MCL Injury | Town and Country, MO Physical Therapy

MCL Injury in Town and Country, 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? Is it significant? How long will it take to recover? Will this be the end of my athletic career? At Axes Physical Therapy in Town and Country, MO, we are driven by getting our clients back to sprinting down the court. While we can’t, 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 fundamental aspect of any treatment plan for MCL injuries. Our physical therapists in Town and Country, 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.

The Anatomy of the MCL

MCL an acronym for “medial collateral ligament.” A ligament is like a strong, firmly attached rope that connects bones to each other and keeps joints stable. The MCL runs from the inside of your upper shin bone to the inside of your bottoms thigh bone and maintains stability in the inner knee. Its main purpose is to withstand valgus pressure, or the knee being forced 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 goes through the middle of your knee and provides rotational stability and prevents the knee from bending inward
• PCL (posterior cruciate ligament), which forms an “X” with 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 helps keep the outer side of your knee joint stable

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 support and function properly. When any knee injury, such as an MCL tear, occurs it 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. Particular physical therapy techniques and other physician-prescribed treatment plans have been proven to help patients manage their symptoms and return to optimal functionality.

What Types of MCL Injuries Are There?

For all intents and purposes, an MCL injury either involves a sprain, which stretches the ligament beyond its normal limits, 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 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 soreness.
• Grade 2 — This injury is when the MCL suffers more significant tearing, most commonly to the superficial part of the ligament. You will probably lose some stability in the joint, and the knee will likely be loose when manipulated manually. Symptoms of a grade 2 MCL injury generally include much more noticeable pain.
• Grade 3 — A grade 3 tear is a complete tear, or separation from the bone. You will retain little to no stability. 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, the team of qualified Town and Country, MO physical and occupational therapists at Axes can, in concert with your physician, develop a comprehensive plan specially made for you and your injuries aimed at returning you to the life you’re used to 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 people often suffer and MCL injury because of a force to the outside of the knee. MCL injuries can also occur if the knee is rotated more than the ligament can support. They can also take place when 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 have to hunch over and lift heavy objects, either for athletic training or in the course of their employment.

Common Symptoms of MCL Injuries

If you suffer an MCL injury in Town and Country, MO, you’ll likely notice the pain right away. Other symptoms may include:

• Hearing or feeling a popping sound or sensation
• The knee being unstable
• Inability to bear weight
• Bruising
• Tenderness where the MCL is located
• Inflammation, either of the MCL area or the entire knee joint

Sometimes you may feel like your knee is “shaky”, or in other cases you’ll barely be able to move the knee. If you experience any of the above symptoms, cease any strenuous activity immediately and schedule a physical examination in order to get a diagnosis.

Diagnosing and Treating an MCL Injury in Town and Country, MO

Diagnosing an MCL injury requires going to a doctor’s office, emergency room or at a physical therapy center. In the examination, your Town and Country, 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 mobility of the human body in Town and Country, MO will be able to diagnose 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 magnetic field and computer-generated radio waves to create 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

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 law stipulates that physical therapy be prescribed by a physician.

Treating an MCL Injury in Town and Country, MO

Typically, treating an MCL injury begins with basic first aid: reducing swelling, relieving discomfort, and utilizing the R.I.C.E. Method of Rest, Ice, Compression, and Elevation. For sprains or slight tears, 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 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 time off your feet to allow your body to heal safely. Your Axes physical therapist in Town and Country, MO can fit you for a knee brace so that you don’t suffer further injury. With physical therapy, you’ll still continue icing your knee and taking anti-inflammatory pain 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 knee. The surgery is carried out by using a graft, either from one of your other ligaments or an organ donor, to reattach the torn sections. The surgery is an outpatient procedure. If you do require surgery in Town and Country, MO, 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 surgery, and you’ll build back strength safely after the surgery.

How Can Physical Therapy in Town and Country, MO Treat My MCL Injury?

For recovering from any injury, a physically therapist will implement safe and evidence-backed exercises, each aimed at helping a specific part of the body regain a specific level or function. These treatments and exercises will, over time, build strength in the strength in the muscles that power the joint, flexibility of soft tissue, and range of motion to the knee 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, light motions performed by your physical therapist to slowly get the knee used to normal motion again
• More active exercises and stretches later to further develop strength and flexibility
• Exercises with elastic bands, weight lifting equipment, or cardio machines such as a stationary bike
• Instrument-assisted soft tissue mobilization, which studies show can accelerate knee ligament healing
• Kinesio Taping®, which keeps the knee stable and helps control motion
• 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 Town and Country, MO, all of our treatment plans are designed individually to each patient, proven through peer-reviewed research, and created with the help of your physician, in order to deliver you the best client experience and get you back to the activities you love.

Other conditions we help treat in Town and Country, 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 Town and Country, MO for Your MCL Injury

An MCL injury is scary and anxiety-inducing at first, especially if you’re an athlete or someone who finds joy in an active lifestyle, 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 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 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 Town and Country, MO, call the location nearest you and request an appointment online.