How do you tell if MCL is torn or sprained?

Diagnosis and Tests

In most cases, a healthcare provider can tell if you have a torn MCL by doing a physical exam on your knee. If your provider thinks you may have an MCL tear, they'll bend your knee and apply pressure on it to see if your knee is loose.

How can you tell the difference between a sprained and a torn MCL?

An MCL tear causes pain on the inside of the knee. Tearing the MCL is likely to cause more severe pain that spraining the ligament. A person may notice a popping sound at the time of the injury. This is the sound of the MCL tearing.

What does a sprain MCL feel like?

Stiffness. Swelling. Tenderness along the inside of the knee. A feeling that the injured knee may give way under stress or may lock or catch.

How long does it take to recover from a sprained MCL?

MCL Tear or Sprain Nonsurgical Recovery Time

It can take anywhere from a few days to 8 weeks for an MCL injury to heal and a person to return to normal activities and sports. Generally, the timeline is determined by the severity of the injury, although this is not true for every person.

Can I walk on a sprained MCL?

Your physical therapist may advise you to: Rest your knee and avoid walking or any activity that causes pain. They may recommend using crutches and a knee brace to reduce further strain on your MCL when walking. Apply ice packs to the area for 15 to 20 minutes every two hours.

Torn MCL / Sprained Knee

What are the symptoms of a torn ligament in your knee?

How do you treat a sprained MCL?

Do MCL tears heal on their own?

While an MCL tear can be extremely painful, the good news is that the tear usually heals on its own after a few weeks of rest. While there are no figures available on how many MCL injuries occur each year, it is considered the most common type of knee injury.

What does a partially torn MCL feel like?

MCL injuries hurt. Most people feel pain along the inside edge of the knee, and they also have swelling. You might hear a pop when the damage to the knee takes place, and your knee may lurch to the side. You may find it hard to walk, or feel like you can't put pressure on the leg with the hurt knee.

Does MCL tear hurt to touch?

A torn MCL (medial collateral ligament or tibial collateral ligament) may be painful to the touch.

Can you bend your knee with a torn ligament?

Unable to Bend Knee.

When you've torn your ACL you will lose a range of motion. Try bending your knee and then straightening it out. If you can't bend your knee to a 90 degree angle or straighten out your leg because of pain, stiffness and swelling, then it is likely that you've torn your ACL.

Can you bend your knee with a meniscus tear?

You can fully bend and straighten your knee without pain. You feel no pain in your knee when you walk, jog, sprint, or jump. Your knee is no longer swollen. Your injured knee is as strong as your uninjured knee.

What is a Grade 1 MCL sprain?

Grade I - A Grade 1 MCL injury indicates a mild sprain or stretching of the ligament fibers. A Grade 1 MCL sprain may cause mild to moderate pain and slight swelling, but the knee joint remains stable. Grade II - Grade II MCL injuries indicate a more severe sprain or stretching of the ligament.

Is walking good for torn ligaments?

The short answer is yes. After the pain and swelling subsides and if there is no other injury to your knee, you may be able to walk in straight lines, go up and down stairs and even potentially jog in a straight line.

Do you need a brace for a MCL sprain?

Most MCL injuries can be treated at home with rest, ice, and anti-inflammatory medicine. Your doctor may suggest that you use crutches and wear a brace that protects but allows for some movement of your knee. You may need to reduce your activity for a few weeks.

How does a torn ligament feel?

A torn ligament can result in varying degrees of pain and discomfort, depending on the extent of the injury. It may produce heat, extensive inflammation, popping or cracking noises, severe pain, instability within the joint and an inability to put weight or pressure on the joint.

How do you make your MCL heal faster?

How do I know if my knee pain is serious?

What are the symptoms of a torn ligament in your knee NHS?

Does a grade 2 MCL sprain require surgery?

A total rupture of the MCL usually doesn't require surgery. Only in cases where the tear hasn't healed after conservative therapy or other knee ligaments are damaged is surgery recommended. Surgery to repair a torn MCL involves stitching the ends of the ligament together or re-attaching it to the bone.

What are 3 signs of a meniscus tear in the knee?

How do you check yourself for a torn meniscus?

To test for a lateral meniscus tear (on the outer side of the knee), you'll be asked to turn your toes inward as far as your knees can rotate. You'll then squat and slowly stand up. A click or pain can indicate a meniscus tear.

What part of knee hurts with torn meniscus?

Initial symptoms of a torn meniscus include well-localized pain and swelling in the knee. The pain is usually either on the inner or outer side of the knee, not around the kneecap.