Medial Collateral Ligament (MCL) Injury

The Medial Collateral Ligament is very commonly injured while participating in sports such as football and skiing. It often accompanies an ACL (Anterior Cruciate Ligament) injury. When the leg is hit from the outside of the knee joint, the knee tends to twist and buckle thus causing the ligament to over-stretch or tear. The cartilage or meniscus of the knee may also be torn during an MCL injury. Clipping during a football game is an excellent example of how this type of injury may occur.

Minor tears may not be noticed immediately but rather appear anywhere from a few hours to 2 days later. Common symptoms include pain and swelling directly over the ligament. Bruising will often appear 1-2 days after the injury occurs. More serious tears or ruptures of the MCL ligament may also make the knee feel unstable and leave the individual unable or unwilling to walk.

Anatomy

The knee has 2 collateral (parallel) ligaments and 2 cruciate (crossing) ligaments. The medial collateral ligament (MCL) and the lateral collateral ligament (LCL) provide support to the knee by limiting the sideways motion of the joint. The anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) and the posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) bond the upper and lower parts of the leg together and stabilize the knee by limiting the rotation and the forward and backward movement of the joint. The Medial Collateral Ligament joins the end of the femur (thigh bone) and the top of the tibia (shin bone). It is tightly drawn when the leg is straight thereby preventing the 'opening up' of the knee joint.

Treatment

Treatment will differ depending on the degree of instability and the patient's activity level. Many ligament injuries heal with ice, rest, ultrasound and heat followed by physical therapy to build muscle strength around the knee.

RICE (Rest Ice Compression Elevation)

Knee Cold Wrap

Immediate treatment of the MCL injury includes the application of cold or ice packs to the affected area, and elevation of the knee. It is also important to allow the injured knee to rest. Light compression of the knee joint with the use of an elasticized support bandage may also be directed by your care giver.

Our cold compression wraps allow you to actively treat yourself using the RICE method. They work because they interrupt and slow nerve and cell function in the damaged area. Once blood vessels are damaged they can no longer carry oxygenated blood to the damaged tissue and therefore cells begin to break-down. The deep cold provided by our cold/warm compression wraps slows cell function thereby reducing cellular break-down. Furthermore, because the cold wraps serve to numb the nerves the wraps also reduce pain! Our wraps keep the ice off the skin preventing frostbite and keep the cold in the area that you need it.

Ultrasound

Occasionally an individual with an MCL injury will require surgery. More often though, individuals with mild or moderate tearing will wear a hinged knee brace and will be advised to seek physiotherapy treatment. A common technique used in the treatment of MCL injuries by physiotherapists is ultrasound. Ultrasound is a healing technique that has been in existence around the world for many decades. The heating and massaging effects of MendMeShop Ultrasound have two primary benefits. First, it increases blood flow in the treated area which speeds the healing process. Second, it reduces swelling and edema which are the main sources of pain. Typically, ligament injuries are slow to heal and because people continue to try to use the injured body part, the injury is repeatedly stressed. Regular applications of ultrasound over the duration of the healing period will significantly reduce pain and the time to heal.

Ultrasound can also be used to administer therapeutic medicines into the body. This is a process known as phonophoresis. Ultrasound with phonophoresis is rapidly becoming more popular than ultrasound therapy alone.

We recommend you check with your doctor before using ultrasound to ensure it is a proper course of treatment for you.

Blood Flow Stimulation Therapy™

A knee Inferno Wrap™ is one of the most helpful tools for an MCL injury. With Blood Flow Stimulation Therapy™ tissues are safely and gently heated - increasing blood flow within the treated area. Your body’s natural response to this increased temperature is to try to maintain a condition of homeostasis — a balanced environment or state of equilibrium throughout the body. To do this, your body responds with a rapid increase in blood flow to the area (this is known as vasodilation), increasing the supply of nutrients to injured cells and flushing out toxins (including lactic acid, commonly found in trigger points) to promote healing. An Inferno Wrap™ provides effective, non-invasive, non-addictive pain relief with no side effects.