What happens when you tear your MCL?
What to know about MCL tears
- Symptoms. An MCL tear causes pain on the inside of the knee. ...
- Diagnosis. A doctor will usually ask about the activity that led to the injury; for example, a collision with another player during a contact sport.
- Treatment. Physical therapy can help the healing process. ...
- Exercises. ...
- Recovery. ...
- Prevention. ...
- Summary. ...
What is the recovery time for a MCL tear?
Treatment Options and Recovery for MCL Sprains and Tears
- Nonsurgical Treatment Options for MCL Tears or Sprains. Activities that irritates the knee, such as pivoting and walking for long periods of time, should be avoided until the symptoms get ...
- MCL Tear or Sprain Nonsurgical Recovery Time. ...
- Platelet Rich Plasma for MCL Tears. ...
- Surgery for an MCL Tear. ...
Do MCL tears require surgery?
You can suffer a torn MCL from a blow to the outside of your knee. Generally MCL injuries don’t need surgery. Often rest from sports and wearing a brace can help the MCL heal. The MCL does not show up on x-rays, but an MRI can show an MCL injury.
How do you tear your MCL?
- Put ice or a cold pack on your knee for 10 to 20 minutes at a time. ...
- If your doctor recommended crutches or a brace, use them as directed.
- Prop up your leg on a pillow when you ice it or anytime you sit or lie down. ...
- Take anti-inflammatory medicines to reduce pain and swelling. ...
See more
How do you treat an MCL in the knee?
MCL Tear TreatmentsResting, icing and elevating the knee.Taking oral medications that relieve pain and inflammation, such as aspirin and ibuprofen.Wearing a brace that allows the knee to bend while restricting side-to-side movement.
How do they repair an MCL without surgery?
A nonsurgical treatment plan will include some or all of the following:Applying ice to reduce swelling.Taking anti-inflammatory medication to reduce pain and swelling.Using an elastic bandage or brace to compress the knee.Walking with crutches to keep the weight off the injured knee.More items...
How do you heal an MCL fast?
Treatment for MCL tears include: Exercises to strengthen muscles. Use of a protective knee brace during exercise....Treatment for MCL InjuryRest.Application of an ice pack application to reduce swelling that occurs hours after the injury.Compression using an elastic bandage or brace.Elevating the knee.Pain relievers.
How long will it take for my MCL to heal?
It can take anywhere from a few days to 8 weeks for an MCL injury to heal and a person to return to normal activities and sports.
Can MCL tear heal itself?
A grade 1 MCL tear (minor tear) can usually heal on its own with rest within one to three weeks. Grade 2 and grade 3 MCL tears, which are more severe, need proper treatment in order to heal, which can include resting, wearing a knee brace and doing physical therapy.
Is MCL surgery necessary?
In most cases, MCL injuries do not require surgery, and they may heal on their own after some time. You must avoid putting too much pressure on the affected knee by getting plenty of rest and using crutches to support the injured leg.
Is walking good for MCL sprain?
Many physical therapists and doctors recommend walking as an exercise to help relieve pain and stiffness after an MCL sprain, mainly if it is a grade II sprain. The MCL helps support the knee, and it is important to walk as soon as possible after the injury. Walking is beneficial in the healing process of MCL sprains.
Does knee brace help MCL?
A knee brace for MCL is often recommended to provide additional support and stability, especially if the patient plans on returning to sports.
Why is my MCL not healing?
In some rare cases, the ligament may be torn in a way that it cannot heal itself, so surgery may become necessary. It can also be necessary if other ligaments are torn at the same time. Your doctor will recommend wearing a knee brace during physical activity while your knee is healing.
How do I know if my MCL is torn?
If the medial collateral ligament has been damaged or torn, you will usually have:Pain, which can range from mild to severe.Stiffness.Swelling.Tenderness along the inside of the knee.A feeling that the injured knee may give way under stress or may lock or catch.
What does MCL pain feel like?
