How Long Does It Take For An Mcl Injury To Heal
If you have a minor injury to your MCL, the ligaments may not heal for two weeks. In cases of more severe injury, the ligament may take up to two months to heal. In most cases, the goal of recovery is to be able to walk without pain or to fully move the knee without pain. A torn ligament may require surgery if it cannot heal on its own. It may also be necessary if other ligaments in the same area are torn. If your knee is healing, your doctor will advise you to wear a knee brace while you exercise.
Heal Your Mcl Quickly & Completely
A Medial Collateral Ligament injury can cause knee pain and instability, forcing you to take time off from your usual activities. While resting the knee will help prevent further damage, rest alone won’t speed up the healing process. If you want to heal your MCL as quickly as possible, you need to relieve the pain, stimulate blood flow in the soft tissue deep beneath the skin and prevent against re-injury. Fortunately, the ColdCure® Knee Wrap, BFST® Knee Wrap, and KB Support Tape do just that.
Types Of Mcl Injuries
- Grade I: A grade I injury is the most minor type of MCL injury, generally indicating an MCL sprain. Theres usually tenderness and manageable pain. A person with a grade I injury will have a generally short recovery time. Within a few days to a few weeks, they will probably be fully healed and able to return to work, school, or sports with a full range of motion.
- Grade II: With a grade II MCL injury, you may notice knee joint instability. In other words, your knee feels like it might give out when you try to walk on it. Youll probably feel major pain and tenderness along with some swelling. You can expect to get back to your normal activities within two to four weeks after a grade II injury.
- Grade III: Grade III is the most severe type of injury, and usually indicates an MCL tear. Patients will generally notice intense pain and swelling around the knee joint. Theres generally lots of knee instability with a grade III injury as well. Recovery time for a torn MCL generally takes four to eight weeks. However if your ACL tore as well , then the healing process will take even longer.
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What Is A Torn Meniscus
A meniscus is a disk-shaped piece of cartilage that acts as a shock absorber inside a joint. Each knee has one lateral meniscus under the outer knob of the thighbone and one medial meniscus under the inner knob of the thighbone. Each meniscus acts as a natural cushion between the thighbone and shinbone . The two cushions prevent excess wear and tear inside the knee joint by keeping the ends of the two bones from rubbing together. Each meniscus also absorbs much of the shock of jumps and landings and helps to distribute joint fluid evenly to lubricate and nourish the knee.
In the United States, a torn meniscus is the most common reason for knee surgery.
What Is The Medial Collateral Ligament
Your knees are made up of bones, ligaments, tendons and cartilage. The medial collateral ligament is located on the inner side of your knee, and its eight to 10 centimeters in length. It connects your thigh bone to your shin bone . Your MCL also provides strength and stability to your knee joint. Its one of four primary ligaments in your knee. The other three primary ligaments include:
The word medial means towards the middle or center. When referring to ligaments, collateral means that the ligament is on one side of a joint. The medial collateral ligament is named such because the ligament is on the inner side of your knee , and its located on the side of your knee joint.
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What Does One Do If An Mcl Tear Is Not Getting Better
While the majority of MCL tears do heal, the rest of them that do not heal may not be in the at risk tear types. In these circumstances, if one has gone through a well-designed rehabilitation program, there is still a small chance that the MCL tear will not heal. In these circumstances, it can be difficult to shuffle or plant side-to-side because the knee will gap open on the inside. If this is a minor nuisance, one can brace their knee for these types of activities to see if that helps them increase their overall function. If it does not let one participate in activities as one desires, one should see a physician to have a physical exam and objectively determine the amount of gapping present with bilateral valgus stress x-rays. This can be an objective means to determine if the MCL is truly completely torn and is healed in a stretched-out position that will never tighten up.
What Does One Do With An Mcl Tear After A Total Knee Replacement
MCL tears after total knee replacements are notorious for being difficult to heal. These can occur from releases during surgery, which are required to be able to insert the prosthesis, or they can occur because of an injury after the knee replacement. Surgery to treat these complete MCL tears can be difficult because they require reconstruction and the blood supply is not as good in these patients who have had knee replacements and these patients are generally older. Therefore, in many patients, the use of an MCL brace for activities may be indicated rather than a big surgical reconstruction. In those patients who do require surgery, a careful assessment to their overall health, which includes whether they use tobacco products, if they have diabetes, and other medical issues, is necessary to determine the ability of a reconstruction to heal for them.
