Do I Need Mcl Sprain Rehab
A week following the immediate injury, if youre still unable to walk well and generally feel as though the injury has not improved, you may be in severe enough territory to require a 6-8 week rehab protocol.
A good knee rehab specialist can help you with a proper rehab protocol. Even if you are feeling better and returning to full health quickly. Its still a good idea to strengthen the muscles surrounding your leg to prevent further injury.
Heres a good resource for knee injury prevention. This guy has tons of great exercises on his Instagram.
How Long Does It Take An Mcl Injury To Heal
Many people want to return from injury as quickly as possible to play sports or to exercise. On the other hand, many patients are simply concerned about when they can do their normal activities. In this Ask Dr. Geier video, I address that concern regarding an MCL injury of the knee.
Bhavesh asks:
I suffered an MCL injury while doing squats. It has been 2 weeks, and the pain is less compared to the first day of injury. How many days will it take to heal so I can just walk and do my work? I apply an ice pack 3 times a day and rest and do some normal exercise. Is that OK?
The MCL is the medial collateral ligament. It is a thick, strong ligament along the inside, or medial side, of the knee that protects against side-to-side stress. You can injure it cutting to change directions while running or when someone hits you on the outside of the knee.
Also read:MCL injuries of the knee: Injury, diagnosis, treatment
Understanding An Mcl Tear
MCL tears are typically the result of a direct blow to the knee. Athletes participating in contact sports are generally vulnerable to knee injuries in this category. MCL can suffer a tear when there is a direct hit to the outer portion of the knee. The symptoms of an ACL and MCL injury are the same.
You will experience significant pain and wont be able to walk normally. You may experience severe swelling in the first 6 hours of the injury. In addition, you would experience a locking or catching in the knee joint in case of an MCL tear.
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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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When Should I Start Rehab For Mcl
three weeks after injury three weeks after injury, the pain and swelling have typically subsided and the swelling has decreased. You can now attempt to re-establish mobility in the knee by stretching it. Cycling on a stationary bike, swimming , and the following fitness routine are all advised.
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One Super Important Fact:
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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.
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Primary Benefits Of The Newer Technique
Patients that undergo this procedure are able to regain muscle control and strength in a fairly shorter period of time as compared to patients that underwent the traditional knee replacement procedure. The surgeon doesnt divide the quadriceps muscles and tendons. The kneecap is not flipped out the way or everted as it is in a traditional replacement procedure.
Knee replacement is never performed for cosmetic benefits. But, you cannot negate the benefits of having a smaller incision. The incision length is almost halved in the case of quadriceps-sparing method.
This is a benefit accruing from the smaller incision and the fact that the important quadriceps group is not touched.
There have been many advances made in the nearly 4-decade history of contemporary knee replacement techniques. Quadriceps-sparing method is an enhancement on the traditional surgery. It makes use of the same proven implant designs. Except, the surgeon will insert the implants through a smaller incision.
Should I See A Doctor About My Mcl Sprain Treatment
The answer is, maybe. If you think theres a good chance you have a grade 3 MCL sprain then you need to go to an orthopedic doctor. He will confirm an injury to the MCL and order an X-ray first and then order an MRI.
Knee Injury Tip: Orthopedic doctors love taking X-rays. If your knees are largely healthy, and youre visiting for a possible ligament injury, you can ask your doctor to skip this step and you will save some money. X-rays cant tell you anything about your ligament injury.
If youre confident you dont have a grade 3 sprain, you can avoid the doctor entirely. Your injury may require rehab, but you can find a number of good rehab facilities near you. The orthopedic doctor will take you through all of these steps and then just recommend rehab anyways unless you have a complete tear of the MCL.
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What Tests Will Be Done To Diagnose An Mcl Tear
Your healthcare provider may use one or more of the following tests to diagnose an MCL tear:
- Physical exam: Your provider will examine your knee to see if you have pain with palpation on the inside of your knee. They’ll also apply pressure your MCL to see if its loose, which often means your MCL is torn.
- MRI: An MRI uses a large magnet, radio waves and a computer to make detailed images of your organs and bones. An MRI is the imaging test of choice for MCL tears. It can help your provider see if you have any other soft tissue injuries in your knee.
- Ultrasound: Ultrasound uses sound waves to take pictures inside your body. An ultrasound can help your provider see how severe your MCL tear is and if you have any other injuries in your knee.
