Are you wondering how long that medial collateral ligament (MCL) of yours will take to heal? Or maybe you’re suspecting you have injured this ligament and need some direction…well, don’t fret too much longer! I will provide a quick rundown that will answer all your questions in this brief post. In order to gain a good understanding, let’s first gain an understanding about this ligament.
Your MCL is a ligament located along your inner thigh but outside of your knee joint. Why should you care? This ligament’s location has an adequate amount of blood, which means physical therapy can usually restore your knee! Having said that, surgery may be required on a few occasions.
The function of your MCL:
It is a strong ligament that provides stability along the inner part of your knee. In addition to your MCL, there are other nearby structures in your knee that also provide support.
How does this injury typically occur:
1) Direct contact; For example, a hit along outer leg while your foot maintains contact with the ground
2) Non- contact (not as common)
3) Rotational trauma
4) Cutting and pivoting activities (like soccer)
Common complaints:
1) Pain along the inside of your knee
2) Swelling
3) Feeling of instability (particularly with side to side movements)
Testing your healthcare provider will perform:
Valgus stress test: The amount of slackness and symptoms may determine whether you’ve injured this ligament. Because your MCL’s close attachments to various soft tissue (ex. ligament, meniscus, etc.), you should get a full examination to ensure nothing else is injured.
After a physical examination:
Imaging may be performed to assess the extent of your injury.
-Radiograph to rule out fractures
-MRI to view soft tissue structures
Average healing time frame:
Unfortunately, the timeframe for an MCL injury varies. Factors taken into consideration are things such as the extent and location of your injury. Assuming your MCL is the sole injury, below is a general timetable (can be a little less or more than)
1) Grade 1: 2-3 weeks
2) Grade 2: 3-4 weeks
3) Grade 3: 4-6 weeks
* Side note: MCL injuries further up your thigh usually heal faster compared to those below your knee.
Is there an advantage of completing surgery:
As mentioned earlier, surgery is not usually recommended for most MCL injuries (yes, that includes Grade 3). Surgery may be required for an extensive knee injury (ex. stener lesion, bony avulsion, multiple ligament injury). The recovery period may take at least 6 to 9 months.
More often than not, surgeons will consider having you complete physical therapy to see if there’s a potential for healing before deciding to do surgery.
VIDEO EXPLAINING: MCL REHAB GUIDELINES (COMING SOON)
Next steps:
I highly recommend you calling up a physical therapy clinic to ensure a full recovery!
I want to hear about your MCL injury experience. How was your recovery?