MCL: The Less-Talked About Knee Injury Source
Posted on Nov 3, 2015 12:27pm PST
I’ve discussed at length the prevalence of knee injuries in sports
today – namely ACL tears during non-contact plays. But one trend
that has seemingly emerged during this NFL season is knee injuries involving
the MCL. What is the MCL and what function does it serve? What happens
when it is injured and how are those injuries treated so that players
can get safely back in the game?
The MCL is one of two Collateral Ligaments in the knee. The acronym MCL
stands for Medial Collateral Ligament. It is a thick band of fibrous tissue
that is located on the inside of the knee and connects the thighbone to
the large bone in the lower leg. Its purpose is an important one: the
MCL, along with the LCL controls the sideways motion of the knee and prevents
it from bending inward.
Much like the ACL, MCL injuries often occur during swift bending or twisting
motions and especially when a person makes a quick change of direction.
What many people may not understand however is that an MCL sprain is actually
a tear. Orthopedic specialists grade these tears on a 1-3 scale in terms
of severity – with Grade 1 being mild and Grade 3 being severe.
Sometimes it is easy to spot an MCL injury – there may be a direct
blow to the knee or the person may feel as though something just “snapped.”
But in some cases, people may not know they’ve experienced a knee
injury until several hours later – when pain is extreme, swelling
is present and the range of motion decreases.
For those who believe they have sustained a knee injury, proper medical
treatment by a board certified orthopedic specialist is important. Treatment
options will depend largely upon the nature of the injury and its severity.
For most MCL injuries, rest, ice and anti-inflammatory medication may
be all that are required for a complete recovery. In severe cases however,
surgery may be required to repair the damage – especially if it
also involves the ACL or the meniscus.
Once healing is complete and the injured knee’s normal range of motion
is restored, returning to sports play is usually a gradual process. This
can involve light exercise which graduates to moderate and finally to
a complete return to play. To ensure that healing is protected, a brace
may also be suggested by the physician during sporting activities and
depending on the severity of the injury.