- X-ray: Your provider may take an X-ray of your knee to make sure you dont have any broken bones or other injuries in your knee.
How Is An Mcl Tear Treated
Most people who have an MCL tear recover from non-surgical treatment. This is because your MCL has a good blood supply, which makes it easier for your tear to heal. Non-surgical treatment for an MCL tear can include:
- Using the RICE method: The RICE method involves resting your knee, icing your knee, wearing an elastic bandage around your knee and elevating your knee while youre resting. The RICE method helps reduce pain and swelling.
- Taking pain relievers: Your healthcare provider may recommend taking pain relievers to help reduce pain and swelling in your knee.
- Wearing a knee brace: Your provider may have you wear a knee brace that prevents your knee from moving side to side so that your MCL can heal.
- Using crutches: Your provider may have you use crutches to walk so that you can limit the amount of weight you put on your affected knee.
- Doing physical therapy: Your provider will most likely have you do physical therapy exercises to improve your strength and range of motion in your knee. Exercises may involve strengthening your thigh muscles, cycling and doing resistance exercises. If you have an MCL tear and play a sport, your healthcare team will tailor your physical therapy to the types of movements you do for the sport that you play.
Recovery time from MCL surgery depends on a few factors, including:
- The severity of your MCL tear.
- The type of surgery you had.
- If you also had surgery on other parts of your knee.
- Your age and overall health.
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How Is It Injured
This important connective tissue is typically injured by a blow to the outside of the knee, which causes it to stretch excessively, and sometimes even tear. A medial collateral ligament tear is described by doctors in terms of its severity, and this description can fall into one of three levels. These include:
Grade I MCL Injury
A grade 1 injury of the medial collateral ligament is a severe stretch, sometimes including a very small tear. This type of injury usually causes pain and pressure, but some patients with a grade 1 tear wont experience any symptoms at all. Most people can return to their regular activities and sports within one to two weeks.
Grade II MCL Injury
A grade 2 injury involves an incomplete tear of the medial collateral ligament. This causes pain and some instability of the joint. Patients suffering from this type of injury may take four to six weeks to heal before they are able to return to regular activities.
Grade III MCL Injury
This type of trauma is a complete tearing of the medial collateral ligament, which results in the MCL being separated into two, disconnected pieces. Grade 3 injuries involve significant instability, as well as pain and tenderness in the joint. Those suffering this type of MCL injury may require three to four months of rest and treatment before returning to regular activities.
Acl Surgery Recovery Time
The first question has a simple but imprecise answer: itdepends.
If your surgery was successful with no complications and youplan to follow the rehabilitation recommendations of your orthopedic surgeon tothe letter, the best guess is no less than six months. For some, it can take upto two years to get back to 100%.
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Mcl Sprain Symptoms Of Recovery
As mentioned above, it is tough to figure out just how long recovery will take by just looking at MCL sprain symptoms. Your best bet is to measure how quickly youre MCL sprain is improving. here are some general estimations
- Improves significantly in 7-10 days = 2-3 week recovery
- Slight improvements in first 1-2 weeks = 3-4 week recovery
- Slow improvements in first 3-4 weeks = 6-8 week recovery
- Hard to see week to week improvements = 8+ week recovery
What Are Knee Ligament Injuries
Ligaments are rope-like tissues that hold the bones together and keep your knee stable.
The knee has 4 main ligaments:
- Anterior Cruciate Ligament : It is located in the middle of the knee in the front. The ACL keeps the tibia from moving forward on the femur .
- Posterior Cruciate Ligament : It is located in the middle of the knee in the back. It keeps the tibia from moving backward on the femur .
- Medial Collateral Ligament : It is located on the inside part of the knee It prevents the knee from buckling inward.
- Lateral Collateral Ligament : It is located on the outside part of the knee. It prevents the knee from buckling outward.
Injuries to the knee can cause these ligaments to tear. This can occur from an injury where there was direct contact to the knee. Most often, this occurs during sports where there is a sudden stop, jump, change of direction, or an awkward landing. A torn ligament may cause your knee to feel loose or unstable. At times, knee injuries will cause injury to more than one of these ligaments at a time.
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How Are Lcl Tears Treated
Healthcare providers categorize knee injuries in three grades:
- Grade 1: Knee injuries are mild. Your LCL is not completely torn. You should heal with only at-home treatment, including the use of crutches. Your healthcare provider might also have you wear a hinged knee brace when youre allowed to put some weight on your knee. Youll likely feel better after about three to four weeks.