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What Are The Signs & Symptoms Of A Medial Collateral Ligament Tear
Most people who tear their MCL feel pain and a “pop” in their knee when the injury happens. Their knee usually swells soon after the injury, most of the time around the inside part of the knee.
After the swelling goes down, a person usually can walk, but feels pain when the inside of the knee is stretched, Also, the knee may feel unstable and can “give way” and make the person stumble or fall.
Why Does An Mcl Injury Hurt Years Later
One of the most common reasons that MCL tears can hurt years later is because with a significant MCL injury, bone may actually form in the region of the tear rather than healing collagen fibers. This heterotopic ossification is called Pelligrini-Stieda disease. It may often show up years later on x-rays for somebody that had an MCL tear in the past. For those people who do have a lot of bone present, it can interfere with the collagen fibers from sliding from front to back as the knee bends, and this may cause some occasional irritation of this tissue. In addition, some people may have their MCL tear heal very thick and the increased thickness and scarring can be irritated if one does overdue it with long hikes or long runs even if one had an MCL tear, happen years previously. Surgery to treat this type of pathology is very rare and may only be indicated in people who have a lot of heterotopic ossification present that is causing their pain.
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Can You Still Walk With A Torn Mcl
A torn mcl will usually require some type of surgery to fix the issue. You may be able to walk with a torn mcl, but it will likely be painful and difficult. It is best to consult with a doctor to see what the best course of action is for your specific case.
MCL is the thick ligament that runs from the inside of the knee to the outside of the knee. One of the most common injuries sustained by athletes is a knee injury known as a knee compartmental injury. Dr. David Geier shares his thoughts on how to treat and rehab this common knee injury in this video. When you make a qualifying purchase with Amazon, you earn a percentage of the sale. By completing the Serious Injury Checklist, you can plan your next steps for immediate and safe recovery. Dr. Geier explains how sports medicine can be used to improve safety for both amateur and professional athletes, as well as weekend warriors.
Posterior Cruciate Ligament Tears
The PCL crosses over the ACL and prevents forward shifting of the shin bone. The PCL is typically injured by falling and landing directly on the front of the knee joint.
PCL tears can often be treated with nonsurgical treatment when sustained as an isolated injury, but are more commonly treated surgically when combined with other injuries.
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What Can I Do To Prevent An Mcl Tear
While not all MCL tears are preventable, there are steps you can take to lower your risk of tearing your MCL. Balance, strength and power exercises that focus on your thigh and hip muscles can help lower your risk of getting an MCL tear. In football linemen, braces have been shown to prevent MCL injuries.
Should One Use Ice Or Heat To Treat An Mcl Injury
When one does originally injure their MCL, there are torn fibers present and torn blood vessels which will cause swelling and pain. In this circumstance, applying heat would cause more swelling and pain, so the usual treatment for the first few days after an MCL tear is to ice it down. Once one prolongs into a rehabilitation program and the MCL may feel somewhat stiff prior to getting on a stationary bike, warming it up with a hot pad may be indicated in those circumstances.
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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. 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, early range-of-motion exercises should commence, including stationary bicycling. 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.
Most athletes return to sports about three months after a grade III MCL tear.
Other Treatment Options For Knee Sprain
RICE Therapy: If you have suffered a sprained knee, it is important to allow a period of rest to allow the knee to heal. For mild to moderate sprains, doctors recommend RICE therapy. This includes R , I , C , and E .
Pain Medications: You can use nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as ibuprofen. They provide short-term relief of pain and swelling. These drugs can help reduce symptoms and allow you to begin a rehabilitation exercise program. This is important to strengthen and stabilize the knee and prevent you from injuring it again.2
Bracing: Sometimes doctors recommend wearing a knee brace for a short period. This takes the load off the ligaments and supports the knee while it heals.2
Surgery: A torn ligament sometimes needs surgical repair. This can usually be done with a minimally-invasive approach called arthroscopy. A tiny camera is inserted into the joint to guide the surgeon in repairing the ligament.2
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Recovering From An Mcl Injury
Whether MCL surgery is needed or not, the outlook for recovery after a tear is very good. However, recovery times will depend on the severity of the injury and the treatment option youre prescribed.
Its important to follow the guidance of your orthopaedic surgeon and/or physical therapist throughout the recovery period to ensure that your knee heals properly and to prevent further injury.