MCL injuries hurt. Most people feel pain along the inside edge of the knee, and they also have swelling. You might hear a pop when the damage to the knee takes place, and your knee may lurch to the side. You may find it hard to walk, or feel like you can't put pressure on the leg with the hurt knee.
Is walking good for torn ligaments?
The short answer is yes. After the pain and swelling subsides and if there is no other injury to your knee, you may be able to walk in straight lines, go up and down stairs and even potentially jog in a straight line.
What is the MCL?
The medial collateral ligament AKA MCL is a thick, strong band of connective tissue on the inside portion of your knee. It connects the top part of the tibia (shin) to the bottom part of the femur (thigh).
What are the Causes of MCL Tears?
MCL tears are a common injury in sports such as football, hockey, and skiing. The ligament can be stretched or even torn due to direct blows, but it usually happens when you hit the outer aspect of your knee at high speeds. Other causes could include:
Orthopedists categorize MCL tears into 3 grades
A partial-thickness MCL tear is where only a portion of the MCL is torn. On ultrasound or MRI, a portion of the MCL would be torn but the remaining fibers would be normal.
Symptoms of MCL Tears
There are many possible causes of burning pain on the outside of the knee while kneeling. One possibility is that you may have patellofemoral syndrome, which is a condition that results in pain around the kneecap. This pain can be aggravated by activities such as kneeling or squatting.
Treatment Options for MCL Tear
The MCL is the most injured ligament of the knee and the ACL is the most commonly injured ligament in conjunction with the MCL. Most MCL injuries can be treated non-operatively (1).
Doctors That Assist with MCL Tears
Christopher J. Centeno, M.D. is an international expert and specialist in Interventional Orthopedics and the clinical use of bone marrow concentrate in orthopedics. He is board-certified in physical medicine as well as rehabilitation and in pain management through The American Board of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation.
Other Resources for MCL Injuries
This e-book by Dr. Chris Centeno examines the knee and its role in the human musculoskeletal system and the body as a whole. The Knee Owner’s Manual provides a series of tests and clearly defined exercises that you can perform on your own to assess and monitor your own knee health.
What does it mean when your MCL is tearing?
An MCL tear causes pain on the inside of the knee. Tearing the MCL is likely to cause more severe pain that spraining the ligament. A person may notice a popping sound at the time of the injury. This is the sound of the MCL tearing.
How to diagnose MCL tear?
A doctor should be able to diagnose an MCL tear after a physical examination of the knee. A doctor may compare one knee with the other, look closely at the injured knee, and gently feel for any swelling and the location of the tenderness. A doctor might carry out further imaging tests to confirm the diagnosis.
How long does it take for a MCL tear to heal?
According to the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA), it may take 2 weeks for a minor injury to the MCL to heal. A more severe tear could take 2 months or more. Recovery usually means being able to walk without limping or move the knee fully without pain.
What are the ligaments that keep the knee in place?
Together, these two ligaments, along with others, help to keep the knee in place. Ligaments consist of strong connective tissue. A sprain stretches the ligament, which can become loose after a severe injury. A tear is a more severe injury that splits the ligament in two.
What to do if you tear your MCL?
What to know about MCL tears. A tear to the medial collateral ligament in the knee can cause pain, swelling, and a lack of stability in the knee. Treatment is usually with ice, a knee brace, and physical therapy. Surgery may be necessary in rare cases.
How to prevent sideways movement of MCL?
A knee brace can help to prevent any sideways movement of the knee joint and protect the MCL from strain and pressure. If an MCL tear is severe, a doctor may recommend that a person use crutches to avoid putting weight on the knee joint. Resting the knee after an MCL tear can help speed up healing.
What is the treatment for a swollen knee?
Treatment is usually with ice, a knee brace, and physical therapy. Surgery may be necessary in rare cases. The medial collateral ligament (MCL) connects the bones in the thigh and lower leg. The MCL runs along the inside of the knee, while the lateral collateral ligament (LCL) runs along the outside of the knee.
