Just another iHealthSpot WP02 site

search
icon-blog Call Today (800) 336-2412 Patient Portal Request an Appointment Pay Bill Online
  • Home
  • Meet Dr. Hefley & Team
  • Services & Specialties
    • Shoulder
    • Hip
    • Knee
    • Stem Cell & Platelet-Rich Plasma PRP Therapy
    • MRI
    • Viscosupplementation
    • Ultrasound-Guided Injections
    • Physical Therapy
  • Testimonials & News
    • Patient Stories
  • Contact & Locations

What is an MCL Tear, and how is it treated?

November 4, 2016

in General
November 04, 2016
Tagged With: Dr. Bill Hefley, Knee Injury, MCL, MCL Tear
 

If you’ve ever had any sort of injury, especially a knee injury, you probably appreciate how your knees power you through various sports and activities: kicking, jumping, running, and pivoting. To avoid knee injuries, it is important to understand how your knees work and what you can do to protect them.

What’s in a Knee?

The knee is a joint; while it is the largest joint in the body, it’s also the most complicated. Your knees provide stability and allow your legs to bend, swivel, and straighten. The knee is made up of bones, cartilage, muscles, ligaments, and tendons, all working as one. What makes knee injuries complicated is they could be caused by stress or damage to any of these parts. The knee sits in the middle of three bones: the tibia (your shinbone), the femur (your thighbone), and the patella (the kneecap). The patella is a flat and round bone that protects the knee joint.

What is an MCL tear?

The medial collateral ligament (MCL) is a broad, thick band that runs down the inner part of the knee, from the thighbone to the shinbone. The MCL’s primary function is to prevent the leg from over-extending inward, but it also is part of the mechanism that stabilizes the knee and allows it to rotate.

Injuries to the MCL commonly occur because of a strong force hitting the outside of the knee that causes the MCL, and, possibly other ligaments on the inside of the knee, such as the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), to stretch or tear.

Symptoms:

Initial symptoms of an MCL tear include:

  • Pain or tenderness
  • Stiffness
  • Swelling

Symptoms occur along the inner side of the knee (The MCL is located on the side of the knee adjacent to the other knee). Depending on the severity of the injury, pain can range from mild to severe.

Treatment:

On average, it takes at least six weeks for an MCL injury to heal. The initial treatment for most grade 1, 2 or 3 MCL tears focuses on reducing the pain and inflammation in the knee while immobilizing the knee to keep it stabilized. This includes:

·         Resting, icing and elevating the knee

·         Taking pain relievers and anti-inflammatory medicine such as aspirin, ibuprofen and acetaminophen to ease pain and swelling

·         Wearing a lightweight cast or brace that allows your knee to move backward and forward while restricting side-to-side movement. It’s usually recommended to keep the knee immobilized like this for 72 hours, depending on the severity of the injury.

The cast or brace may be designed so that you cannot bend your knee at all. If this is the case, you will need to modify your behavior so that you can avoid having to squat, kneel or bend over. You should try to keep your leg elevated even if you are sitting in a chair, to reduce blood flow to the knee.

To find out more information on how to treat an MCL tear call Dr. Bill Hefley at (800) 336-2412 to request an appointment.

Footer

Patient Education

Our orthopedic surgery library features dozens of educational videos to help you understand your upcoming treatment.

 LEARN MORE

 Read our Blog

Dr. William Hefley is one of the most experienced and highly trained orthopedists in the region. Check out our educational and informative blog for insights and news on advancements in orthopedics and the procedures Dr. Hefley performs.

 READ MORE

 Patient Education

Our orthopedic surgery library features dozens of educational videos to help you understand your upcoming treatment.

 READ MORE

Home
Meet Dr. Hefley & Team
Testimonials & News
Contact & Locations
Privacy Policy
Sitemap

Services & Specialties
Shoulder
Hip
Knee
MRI
Viscosupplementation
Ultrasound-Guided Injections
Physical Therapy
Stem Cell & Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP) Therapy

Request an Appointment
Patient Portal
Blog

William F. Hefley, MD
#5 St. Vincent Circle, 
1st & 4th Floors
Little Rock, Arkansas 72205
Phone: (501) 663)-6455
Fax: (501) 663-4877

Copyright ©  Dr. William F. Hefley, MD. All Rights Reserved.

iHealthspot Medical Website Design and Medical Marketing by iHealthSpot.com

Board-certified orthopedic surgeon Dr. William F. Hefley is devoted to treating a broad range of conditions including Shoulder, Hip, Knee, MRI,Viscosupplementation, Ultrasound-Guided Injections, Physical Therapy, Stem Cell & Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP) Therapy

Scroll To Top