MCL Tear Treatment

MCL Tear Treatment in Hoover and Birmingham, Serving Central Alabama

Sports accidents can be discouraging. Not only are they painful, but they also take patients away from the activities they love. If you have recently suffered a sports injury, such as an MCL tear, you may be searching for a reputable team to provide treatment.

Southlake Orthopaedics provides multi-specialty orthopedic care in Hoover and Birmingham-Grandview, AL, serving people throughout central Alabama. Learn more about how we provide every stage of medical treatment for MCL tears, from diagnosis to rehabilitation, to help patients return to pain-free living.

What Is an MCL Tear?

An MCL tear is an injury to one of the strong bands of connective tissue in the knee. The knee joint is composed of three separate bones: the femur, tibia, and patella. Four bands of strong connective tissue, called ligaments, hold these bones in place. Their job is to keep the joint stable so it can support weight and move naturally.

The medial collateral ligament, or MCL, is one of two collateral ligaments that run along each side of the knee to control the knee’s side-to-side movement. The MCL is on the inside of the leg, connecting the thigh bone to the shin bone. It prevents the knee from bending to the outside, strengthening it for confident movement.

Though MCL tears are not the most common type of knee ligament injury, they still occur quite frequently. About 40% of all knee injuries involve the MCL. Tears can be partial, meaning that sections of the ligament remain intact, or they can be complete, meaning that the whole ligament is severed.

MCL Tear Symptoms

MCLs occur suddenly. In most cases, the patient feels a popping sensation in their knee, followed by the knee giving out or losing stability. Some patients feel pain at the time of injury, while others do not experience much discomfort at first. Pain and other symptoms develop quickly and steadily after the initial injury. Common symptoms of MCL tears include:

Pain in the knee
Swelling in the knee, resulting in stiffness
Tenderness along the inner side of the knee
Weakness or instability in the knee
Feeling the knee joint catch or lock when used

Rest, ice, compression, and elevation (the RICE method) may temporarily relieve pain and inflammation. For proper treatment, however, patients should consult the board-certified orthopedic physicians at Southlake Orthopaedics. Only medical treatment can provide long-term relief.

MCL Tear Causes and Risk Factors

Most MCL tears are caused by a force that pushes the knee inward or toward the other knee. In many cases, this force is a direct blow from a contact sport or vehicle accident. However, this is not always the case. Sports that involve sharp side-to-side movements or “cutting,” such as football or skiing, may also result in an MCL tear if the knee overextends inwards while carrying weight. Some people may also experience an MCL tear when landing from a jump or squatting to lift a heavy object.

Not all MCL tears happen at once. Some injuries result from repeated stress on the knee. The ligament wears down over time, losing its elasticity and becoming more susceptible to tearing. Similarly, previous knee injuries can make the MCL more vulnerable to injury.

Diagnosing MCL Tears

When patients visit a physician for a knee injury, the first step is diagnosis. The physician begins with a physical exam. They will feel around the affected knee and test its range of movement to determine which structures are damaged. They will also ask about the injury, when or how it occurred, and what symptoms the patient has experienced.

Physical exams for knee injuries are not always conclusive. If the physician is still unsure about the injury, an imaging test may be ordered. X-ray imaging allows the physician to rule out bone fractures, while magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans help the physician locate the tear and evaluate its severity. This helps inform a treatment plan.

Treatment Options for an MCL Tear

After diagnosing an MCL tear, the physician will discuss treatment options with the patient. Treatments for this kind of injury typically vary depending on severity.

Most MCL tears are treated using non-invasive methods. The patient can visit the full-service, surgeon-led orthotics lab at Southlake Orthopaedics, where they will be fitted with a hinged brace. This brace will stabilize and support the knee joint while it heals. After the pain and swelling have improved, the patient will be given a personalized physical therapy and rehabilitation plan. The goal of physical therapy is to strengthen the muscles, restore function, and facilitate a return to normal activities.

If the tear cannot be treated conservatively, surgery may be recommended. Most surgeries for MCL injuries involve rebuilding or strengthening the ligament with a tissue graft. An arthroscope, or tiny camera, may access the joint through a smaller incision, allowing for a faster recovery.

Meet Our Team

Patients at Southlake Orthopaedics receive treatment from a multi-specialty team of board-certified physicians. With broad expertise in all kinds of orthopedic treatments, including sports medicine, they can effectively treat a variety of ailments. Our team features:

These experienced physicians help patients achieve less pain, more living, through a comprehensive approach to care that covers every phase from diagnosis to rehabilitation. Our offices are located in Birmingham-Grandview and Hoover, AL. Contact us to learn more about our knee injury treatments or to schedule an appointment for diagnosis.

Find Treatment for MCL Injuries in Alabama

Knee ligament injuries are common complaints. Fortunately, patients who have experienced an MCL injury can find less pain, more living at Southlake Orthopaedics. Our multi-specialty team treats a variety of orthopedic ailments at locations in Hoover and Birmingham-Grandview, AL. Contact us to learn more about the conditions we treat or to schedule an appointment.

MCL Tear Treatment