- Grade 2: Knee injuries are considered moderate. You have a partial tear in your LCL. For a grade 2 injury, youll need to use crutches and then a hinged knee brace. Recovery will take about eight to 12 weeks.
- Grade 3: Knee injuries are severe. Your LCL is separated or torn completely and may take eight to 12 weeks to heal. Youll use a hinged brace for several months. Your healthcare provider might recommend surgery.
You might need surgery if your injury is severe. Typically, providers consider a knee injury to be severe if you tear the LCL and another part of your knee, including your:
You may also need to go to physiotherapy . Physiotherapy will help you:
- Strengthen your muscles.
- Increase your range of motion.
- Learn exercises you can do at home.
Severe injuries require open surgery. Your surgeon will:
- Stitch up your torn LCL.
- Reattach the LCL to your bones.
- Reconstruct your ligament using other tendons or ligaments.
Healing from an LCL tear can take time. It can be hard to be patient, but you cant rush the process.
An Overview Of Acl And Mcl
The ACL and MCL are both knee ligaments. They have a primary function of supporting and stabilizing the knee. ACL is an acronym for the anterior cruciate ligament. This prevents the shinbone from sliding forward while MCL or medial collateral ligament ensures the femur doesnt slide from side to side.
Knee injury can potentially cause lasting damage to both these ligaments. The most common knee injury involves ACL or MCL tear. Support and stabilization of the knee is compromised when the ligament sustains damage.
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What Causes An Mcl Tear
Sudden and forceful turning, twisting and cutting can cause MCL tears. A direct blow to the outer side of your knee can also cause an MCL tear. MCL tears are most common in people who play certain sports like skiing, football, basketball and volleyball.
The following situations can cause an MCL tear:
- Planting one foot into the ground and forcefully shifting direction .
- When something or someone hits your knee on its outer side, such as from a football tackle.
- Squatting or lifting heavy objects.
- Landing awkwardly on your knee after a jump.
- Hyperextending your knee. This is common in skiing.
- Repeated pressure and stress to your knee, which causes your MCL to lose its elasticity .
Treatment Of Grade I Mcl Tears
Grade I tears of the MCL often resolve within a few weeks.
Treatment consists of:
- Resting From Activity: This means you won’t be playing the sport where you sustained the injury while you recover.
Patients with a grade I MCL tear may be able to return to sports within one or two weeks following their injury.
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Knee Ligament Sprains Or Tears
These are common among athletes. There are two types of ligaments: collateral and cruciate. You have four main ligaments in your knee: the lateral collateral ligament, medial collateral ligament , posterior cruciate ligament, and anterior cruciate ligament .
Ligaments help keep the bones in your knee stable, but they are prone to injuries, particularly through contact or from changing direction suddenly when youâre running. Sports fans know that ACL and MCL injuries can sideline an athlete for months.
But for most people who donât make their living running full speed or getting hit, it usually takes several weeks to recover.
It can take roughly 8 weeks to recover from surgery to repair a ligament tear. But if you need a major reconstruction of a torn ligament, it can take 6 months or so to get you back to full strength, Bush-Joseph says.
Does An Mcl Tear Ever Fully Heal
When an MCL tear is severe, there is a time limit for healing. It usually takes one to three weeks to fully recover from a grade 1 MCL tear. The duration of recovery for a grade 2 tear of the mammary glands ranges between four and six weeks. If you have a grade 3 MCL tear, it will take up to six weeks for the injury to heal.
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How Does One Treat An Mcl Tear In A Hockey Goalie
Treatment of an MCL tear in a hockey goalie can be complicated because butterfly goalies are extremely MCL dependent. Therefore, allowing the MCL to heal prior to returning back to competition can be very important because if one returns back too soon before the MCL is healed adequately, the MCL could heal in a stretched-out position, which could affect ones function. Therefore, wearing a brace, working on a stationary bike as often as possible, and focusing on straight-ahead activities until it completely heals before one does side-to-side or butterfly goalie drills would be indicated. In some instances, the scar tissue from an MCL tear can be limiting with one going down into a butterfly position, even when the MCL tears heal completely. In these circumstances, assessment by a physician to determine if a one-time intraarticular steroid injection may be indicated is a possibility. Also, once the MCL tear has completely healed, the use of anti-inflammatory medications as a trial for determining if pain relief may also be indicated.