Knee Care
The orthopedic surgeons at Great Lakes Orthopedics & Sports
Medicine, P. C. can evaluate your knee condition and provide the customized treatment plan to get you back to enjoying life!!
Medial Collateral Ligament (MCL) Injury
Knee Specialists In The Greater St. John, Crown Point and Lowell, Areas
The orthopedic surgeons at Great Lakes Orthopedics & Sports Medicine, P. C. treat knee conditions and injuries at their 3 convenient offices in St. John, Crown Point and Lowell, Indiana. Our orthopedic physicians are specially-trained in treating knee conditions and injuries. As leaders in orthopedic care, we provide minimally invasive and innovative treatment options, as well as utilizing state-of-the art technologies, to create unique and individualized care plan designed to get you back on your road to recovery and regaining an active lifestyle!!
FAQs on Medial Collateral Ligament (MCL) Injury
Medial Collateral Ligament (MCL) Injury
The medial collateral ligament (MCL) is one of four ligaments that are critical to the stability of the knee joint. A ligament is made of tough fibrous material and functions to control excessive motion by limiting joint mobility. The four major stabilizing ligaments of the knee are the anterior and posterior cruciate ligaments (ACL and PCL, respectively), and the medial and lateral collateral ligaments (MCL and LCL, respectively).
The MCL spans the distance from the end of the femur (thigh bone) to the top of the tibia (shin bone) and is on the inside of the knee joint. The medial collateral ligament resists widening of the inside of the joint, or prevents “opening-up” of the knee.
Symptoms
Symptoms of a MCL injury tend to correlate with the extent of the injury. MCL injuries are graded on a scale of I to III.
Grade I MCL Tear
This is an incomplete tear of the MCL. The tendon is still in continuity, and the symptoms are usually minimal. Patients usually complain of pain with pressure on the MCL, and may be able to return to their sport very quickly. Most athletes miss 2-4 weeks of play.
Grade II MCL Tear
Grade II injuries are also considered incomplete tears of the MCL. These patients may complain of instability when attempting to cut or pivot. The pain and swelling is more significant, and usually a period of 4-6 weeks of rest is necessary.
Grade III MCL Tear
A grade III injury is a complete tear of the MCL. Patients have significant pain and swelling, and often have difficulty bending the knee. Instability, or giving out, is a common finding with grade III MCL tears. A knee brace or a knee immobilizer is usually needed for comfort, and healing may take 6 weeks or longer.
Diagnosis
Patients with a medial collateral ligament injury will have medial knee pain and a sense of giving way. An examination by your Great Lakes Orthopedics & Joint specialist will determine the extent of your injury after reviewing your medical history and possibly utilizing diagnostic tools, such as an X-ray or MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) to proceed with an appropriate treatment plan.
Causes
Because the MCL resists widening of the inside of the knee joint, the MCL is usually injured when the outside of the knee joint is struck.
This action causes the outside of the knee to buckle, and the inside to widen. When the MCL is stretched too far, it is susceptible to tearing and injury.
This is the injury seen by the action of “clipping” in a football game.
An injury to the MCL may occur as an isolated injury, or it may be part of a complex injury to the knee.
Other ligaments, most commonly the ACL, or the meniscus (cartilage), may be torn along with a MCL injury.