How do you tell if your MCL is injured?
How do you tell if your MCL is injured?
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.
Can you still walk with a torn MCL?
Teens with a torn MCL usually need to take time off from sports, especially the sport in which the injury happened. If there is no pain and the knee does not “give way,” they can usually walk, stretch, and do low-impact activities such as swimming.
What does MCL strain feel like?
An injury to the MCL leads to swelling and pain in the medial, or inner, aspect of the knee. Patients will often feel pain with knee bending or twisting maneuvers. When an MCL tear is severe, the athlete can feel a sense of instability or opening on the inside of the knee.
How long does it take for an MCL strain to heal?
Recovery time for an MCL injury depends on the severity of the damage. On average, these injuries take six weeks to heal. No matter the grade of the tear, initial treatment focuses on immobilizing the knee and reducing pain and inflammation.
Can you bend your knee with a torn MCL?
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.
Does a torn MCL hurt to touch?
When the medial collateral ligament is injured, most experience pain along the inner knee, and some can actually describe feeling or hearing a “pop.” For the first few days after the injury, the inner part of the knee can appear swollen and “black and blue” (ecchymotic) and is almost always tender to the touch.
Is walking bad for MCL sprain?
Rest the area by avoiding walking or any activity that causes pain. Crutches and a knee brace may be recommended to reduce further strain on the MCL when walking. Apply ice packs to the area for 15-20 minutes every 2 hours. Compress the area with an elastic bandage wrap.
Can you bend your knee with a MCL tear?
Is walking good for MCL sprain?
Your physical therapist may advise you to: Rest the area by avoiding walking or any activity that causes pain. Crutches and a knee brace may be recommended to reduce further strain on the MCL when walking. Apply ice packs to the area for 15-20 minutes every 2 hours.
How do you tell if MCL is torn or sprained?
An individual with an MCL tear may notice the following:
- A popping sound when the injury is sustained.
- Pain (ranging from mild to severe depending on injury grade) on the inside of the knee.
- Instability, or feeling like the knee cannot bear weight and may give out.
- Knee stiffness.
How do I know if I tore my MCL or meniscus?
If you’ve torn your meniscus, you might have the following signs and symptoms in your knee:
- A popping sensation.
- Swelling or stiffness.
- Pain, especially when twisting or rotating your knee.
- Difficulty straightening your knee fully.
- Feeling as though your knee is locked in place when you try to move it.
Can you bend knee with MCL tear?
How to deal with MCL injury?
The best approach to medial collateral ligament injury is relieving pain and swelling while resting the joint to allow healing. Rest, icing, compresses, and elevation of the joint works well to begin healing and stabilize the joint. Most MCL sprain injuries heal with rest and less invasive treatment than MCL surgery.
What is the prognosis for a MCL injury?
Recovery times vary depending on the severity of your MCL injury. Since grade 1 MCL injuries are minor, they only take a few days to heal. Grade 2 injuries, however, can take up to four weeks. Grade 3 injuries are the most severe and have the longest recovery time.
What else to do for a MCL injury?
Rest
What are the causes of MCL injury?
MCL injury of the knee is usually caused by a direct blow to the knee. This type of injury is common in contact sports. It’s usually the result of a hit or blow to the outer aspect of the knee, which stretches or tears the MCL. MCL injuries can be grades 1, 2, or 3: A grade 1 MCL injury is the least severe.