When you feel an odd pain in your knee that can be bothersome when you bend your knee while doing almost any activity, then you could have a torn MCL. There are numerous ways as to how you can tear this ligament. Fortunately, there are treatments that offer success so that you can enjoy walking and doing the things that you did before your injury.
The MCL is an important component in your leg and knee as it connects the bone in your thigh to the bone in your shin that runs along the inner area of your knee. You can easily twist this area of your knee and tear the ligament without realizing what you’ve done until you begin to experience pain. While there could be other injuries to your knee that have occurred, a torn MCL can stand alone as a single injury.
One of the common ways to injure your MCL is by getting hit in your knee while playing sports. The ligament would be overexerted and stretched to a point where it tears. You will usually tear your MCL when you land on the ground as this is when the inner area of your knee usually hits the ground and is damaged. You can also injure your MCL when you’re walking and you twist your knee the wrong way or when you jump around and land the wrong way.
Soon after your MCL tears, you’ll begin to experience severe pain in your knee. There will usually be some swelling. Sometimes, your knee might feel like it is locking in place. This can result in a feeling like your knee is going to buckle and give way, especially while you’re walking. This is usually when you might need to talk to our doctor about surgery as a form of treatment instead of other types of treatment that include physical therapy. Our doctor can perform an X-ray and other diagnostic tests to determine the extent of the injury before making a treatment plan. You will usually be asked to try ice for swelling or heat therapy for pain. You could be given pain medication to take for comfort.
To determine the severity of your MCL tear and what can be done to provide relief, speak with the professionals at Plymouth Bay Orthopedic Associates Inc. in Plymouth, Duxbury and Sandwich. We can create a customized treatment plan to address your unique needs. Contact us today to schedule your consultation!