MCL Injury | Winchester, MO Physical Therapy

MCL Injury in Winchester, MO. If someone plays sports or engages in other physical activity, feeling that sudden “pop” in their knee creates a lot of anxiety: Did I suffer an MCL injury? How bad is the injury? How long will I be sidelines for? Will this be the end of my athletic career? At Axes Physical Therapy in Winchester, 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, evidence-backed treatments. Physical therapy has been shown time and time again to be a critical component of any treatment plan for MCL injuries. Our physical therapists in Winchester, 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 schedule an appointment online.

The Anatomy of the MCL

MCL stands for “medial collateral ligament.” A ligament is a fibrous of connective tissue that attaches bone to bone and provides stability. The MCL runs from the inside of your upper shin bone to the inside of your bottoms thigh bone and keeps the knee from moving side to side. Its functions to withstand valgus pressure, or the knee being forced unnaturally inward. 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 tibia from sliding too far forward on the femur
• PCL (posterior cruciate ligament), which forms an “X” with 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. Healthy structure and movement depends on surrounding bone, muscle, tendons, and ligaments. There are countless knee injuries that can greatly affect your mobility and compete like you’re used to, or just complete basic tasks pain-free. Certain physical therapy techniques and other treatment modalities, prescribed by a doctor, have been demonstrated through evidence to help those who have suffered an MCL injury manage their symptoms and return to optimal mobility.

What Types of MCL Injuries Are There?

In general, an MCL injury either involves a sprain, wherein the MCL is stretched beyond its normal limits, or a tear, where the MCL is either partially or completely torn or separated 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. It’s typically a mild injury, and your knee will still be stable. Your knee will feel tender, and you may also experience soreness.
• Grade 2 — This is more significant tearing, most commonly to the more fibrous part of the ligament. Your knee will be slightly unstable, and the knee will likely be loose when moved by hand. 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. Your knee will be significantly unstable. You will likely feel intense pain and a wide array of symptoms. Grade 3 MCL injuries often occur alongside other knee injuries such as ACL tears.

Whatever grade MCL injury you have, the team of expert Winchester, MO physical and occupational therapists at Axes can, along with your physician, create an extensive plan specially made for you and your injuries to get you back to the activities your love most safely.

How Do MCL Injuries Occur?

40% of all knee injuries involve damage to the MCL, LCL, ACL, or PCL, and the MCL is the most commonly injured ligament. When you suffer a forceful trauma to the outside of your knee, it can push the knee inside far enough that the MCL strains or tears. MCL injuries can also by the knee rotating too forcefully. They can also occur because of landing or unnatural bending, such as if a cleat is stuck in grass while you’re moving.

Athletes in contact sports are the most likely to sustain an MCL injury. They are also common in those who lift weights or lift heavy objects at their work.

Common Symptoms of MCL Injuries

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

• A sudden “pop” on the inside of your knee
• Instability
• Pain or discomfort when trying to bear weight
• Bruising
• Tenderness where the MCL is located
• Inflammation, either where the MCL is located or the whole knee

Sometimes you may feel like your knee is “shaky”, 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 Winchester, MO

MCL injuries are diagnosed in a doctor’s office, urgent care or at a physical therapy center. The examination will usually start with a doctor or physical therapist in Winchester, 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 whether or not your knee is unstable. 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 Winchester, MO will be able to determine if you have an MCL injury with a physical examination. Other tests to check severity or to confirm may include:

• An MRI (magnetic resonance imaging), which uses a magnet and radio waves to take three-dimensional images of the inside of your knee
• An ultrasound, which uses sound waves and can help determine the grade of your injury
• An X-ray, which, while it won’t show the MCL or other ligaments, to insure your femur, kneecap, tibia, and fibula have not fractured

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 that physical therapy be prescribed by a doctor.

How to Treat and MCL Injury in Winchester, MO

The initial treatment of an MCL injury consists of basic first aid: swelling reduction, easing discomfort, and implementing 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 with limited activity may be all you need for your body to heal itself.

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 of limited activity to allow your body to heal safely. Your Axes physical therapist in Winchester, MO will be able to 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.

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 from another person, to reattach the torn sections. You would not have to be hospitalized overnight. If you do require surgery in Winchester, MO, our physical therapists will be able to help you with pre- and post-surgical rehabilitation get you the best possible results from your surgery.

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

The objective of physical therapy, when dealing with any injury, is to implement 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 knee, 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 movements performed by your physical therapist to slowly get the ligament used to normal motion again
• More active exercises and stretches later to further develop strength and flexibility
• Exercises with resistant bands, weights, or cardio machines such as treadmill
• Instrument-assisted soft tissue mobilization, which has been proven to help accelerate knee ligament healing
• Kinesio Taping®, which keeps the knee stable and helps control motion
• Trigger point dry needling to stimulate harder-to-reach tissue
• Blood flow restriction training to improve strength while lifting lighter loads
• Athletic training and sports therapy for athletes who want to improve their performance

At Axes Physical Therapy in Winchester, MO, all of our treatment plans are as unique as each patient, 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 Winchester, MO include:

• Neck Pain Treatment
• 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

Schedule an Appointment With an Axes Physical Therapist in Winchester, MO for Your MCL Injury

An MCL injury can be painful and frightening, especially if you’re used to being physically active, but there’s no reason it has to put you on the sideline forever. We know our clients trust us with their recovery, 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 how the knee works so you can stay as healthy and active as possible. For meaningful and lasting recovery from your MCL injury in Winchester, MO, call the location nearest you and request an appointment online.