MCL Injury | Wright City, MO Physical Therapy

MCL Injury in Wright City, 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? Is it significant? How long will it take to recover? Will I have to permanently give up the things I love doing? At Axes Physical Therapy in Wright City, 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, effective treatments. Physical therapy has been shown time and time again to be a critical aspect of any treatment plan for MCL injuries. Our physical therapists in Wright City, MO are all licensed and average more than 15 years of individual experience. For treatment plans you know will be effective, call the Axes location nearest you or schedule an appointment online.

What is the MCL?

MCL stands for “medial collateral ligament.” A ligament is a fibrous of connective tissue that attaches bones to each other and helps hold structures with the musculoskeletal system together. The MCL connects your upper shin bone to the inner surface of the bottom thigh bone, running along your inner knee, and keeps the knee from moving side to side. Its functions to guard against valgus pressure, or the knee being pushed too far 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 crosses the ACL in the middle of the knee and prevents excessive posterior translation of the tibia relative to the femur
• LCL (lateral collateral ligament), which runs along the outside of the knee from the femur to the fibula (the smaller bone between the knee and ankle) and prevents the knee from being pushed too far outward

The knee is known for being one of our most complex joints. It depends 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 compete like you’re used to, or just get around the house pain-free. Specific physical therapy techniques and other treatment modalities, prescribed by a doctor, have been demonstrated through research and studies to help patients mitigate pain and swelling and get back to normal movement health.

What Types of MCL Injuries Are There?

In general, an MCL injury either involves a sprain, wherein the MCL extends farther than is naturally, or a tear, where the ligament may fray partially or entirely separate from the bone. MCL injuries are “graded” in three levels:

• 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 MCL are torn. It’s typically a mild injury, and don’t result in much instability. You will likely experience some tenderness and some soreness.
• Grade 2 — This is more significant tearing, generally to the more fibrous part of the MCL. Your knee will be slightly unstable, and the knee will likely be loose when manipulated manually. 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. Your knee will be significantly unstable. You will likely experience intense pain and 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, the team of professional Wright City, MO physical and occupational therapists at Axes can, along with your doctor, create a comprehensive and tailored plan to get you back to the things you love in a safe and effective manner.

MCL Injuries: Causes and Symptoms

40% of all knee injuries involve damage to a ligament, 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 awkward 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 MCL injuries are accompanied by sudden, noticeable pain. Other symptoms may include:

• A sudden “pop” on the inside of your knee
• Instability
• Not being able to put any weight on the knee
• Contusions
• 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 it’s wobbling when you walk, even if walking doesn’t hurt, or in other cases you’ll barely be able to move the knee. If you suspect you may have suffered an MCL injury, do not participate in any more strenuous activity and seek medical treatment for a diagnosis.

Diagnosing and Treating an MCL Injury in Wright City, MO

Diagnosing an MCL injury requires going to a doctor’s office, urgent care or at a physical therapy center. The examination will usually start with a doctor or physical therapist in Wright City, 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 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 doctors with knowledge of movement health in Wright City, MO are qualified 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 radio waves to take detailed 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, 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 law mandates a prescription for further physical therapy.

Treating an MCL Injury in Wright City, MO

Right after your MCL injury, you should start with basic first aid: reducing swelling, reducing 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 spent off your feet may be enough for your body to heal itself.

Professional physical therapy is needed for grade 2 and 3 tears to restore strength and optimal range of motion and get you back to racing down or around the court or field. You’ll also need to refrain from most physical activity for an even longer period. Your Axes physical therapist in Wright City, 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 reconstruct the MCL. You would be able to go home the day of the surgery. If you do require surgery in Wright City, MO, our physical therapists are experts at pre- and post-surgical rehabilitation, which ensures that your knee will be healthy enough for the operation, and you’ll safely restore, strength, flexibility, and range of motion after.

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

The aim of physical therapy, when dealing with any injury, is to create safe and evidence-backed exercises, each aimed at helping a specific part of the body regain a specific level or function. Physical therapy slowly and effectively improves strength in the strength in the muscles that power the knee, flexibility of ligaments and tendons, and range of motion to the joint in the interest of not only recovery, but injury prevention. A physical therapist may recommend and implement the following practices:

• At the start, 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 resistant bands, weight lifting equipment, 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 helps control motion
• Trigger point dry needling to further help the body’s natural healing process
• Blood flow restriction training to improve strength while lessening stress on the joint
• Athletic training and sports therapy for those whose main goal is to get back onto the court or field

At Axes Physical Therapy in Wright City, MO, all of our treatment plans are designed individually to each patient, backed by empirical evidence, and created with the help of 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 services we offer in Wright City, 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 Wright City, MO for Your MCL Injury

An MCL injury is scary and anxiety-inducing at first, especially if you’re an athlete, 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 we repay that trust with safe and effective treatments that are 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 Wright City, MO, call the location nearest you and request an appointment online.