The Types Of Mcl Injuries
The type of MCL injury dictates the treatment and recovery time. Heres a rundown of three categories of MCL damage:
Grade I: A Grade I MCL injury refers to a sprain of the ligament, but not a tear. This type of MCL injury heals within a few weeks with conservative therapy centered on resting the joint, reducing swelling with ice packs and taking anti-inflammatory medications. Patients can strengthen the muscles surrounding the knee with exercises, including:
- Hamstring Curl: Stand straight on one leg and tighten the stomach muscles. Bend the other knee and slowly raise the heel toward the buttocks. Hold for 30 seconds and repeat with the other leg. You may want to hold onto a chair for balance, if needed.
- Wall Slide: With a straight back and feet flat on the floor, stand against a wall. Slide down slowly, ending in a squatting position. Hold for 30 seconds, and then rise. Repeat 10 to 15 times.
Grade 2: In a Grade 2 MCL injury, the ligament is partially torn. Treatment is similar to a Grade I trauma, but patients may be advised to stabilize the knee with a brace while they recover.
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What Is Pes Anserinus Tendinitis
It is an inflammation of the tendons between your shinbone as well as muscles that form parts of your hamstring and thigh. Three tendons join up to form the pes anserinus tendon. Pes anserinus in latin means goose feet roughly describing the webbed look of the three tendons coming together. The pain felt at the area where the pes anserinus tendon joins to the shin bone.
It oftens misdiagnosed as MCL or medial-meniscus strain. This is because of the close location of the pes anserinus tendon to the MCL and medial meniscus.
Grading Categories Of Mcl Injuries
It is important to understand there are three types or grades of MCL injuries. Another important note is one may see the word MCL sprains in their search for torn MCL recovery time. MCL sprain is synonymous with MCL tear. Technically an MCL tear is a more severe version of an MCL sprain. Let me explain.
The three types/grades of MCL injuries are as follows:
- Type 1 or Grade 1 sprain: is a sprain, the MCL has been stretched, but still able to function to help keep the knee stable.
- Type 2 or Grade 2 sprain: is where the MCL has been stretched to a point where the ligament is considered loose causing a decrease in knee stability, also considered a partial tear.
- Type 3 or Grade 3 sprain: is where the MCL has been stretch so far it has been torn into two pieces, also considered a full tear, the ligament can no longer perform its job of preventing medial/inward motion of the knee.
These three types or grades are important in understanding torn MCL recovery time. So, why is there such varied time between grades and varied time with in a grade?. To answer the question, it is important to understand, what does a person experience, when they have a Grade 1, Grade 2, or Grade 3 tear.
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Is Surgery Necessary
A total rupture of the MCL usually doesnt require surgery. Only in cases where the tear hasnt healed after conservative therapy or other knee ligaments are damaged is surgery recommended. Surgery to repair a torn MCL involves stitching the ends of the ligament together or re-attaching it to the bone.
If you suspect youve injured your MCL, the doctors at Comprehensive Orthopaedics can diagnose your condition with a thorough physical exam. Well also take X-rays to check for any broken bones as well as an MRI to get a closer look at the ligaments of the knee. Well prescribe a therapy program so you can get back to the activities you enjoy as soon as possible. Contact us today for an appointment.
What Is The Meniscus
The menisci are the unsung heroes of knee movement. The femur , patella , and tibia all meet at the point where your leg bends. Menisci are shock-absorbing pieces of cartilage that cushion the area and stop bone-on-bone contact. Additionally, the menisci help to transmit weight from one bone to another and play an important role in knee stability.
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What Does One Do With A Chronic Mcl Tear
Patients who have a chronic MCL tear and who have instability need a complete workup to verify that the MCL tear is causing the problem and also to look at other associated body habitus issues which can affect the healing of the MCL tear. In general, chronic MCL tears in people who are knock-kneed have a much higher risk of causing symptoms and also having the surgery not work because of the extra stress placed on the inside of the knee when one is knock-kneed . Therefore, long leg x-rays to look at ones lower extremity alignment would be indicated in chronic MCL tears to determine if a surgery to take you out of the valgus alignment would be indicated concurrent with an MCL reconstruction. In addition, determining objectively the amount of gapping that one has to confirm that there is a complete MCL tear, with the use of bilateral valgus stress x-rays, is important to confirm the diagnosis. Physicians fingers are notorious for either underestimating or downplaying the amount of gapping that may occur, so confirming the amount of gapping objectively with the stress x-rays is one way to determine if the patient is having their symptoms from a complete MCL tear which has healed in an elongated position.