How to tell if you have a MCL injury?
Most people feel pain along the inside edge of the knee, and they also have swelling. You might hear a pop when the damage to the knee takes place, and your knee may lurch to the side. You may find it hard to walk, or feel like you can’t put pressure on the leg with the hurt kne e.
Why does my MCL tear?
Causes. When your outer knee is hit very hard, the MCL, which runs along your inner knee, can stretch out far enough to strain or tear. People who play football, hockey, and other sports where players impact other athletes with great force may injure their MCL this way. You may also stretch or tear your MCL if your knee is suddenly pushed to ...
How long does it take for a MCL to heal?
It’s rare for someone with an MCL injury to need surgery, since this ligament can often heal within a few weeks or months with the help of other measures.
What happens if you hit your knee hard?
Symptoms. Diagnosis. Treatment. If you collide with another player when you’re playing a sport and the side of your knee is hit hard, your MCL may be injured. The MCL (medial collateral ligament) is a band of tissue that runs along the inner edge of your knee. It helps to connect your shin and thigh bones to keep your knee stable ...
What to do if your knee is sore?
You’ll need to raise your sore knee when you put ice on it, keep weight off the joint, and protect and compress the injury with a knee brace or elastic bandage. To ease pain and swelling, your doctor may have you take NSAIDs (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) like aspirin, ibuprofen, or naproxen.
Can MRI show MCL?
Your doctor may also want to do some imaging tests of your knee: MRI. An MRI study can show MCL damage, so your doctor will know how bad your strain or tear is. X-ray. It won’t show your MCL, but it can show whether you have a broken bone. Stress X-ray.
Can you bend your knee when you have a MCL injury?
When your MCL is damaged, your knee can over-extend itself, or bend too far in a direction that it’s not supposed to bend. You may heal on your own with basic care, rest, and rehab. But if your injury is severe, you may need to have surgery.
What is the MCL in knee surgery?
MCL Surgery, Repair & Treatment – Knee Pain & Injuries. The medial collateral ligament (MCL) connects the top of your shinbone (tibia) to the bottom of your femur (thighbone). Located outside of your knee joint, this ligament helps hold your bones together and adds stability to your knee.
How to diagnose MCL?
Diagnosing an MCL Injury. Your physician will need to first examine your knee by bending or applying pressure to the outside of the joint. This will also tell them if your knee is loose. From there, an orthopaedic surgeon will likely order imaging tests to get a look at your knee joint.
What are the symptoms of an MCL tear?
Most commonly, the following symptoms are reported after an MCL injury: A popping sound at the time of injury. A swollen knee joint. Pain and tenderness along the inside edge of ...
What to do if you have a grade 3 MCL tear?
A nonsurgical treatment plan will include some or all of the following: Applying ice to reduce swelling.
What tendon connects the tibia and the kneecap?
Methods for reattaching or reconstructing the torn ligament can vary. Options include using a portion of the patellar tendon (which connects the tibia and the kneecap) or the hamstring tendon (from the back of the thigh). Tendon grafts can come from the patient or an organ donor.
How long does it take for a MCL tear to heal?
Surgery is not always necessary for MCL repair since minor tears will typically heal on their own within a few weeks. However, if the MCL was completely torn with no functioning in the ligament, surgery will be needed.
How to treat a knee injury that is not surgical?
A nonsurgical treatment plan will include some or all of the following: Applying ice to reduce swelling. Taking anti-inflammatory medication to reduce pain and swelling. Using an elastic bandage or brace to compress the knee. Walking with crutches to keep the weight off the injured knee.
How to treat grade 3 MCL tear?
Treatment of Grade III MCL Tears. When a grade III MCL tear occurs, patients should brace their knee and use crutches until the pain has subsided. 7 The knee can be immobilized for a few days initially, but early range-of-motion will help in the recovery process. Once the patient can begin bending their knee, ...
How long does it take for a knee ligament to heal?
