MCL Injury Scotsdale, MO | Sports Rehab

MCL Injury | Scotsdale, MO Physical Therapy

MCL Injury in Scotsdale, MO. For many athletes and physically active people, feeling that sudden “pop” in their knee creates a lot of doubts: Did I suffer an MCL injury? How bad is the injury? How long will I be sidelines for? Will I ever be able to perform at the same level again? At Axes Physical Therapy in Scotsdale, MO, all of our physical and occupational therapists are committed to getting our patients back to sprinting down the court. While we can’t, we can make your recovery safe and effective through tailored, evidence-based treatment plans. Physical therapy has been shown time and time again to be an essential component of any treatment plan for MCL injuries. Our physical therapists in Scotsdale, 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 is an abbreviation for “medial collateral ligament.” A ligament is like a strong, firmly attached rope that attaches bone to bone and helps hold structures with the body together. 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 main purpose is to withstand valgus stress, or the knee being pushed unnaturally towards the other one. It combines with three other ligaments to keep the knee stable:

ACL (anterior cruciate ligament), which goes through the middle 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 acts as a secondary front and back stabilizer
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 helps keep the outer side of your knee joint stable

The knee is known for being one of our most complex joints. Optimal structure and function depends on surrounding bone, muscle, tendons, and ligaments. There are a variety of knee injuries that can limit or completely restrict your mobility and ability to do what you love most, or just live a pain-free day-to-day life. Specific physical therapy exercises and other physician-prescribed treatment plans have been proven to help patients manage their symptoms and return to optimal functionality.

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

What Types of MCL Injuries Are There?

For all intents and purposes, an MCL injury either involves a sprain, which stretches the ligament farther than is naturally, or a tear, where the ligament is either partially or completely torn or separated from the bone. MCL injuries are “graded” in three tiers:

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 ligament are torn. These injuries are typically not especially painful or debilitating, and your knee will still be 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 the joint, 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 — This injury is a complete tear to both the superficial and deep parts. You will retain little to no stability. 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, our professional Scotsdale, MO physical and occupational therapists at Axes can, in concert with your doctor, create a comprehensive plan specially made for you and your injuries to get you back to the things you love without incurring further injury.

How Do MCL Injuries Occur?

Ligament injuries account for 40% of all knee injuries, and the MCL is the most commonly injured ligament. People often suffer and MCL injury because of the knee suddenly being forced too far inward. MCL injuries can also occur if the knee is rotated too forcefully. They can also occur because of landing or unnatural bending, such as if a cleat is stuck in grass while your leg keeps moving.

Athletes in contact sports are the most likely to sustain an MCL injury. They can also occur in people 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
Feeling like the may give out
Not being able to put any weight on the knee
Contusions
Tenderness on the inside of your knee
Inflammation, either of the MCL area or the entire knee joint

Sometimes you may feel like your knee is “shaky”, or in other cases the knee feels too stiff. Any time you feel pain or instability in your knee, stop any strenuous activity immediately and seek medical treatment for a diagnosis.

Diagnosis and Treatment of an MCL Injury in Scotsdale, MO

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

Most physical therapists or doctors that specialize in the musculoskeletal system in Scotsdale, 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 magnetic field and radio waves to produce detailed images of the knee joint
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, to insure your femur, patella, tibia, and fibula have not been broken

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 mandates a prescription for further physical therapy.

How MCL Injuries are Treated in Scotsdale, MO

The initial treatment of an MCL injury consists of basic first aid: inflammation reduction, managing pain, and using the R.I.C.E. Method of Rest, Ice, Compression, and Elevation. For grade 1 injuries, the R.I.C.E method, over-the-counter pain relievers, and some time with limited activity may be all you need 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 of limited activity to allow your body to heal safely. Your Axes physical therapist in Scotsdale, MO will be able to 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 rare, the most severe cases — in which the MCL is completely torn, the injury is accompanied by an ACL tear, or nonsurgical treatment just isn’t working — may require surgery. The surgery is carried out by using a graft, either from your hamstring or an organ donor, to reattach the torn sections. The surgery is an outpatient procedure. If your doctor thinks surgery is necessary, our physical therapists will be able to treat you with pre- and post-surgical rehabilitation get you the best possible results from your surgery.

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

The objective of physical therapy, when dealing with any injury, is to design safe, targeted, and evidence-backed treatment methods based on each patient as an individual. Physical therapy slowly and effectively improves strength in the surrounding muscles, flexibility of soft tissue, and range of motion to the joint 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 motions carried about by your physical therapist to help restore normal functionality
Exercised performed by you later to further develop strength and flexibility
Exercises with elastic 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 keeps the knee stable and encourages normal function
Trigger point dry needling to further help the body’s natural healing process
Blood flow restriction training to improve strength 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 Scotsdale, MO, all of our treatment plans are designed specifically for you, proven through peer-reviewed research, and created with the help of 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 injuries we help treat in Scotsdale, MO include:

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

Call an Axes Physical Therapist in Scotsdale, 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 our clients trust us with their recovery, so the treatment method we plan for you will be safe and backed by evidence. As part of our program, we’ll educate you on your injury and how the knee works so you can stay as healthy and active as possible. For meaningful and lasting recovery from your MCL injury in Scotsdale, MO, call the location nearest you and request an appointment online.