MCL Injury Womack, MO | Sports Rehab

MCL Injury | Womack, MO Physical Therapy

MCL Injury in Womack, 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 I ever be able to perform at the same level again? At Axes Physical Therapy in Womack, MO, all of our physical and occupational therapists are committed to positive patient experiences. 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 an essential component of recovering from any MCL injury. Our physical therapists in Womack, MO specialize helping a variety of injuries and conditions in the musculoskeletal system heal. For lasting and meaningful recovery, reach out to the Axes location nearest you or contact us online.

How the MCL Works

MCL stands for “medial collateral ligament.” A ligament is a fibrous of connective tissue that attaches 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 keeps the knee from moving side to side. Its main purpose is to guard against valgus pressure, or the knee being pushed too far inward. 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 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 attaches 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 one of the most complex joints we have. Optimal 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. Certain physical therapy techniques and other treatment modalities, prescribed by a doctor, have been proven to help patients manage their symptoms and get back to optimal functionality.

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

What Types of MCL Injuries Are There?

For all intents and purposes, an MCL injury is either a sprain, wherein the MCL extends 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 MCL has been torn. It’s typically a mild injury, and don’t result in much instability. Your knee will feel tender, and you may also experience mild pain.
Grade 2 — This injury is when the MCL suffers more significant tearing, generally to the middle layer of the ligament. You will probably lose some stability in your knee, and the knee will likely be loose when moved by hand. 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 likely feel like your knee’s about to buckle. You will likely feel intense 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 Womack, MO physical and occupational therapists at Axes can, in concert with your doctor, develop an exhaustive plan specially made for you and your injuries to get you back to the things you love safely.

How Do MCL Injuries Occur?

40% of all knee injuries involve damage to a ligament, and most of the time that ligament is the MCL. 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 occur if the knee is rotated more than the ligament can support. They can also happen 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 are also common in those 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

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 sensation
Instability
Inability to bear weight
Bruising
Tenderness where the MCL is located
Swelling, either of the MCL area or the whole knee

Sometimes you may feel a “wobbly” sensation, or in other cases the knee feels too stiff. If you suspect you may have suffered an MCL injury, stop any strenuous activity immediately and seek medical treatment for a diagnosis.

Diagnosing and Treating an MCL Injury in Womack, MO

MCL injuries are diagnosed in a physical examination. The examination will usually start with a doctor or physical therapist in Womack, 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 doctors that specialize in the musculoskeletal system in Womack, 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 magnet and computer-generated radio waves to take detailed images of your soft tissue
An ultrasound, which uses sound waves and can help determine how severely the MCL is torn
An X-ray, which does not show soft tissue, 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 injury, Missouri Revised Statute §334.506 requires a prescription for further physical therapy.

Treating an MCL Injury in Womack, MO

Typically, treating an MCL injury begins with basic first aid: inflammation 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, pain and swelling relievers, and a few days or week or two of rest may be enough to get mostly back to normal.

Professional physical therapy is needed for more severe injuries to restore strength and optimal range of motion and get you 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 Womack, 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.

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 reconstruct the ligament. 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 to make your surgery and recovery as successful as possible.

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

The aim of physical therapy, when dealing with any injury, is to create safe and evidence-backed treatments, 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 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, passive motions performed by your physical therapist to slowly get the ligament used to normal motion again
Exercised performed by you later to regain strength
Exercises with elastic bands, weights, or cardio machines such as a stationary bike
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 stimulate harder-to-reach tissue
Blood flow restriction training to help you make greater strength gains while lifting lighter loads
Athletic training and sports therapy for athletes who want to improve their performance

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

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

Call an Axes Physical Therapist in Womack, MO for Your MCL Injury

An MCL injury can be painful and frightening, especially if you’re an athlete or someone who finds joy in an active lifestyle, but with our help, you can get back to how you used to feel. 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 Womack, MO, call the location nearest you and request an appointment online.