MCL Sprain

A MCL sprain is characterized as a tear to the medial collateral ligament in the knee. The medial collateral ligament (MCL) connects the tibia (shin bone) to the femur (thigh bone) on the outside of the knee, preventing the knee joint from moving sideways. MCL sprains usually happen when the knee is hit on the outside when slightly bent. It is common for a MCL tear to affect other parts of the knee, such as other ligaments.

 
Three grades to MCL sprains directly relating to the severity of the injury:

• Grade 1 – Least severe grade; minor damage to MCL, but still supports knee.
• Grade 2 – MCL is stretched and partially torn, knee is somewhat unstable.
• Grade 3 – Most severe grade; MCL is torn or completely separated from the bone.

What is the cause?

The medial collateral ligament (MCL) connects the tibia (shin bone) to the femur (thigh bone) on the inside of the knee, preventing the knee joint from moving sideways. MCL sprains are usually the result of a direct hit to the outside of the knee, or twisting of the knee. Some common causes of MCL sprains are twisting the knee after jumping and falling wrongly, or a direct blow from contact sports. In contact sports such as football, a direct blow to a bent knee can stretch the MCL to the point of spraining the ligament. Gradual wear and tear in athletes’ knees can also cause sprains to the MCL.

What are the symptoms?

• Pain in the knee, accompanied by swelling
• “Pop” sound upon moment of sprain
• Knee is unstable and may give out
• Painful to walk on
• Stiffness in the knee

Our staff is well trained to correctly diagnose and treat MCL sprains. Read more below about the advanced Physiotherapy Techniques we utilize.

Tests

We can order imaging tests to properly assess what is causing the symptoms.

• MRI
  An MRI can show how much damage and to what degree the knee has been affected.

Treatments

Treatment in our office is broken down into three segments:

1. Pain reduction
   Stopping or decreasing the activity that is causing the pain is the main goal of our first treatment segment. Applying ice and heat alternatively throughout the day will help with both pain and inflammation. Our Class 4 laser treatment is very effective for this segment.
2. Treatment to restore oxygen and proper nutrients to damaged segment
   • Class 4 laser
   • Graston Technique Therapy
     Successful in effectively treating all soft tissue conditions, whether they are chronic, acute or post- surgical.
   • E-stim
     Electric muscle stimulation using a device that delivers electronic pulses to motor nerves through electrodes placed on the skin, causing a motor response to achieve a number of desired results.
   • Ultrasound
   • Soft tissue work
3. Exercise and proper stretching
   We offer a very effective Physiotherapy regiment to both decrease pain and restore proper function.