When this happens, you may face a recovery time of weeks to months, depending on the grade of the MCL tear.
Can you brace your MCL?
Treatment always begins with allowing the pain to subside, beginning work on mobility, followed by strengthening the knee to return to sports and activities. 3 Bracing can often be useful for the treatment of MCL injuries. Fortunately, most often surgery is not necessary for the treatment of an MCL tear.
Can you bend your knees with a hinged knee brace?
Once the patient can begin bending their knee, early range-of-motion exercises should commence, including stationary bicycling. 7 Normal walking and progression to jogging can begin as pain allows. Use of a hinged knee brace is usually very helpful to support the knee, especially in the earlier stages of rehab.
Do MCL tears need surgery?
MCL tears often do not need surgery. There are many studies that document successful nonsurgical treatment in nearly all types of MCL injuries. 8 Most surgeons agree that for patients who complain of persistent knee instability, despite appropriate nonsurgical treatment, surgery is reasonable. 9
What is an MCL tear?
MCL Tear: What You Need To Know. An MCL tear is a common knee injury and develops when the medial collateral ligament of the knee gets overstretched and damaged. The MCL is one of four ligaments that helps to stabilise the knee and is found on the inner side of the joint. A medial collateral ligament injury is most commonly caused by sudden ...
How to heal a MCL?
Ultrasound treatment and deep tissue friction massage can also help reduce pain and speed up healing from an MCL injury. This is usually carried out by a physical therapist or sports therapist. Strengthening and movement exercises help to regain full range and function in the knee.
What is medial collateral ligament injury?
A medial collateral ligament injury is most commonly caused by sudden twisting or a force through the knee, which damages some or all the fibres of the ligament and occasionally some of the other surrounding structures as well such as the knee cartilage. There are three grades of MCL tear depending on what proportion of the ligament is injured.
How do you know if you have a grade 2 MCL tear?
What Is It: With a grade 2 MCL tear more fibres are damaged (up to 90%) but the ligament remains intact. Symptoms: There may be medial knee pain with a moderate amount of swelling and bruising (which appear in the first 48 hours), and the knee may feel slightly unstable. Treatment: PRICE first.
What are the symptoms of a MCL tear?
MCL injury symptoms include inner knee pain, swelling and instability. Here we will look at what causes MCL tears, the different grades of ligament injuries and their symptoms, treatment options, and what you can do to prevent long term problems after an MCL injury.
How does a MCL injury happen?
The two most common ways to damage the MCL are: 1. Contact: An MCL injury usually occurs when there is a force through the outer side of a bent knee, e.g. a tackle hitting the outer side of the knee. This pushes the bones apart on the inside of the knee which overstretches the ligament tearing the MCL. 2.
Where is the MCL located?
The MCL is one of four ligaments that helps stabilise the knee and is found on the inner side of the knee joining the femur (thigh bone) and the tibia (shin bone).
What is the MCL of the knee?
See additional information. MCL (medial collateral ligament) of the knee: The knee joint is surrounded by a joint capsule with ligaments strapping the inside and outside of the joint (collateral ligaments) as well as crossing within the joint (cruciate ligaments). These ligaments provide stability and strength to the knee joint.
What is the medial collateral ligament?
The medial collateral ligament of the knee is on the inner side of the joint, as indicated here: The meniscus is a c-shaped cartilage pad between the two joints formed by the femur and tibia. The meniscus acts as a smooth surface for the joint to move on.
What is the function of the knee?
The knee functions to allow movement of the leg and is critical to normal walking. The knee flexes (bends) normally to a maximum of 135 degrees and extends (straightens) to 0 degrees. The bursae, or fluid-filled sacs, serve as gliding surfaces for the tendons to reduce the force of friction as these tendons move.
Which muscles move the knee?
The large muscles of the thigh move the knee. In the front of the thigh the quadriceps muscles extend the knee joint. In the back of the thigh, the hamstring muscles flex the knee. The knee also rotates slightly under guidance of specific muscles of the thigh.
