in three tiers:

• 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 mild pain.
• Grade 2 — This is more significant tearing, usually to the superficial part of the ligament. Your knee will be slightly unstable, 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.” 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.

Whatever grade MCL injury you have, the team of licensed Old Monroe, MO physical and occupational therapists at Axes can, alongside your doctor, develop a comprehensive plan specially made for you and your injuries aimed at returning you to the life you’re used to in a safe and effective manner.

What Causes MCL Injuries?

Ligament injuries account for 40% of all knee injuries, and most of the time that ligament is the MCL. 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 happen because of landing or unnatural bending, such as if a cleat is stuck in grass while your leg keeps moving.

MCL injuries usually occur athletes in contact sports and in activities that require a lot of torque being placed on the body such as football, soccer, skiing, basketball, and tennis. They can also occur in people 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 joint when they experience an MCL sprain or tear. Other symptoms may include:

• Hearing or feeling a popping noise or feeling
• The knee being unstable
• Inability to bear weight
• Bruising
• Tenderness on the inside of your knee
• Swelling, either of the MCL area or the whole knee

Sometimes you may feel a “wobbly” sensation, while other times the knee feels too stiff. Any time you feel pain or instability in your knee, cease any strenuous activity immediately and schedule a physical examination in order to get a diagnosis.

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

MCL injuries are diagnosed in a physical examination. The examination will usually start with a doctor or physical therapist in Old Monroe, 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 if your knee feels structurally sound. They’ll also gently feel for swelling, and may compare your injured knee to the healthy one.

Most physical therapists or doctors that specialize in mobility of the human body in Old Monroe, MO are qualified 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 computer-generated radio waves to take three-dimensional 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, 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

Axes Physical Therapy also offers injury screening injury screenings at no cost or obligation to you. While we can determine if you have suffered an MCL sprain or tear, Missouri Revised Statute §334.506 mandates a prescription for further physical therapy.

How to Treat and MCL Injury in Old Monroe, MO

Right after your MCL injury, you should start with basic first aid: reducing swelling, relieving pain, 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 resting may be all you need to get mostly back to normal.

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 Old Monroe, MO can fit you for a knee brace in order to prevent your knee from moving side to side while your MCL is still healing. With physical therapy, you’ll still continue icing your knee and taking anti-inflammatory pain medication.

Though rare, 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 performed by using a graft, either from your hamstring or from another person, to reconstruct the ligament. The surgery is an outpatient procedure. If your doctor thinks surgery is necessary, our physical therapists will be able to help 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 Old Monroe, 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 surrounding muscles, flexibility of soft tissue, and range of motion to the joint in the interest of not only recovery, but injury prevention. A physical therapist may recommend and implement the following practices:

• At the start, light motions carried about 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 elastic bands, weight lifting equipment, 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 encourages normal function
• Trigger point dry needling to further help the body’s natural healing process
• Blood flow restriction training to help you make greater strength gains while lifting lighter weights
• 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 Monroe, MO, all of our treatment plans are designed specifically for you, proven through peer-reviewed research, and created in concert with your physician, in order to get you the best patient outcome possible and get you back to the activities you love.

Other services we offer in Old Monroe, MO include:

• Stroke Rehabilitation
• Hip Replacement Physical Therapy
• Workers Comp' Physical Therapy
• Migraine Relief
• Sprain and Strain Treatment
• Geriatric Physical Therapy
• Injury Rehabilitation
• Pain Management Services
• TMJ Treatment
• Herniated Disc Treatment

Schedule an Appointment With an Axes Physical Therapist in Old Monroe, 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 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 anatomy of the knee so you can stay as healthy and active as possible. For meaningful and lasting recovery from your MCL injury in Old Monroe, MO, call the location nearest you and request an appointment online.