How Long Does It Take An MCL Injury To Heal?

Physical Therapy in Manhattan

The MCL is a band of tissue on the inside of your knee which connects your thighbone to the bone in your lower leg. The MCL keeps your knee from bending inward. An MCL injury is a tear or sprain to the medial collateral ligament. At Manhattan Sports Medicine and Wellness Group, we treat medial Collateral Ligament (MCL) injuries. If you are interested in our physical therapy in manhattan, click here to make an appointment.

Causes of MCL Injuries

MCL injuries usually occur when you are doing an activity that involves bending, twisting, a quick change of direction, or being hit from the side.MCL injuries are common and one of the most common knee ligament injuries. About 40% of all knee injuries include the MCL. This type of unjust is common in football, basketball, and soccer players. This can also occur in skiing or any other activity that includes many stop-and-go movements, jumping, or weaving. 

Symptoms Of A Torn MCL

  • Hearing a popping noise when the injury first happens
  • Pain
  • Stiffness
  • Swelling
  • Tenderness on the inside of your knee
  • You can’t put pressure on it
  • Feeling that your knee may give away under stress or may lock 

While visiting the doctor for your MCL injury, they will scale the severity of your injury:

  • Grade 1: some tenderness and pain
  • Grade 2: major pain and tenderness, looseness in the knee when moved by hand, possible swelling
  • Grade 3: pain and tenderness on the inside of your knee, swelling, joint instability 

To diagnose an MCL injury, your doctor will have you take an x-ray and possibly an MRI in some cases. 

After having your doctor rate your MCL injury’s severity, you will recommend physical therapy in manhattan. If you have grade 1, you can start physical therapy three weeks after the injury, but if you are suffering from grade 2 or 3 levels injury, you must wait at least six weeks to begin physical therapy in manhattan. Doing physical therapy after an MCL injury will help you return to your normal lifestyle, reduce pain and weakness, improve motion, strength, and balance. 

MSM Wellness – Physical Therapy in Manhattan

At Manhattan Sports Medicine and Wellness Group, we treat medial Collateral Ligament (MCL) injuries. If you are interested in our physical therapy in manhattan, click here to make an appointment.