MCL Injury Weldon Spring Heights, MO | Sports Rehab

MCL Injury | Weldon Spring Heights, MO Physical Therapy

MCL Injury in Weldon Spring Heights, MO. If someone plays sports or engages in other physical activity, 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 I be sidelines for? Will my knee ever be the same again? At Axes Physical Therapy in Weldon Spring Heights, MO, all of our physical and occupational therapists are committed to getting our patients back to tearing up the filed. 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 critical part of recovering from any MCL injury. Our physical therapists in Weldon Spring Heights, MO are movement health experts. For lasting and meaningful recovery, reach out to the Axes location nearest you or schedule an appointment online.

The Anatomy of the MCL

MCL an acronym for “medial collateral ligament.” A ligament is like a strong, firmly attached rope that connects bone to bone 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 chief purpose is to withstand valgus stress, or the knee being pushed too far towards the other one. It is one of four ligaments that help control the knee, along with the:

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 crosses the ACL in the middle of the knee and acts as a secondary front and back stabilizer
LCL (lateral collateral ligament), which affixes the thigh bone to the fibula (the smaller bone the small bone behind the tibia) and prevents the knee from being pushed unnaturally outward

The knee is known for being one of our most complex joints. Healthy structure and function 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 compete like you’re used to, or just live a pain-free day-to-day life. Certain physical therapy exercises and other physician-prescribed treatment plans have been proven to help those who have suffered an MCL injury manage their symptoms and get back to normal movement health.

MCL Injury Weldon Spring Heights, MO | Sports Rehab | Injury Prevention | Physical Therapy Near Weldon Spring Heights

What Types of MCL Injuries Are There?

Generally speaking, an MCL injury either involves a sprain, wherein the MCL is stretched 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 MCL injury refers to a sprain, or a tear where less than 10% of the MCL has been torn. It’s typically a mild injury, 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, generally to the more fibrous part of the MCL. Your knee will be slightly unstable, and your joint may be loose when moved by hand. Pain is much more severe in a grade 2 MCL injury.
Grade 3 — A grade 3 tear is a complete tear, or separation from the bone. You will retain little to no stability. You will likely feel significant pain and several other symptoms. Grade 3 MCL injuries often occur alongside other knee injuries such as ACL tears.

Whatever grade MCL injury you have, the team of professional Weldon Spring Heights, MO physical and occupational therapists at Axes can, along with your physician, create a comprehensive and customized plan 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 most of the time that ligament is the MCL. Most MCL injuries occur due to a blow to the outer edge of the knee. MCL injuries can also by the knee rotating too forcefully. They can also occur because of landing or unnatural bending, such as if your foot stays in one place while you’re moving.

Athletes in contact sports are the most likely to sustain an MCL injury. They are also common in those who have to squat and lift heavy objects, either for athletic training or in the course of their employment.

Common Symptoms of MCL Injuries

Most MCL injuries are accompanied by immediate, noticeable pain. Other symptoms may include:

A sudden “pop” on the inside of your knee
The knee being unstable
Pain or discomfort when trying 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 your knee is loose when you walk, even if walking doesn’t hurt, while other times the knee feels too rigid. Any time you feel pain or instability in your knee, do not participate in any more strenuous activity and seek medical treatment for a diagnosis.

Diagnosing and Treating an MCL Injury in Weldon Spring Heights, MO

MCL injuries are diagnosed in a physical examination. The examination will usually start with a doctor or physical therapist in Weldon Spring Heights, MO asking how the injury occurred. They’ll then bend your knee and apply slight pressure to the outside of it, noting your pain level 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 physicians that specialize in mobility of the human body in Weldon Spring Heights, 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 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 will be able to diagnose your injury, Missouri law requires a prescription for further physical therapy.

How to Treat and MCL Injury in Weldon Spring Heights, MO

The initial treatment of an MCL injury consists of basic first aid: swelling reduction, managing pain, and using the R.I.C.E. Method of Rest, Ice, Compression, and Elevation. For sprains or slight tears, the R.I.C.E method, over-the-counter pain relievers, and some time spent off your feet may be sufficient to get mostly back to normal.

Grade 2 or 3 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 of limited activity to allow your body to heal safely. Your Axes physical therapist in Weldon Spring Heights, 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 anti-inflammatory medication.

Though uncommon, the worst grade 1 tears — 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 your hamstring or from another person, to reconstruct the ligament. The surgery is an outpatient procedure. If you do require surgery in Weldon Spring Heights, MO, our physical therapists are experts at pre- and post-surgical rehabilitation get you the best possible results from your surgery.

How Can Physical Therapy in Weldon Spring Heights, MO Treat My MCL Injury?

For recovering from any injury, a physically therapist will create safe and evidence-backed treatments, each aimed at helping a specific part of the body get back to optimal movement health. Physical therapy slowly and effectively improves strength in the strength in the muscles that power the joint, flexibility of ligaments and tendons, and range of motion to the knee 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, light motions carried about by your physical therapist to slowly get the joint used to normal motion again
Exercised performed by you later to further develop strength and flexibility
Exercises with resistant bands, weights, 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 helps control motion
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 athletes who want to improve their performance

At Axes Physical Therapy in Weldon Spring Heights, MO, all of our treatment plans are designed individually to each patient, 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 doing what you love to do most.

Other injuries we help treat in Weldon Spring Heights, MO include:

MCL Injury Weldon Spring Heights, MO | Athletic Training | Sports Training | Physical Therapy Near Weldon Spring Heights

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