Where is the patellar tendon located?
Below the kneecap, there is a large tendon (patellar tendon) which attaches to the front of the tibia bone. There are large blood vessels passing through the area behind the knee (referred to as the popliteal space). The large muscles of the thigh move the knee.
What is the MCL?
Anatomy. The medial collateral ligament (or MCL for short) connects the thigh bone (or femur) to the shin bone (or tibia) on the inside of the knee and prevents the knee joint from moving sideways, particularly from forces on the outside of the knee. The MCL itself has two parts to it; a deep section which attaches to the cartilage ...
Where is the MCL located?
The MCL itself has two parts to it; a deep section which attaches to the cartilage and capsule in the knee, and a superficial band that starts higher up on the femur to an area lower down on the inner surface of the tibia and is much more near the surface .
What is a medial knee sprain?
Medial Knee Ligament (MCL Sprain) A Medial collateral knee ligament sprain or MCL sprain is a tear of the ligament on the inside of the knee. It is usually caused by twisting or direct impact, but may develop gradually over time through overuse. Here we explain the symptoms, causes, treatment and rehabilitation of an MCL sprain.
What is the best knee brace for grade 2 knee injury?
Wear a compression bandage or knee support to help reduce any swelling and protect the joint. A hinged knee brace is best particularly for grade 2 and 3 injuries. It has solid metal supports down the sides to prevent sideways movement of the joint.
What sports have medial ligaments?
Medial ligament injuries are common in contact sports such as football, rugby, and martial arts but they can also occur in activities of daily living as a result of falls that include a twisting action of the knee joint.
How long does it take to recover from a MCL sprain?
A mild MCL injury or grade one sprain should take 3 to 6 weeks to make a full recovery. A more severe grade 2 or grade 3 injury may take 8 to 12 weeks. MCL rehabilitation program.
What exercises can I do to strengthen my ligaments?
Strengthening. As your ligament heals, strengthening exercises such as mini squats, leg press, and step-ups can be done. But movements involving a change of direction or sideways stresses should be avoided until much later in the rehabilitation program.
How to heal a MCL?
Sometimes, a hinged brace or cast, and possibly the use of crutches, will be necessary to immobilize your knee and allow it to heal properly. 2. Ice. To recover from MCL pain, it’s important to relieve inflammation. Icing your knee can help reduce inflammation and swelling, as well as relieve some pain.
How to get rid of MCL pain?
There are a variety of treatments that can help you find relief from your MCL pain and speed up the healing process. 1. Rest. The most important MCL pain treatment is rest—not the sleeping kind of rest, but rather rest for your injured knee.
How do you know if you have an MCL injury?
There are many symptoms that can come with an MCL injury, including: Pain around the inside or side of your knee, ranging from mild to severe; Stiffness or swelling around your knee; Tenderness or sensitivity around your inner knee; The feeling that your knee will catch, lock, or give way;
What is the pain in the lower leg from a MCL tear?
There are two types of tears which are possible: a partial tear, which is less severe; or a complete tear, which is when the ligament is completely separated. When your MCL tears, the result is pain in your leg, primarily around your lower leg and knee. Torn MCLs are serious injuries and can take a long time to recover, ...
How long does it take to recover from a MCL injury?
There are three grades of MCL injury: Grade 1: This grade typically includes mild sprains and pain, and recovery is in as little as a few days to a couple of weeks. Grade 2: MCL injuries in this grade typically involve more severe tearing of the ligament and swelling of the knee, can take up to a month to recover.
How long does it take for a MCL to heal?
MCL pain can be unpleasant and irritating, but most of the time you can expect it to heal within six weeks or so. As long as you follow the proper treatment methods, MCL pain usually clears up and your knee will return to normal. Reducing inflammation is key.
How to help a knee that hurts?
Using ice can also help speed up the recovery process. Use ice packs—or even better, crushed ice—throughout the day, for about 15 to 20 minutes at a time, and wait an hour in between i cing applications.
