What hurts more ACL or MCL?

While not always the case, an ACL tear is in most cases going to be the more severe injury. It is considered worse than tearing the MCL because ACL tears are in general more complex to treat and require a longer recovery time after surgery.

What's worse than an ACL injury?

PCL Tear. Tearing the PCL (Posterior Cruciate Ligament) is not as common but also usually requires surgical repair. If not, the knee can become unstable and cause increased force to the knee cap.

What is the MCL compared to the ACL?

The ACL and the MCL are both ligaments in your knee. Both support and stabilize the knee. ACL is the anterior cruciate ligament that keeps your shinbone from sliding forward. MCL is the medial collateral ligament that prevents your femur from sliding from side to side.

Which injury is worse ACL or meniscus?

Meniscus tears generally heal in approximately three months or sooner (with and without surgery), while ACL tears take longer. If you don't need surgery, recover takes about three to six months. Recovering from ACL surgery can take six months to a year.

Is MCL tear worse than ACL?

An ACL tear is more serious than an MCL tear, and may require surgery to repair. Recovery time may be 6 months or more, including rehabilitation. An MCL tear can take around 8 weeks to recover from, but surgery is usually not required.

Will my ACL, MCL, or PCL (Knee Ligament) Tear Heal?? Surgery??

Is tearing an ACL worse than a broken leg?

Broken Bones Heal Better Than Ligaments and Tendon

The short answer is because the bone has plenty of blood supply to it compared to ligament/tendon, which has very little and ligament/tendons are more complex to rebuild. Wounds generally heal more slowly if blood can't circulate properly.

Is MCL easier to heal than ACL?

MCL tears are typically easier to recover from than ACL tears. With an MCL tear, the recovery process may take up to eight weeks or more with rehabilitation. On the other hand, an ACL tear will most likely require surgery and at least six months or more of rehabilitation.

How long is recovery time for MCL surgery?

After surgery, you'll use crutches and a knee brace for about six weeks. At a post-op visit one to two weeks after surgery, your doctor will check your knee and remove the stitches. Recovery time depends on any related knee injuries but is generally between nine and 12 months.

How long is recovery from ACL MCL surgery?

You should gradually be able to return to your normal level of activity between 6 weeks and 6 months after your knee operation. You'll be encouraged to continue with activities such as cycling and swimming but should avoid sports that involve a lot of twisting, jumping or turning.

What's the most painful knee injury?

One of the most feared sports and work injuries is a tear of the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), which has ended or derailed the careers of numerous high-profile athletes. A torn ACL is very painful and can debilitate a person for several months and perhaps for life, although recovery for some is possible.

What is the most painful tendon to tear?

One of the most painful injuries of the feet and ankles is a ruptured Achilles tendon. The Achilles tendon is thick and long. On one end, it attaches to your heel bone; on the other end, the tendon is embedded in your calf muscle.

Will you ever be the same after an ACL injury?

In some patients, their knee is not the same. In some patients, ten years later their knee is not the same. Some people do very well with ACL reconstruction surgery, some do very well with second or revision ACL surgery. Some do well with the third ACL reconstruction/revision surgery.

Does an MCL tear ever fully heal?

MCL tears usually heal well if they're treated properly. Complications from MCL tears are rare. Most athletes who experience an MCL tear are able to return to their sport after their injury has healed.

How painful is ACL surgery?

Most people have some surgery-related pain and discomfort for the first week or so. Not surprisingly, pain from knee surgery decreases with time. By the end of a week or two at the most, you should have very little discomfort. Swelling and bruising are also relatively common, and like discomfort, they're temporary.

Are you awake during MCL surgery?

You also may be given medicine to help you relax. You will stay awake during your arthroscopic knee surgery.

How painful is MCL?

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.

Can an MCL grow back?

Will an MCL injury heal itself? Many MCL injuries do have the ability to heal. This is especially true if the MCL is the only ligament torn around the knee. Partial MCL tears almost always heal, while complete MCL tears mostly heal.

What grade is my MCL injury?

Grade 1 — Some tenderness and minor pain. Grade 2 — Noticeable looseness in the knee when moved by hand; major pain and tenderness at the inside of the knee; swelling, in some cases. Grade 3 — Considerable pain and tenderness at the inside of the knee; some swelling and marked joint instability.

Does MCL tear hurt immediately?

What Are the Signs & Symptoms of a Medial Collateral Ligament Tear? Most people who tear their MCL feel pain and a "pop" in their knee when the injury happens. Their knee usually swells soon after the injury, most of the time around the inside part of the knee.

Can you still walk with a torn MCL?

If the MCL or ACL tears, the result is usually pain, swelling, stiffness, and instability. In most cases, the injured person can still walk with the torn knee ligament. But the movement will be severely limited, not to mention painful. Surgery may be the best route to a pain-free life, with amazing success rates.

Can MCL tear repair itself?

Grade I and Grade II tears can heal on their own within a few days to a few weeks as long as you get plenty of rest. Since Grade III MCL injuries are complete tears, the ligament is unable to heal itself and surgery is needed.

Why do females tear their ACL more than males?

Why are ACL tears more common in female athletes? The structure of the knee joint in women plays a big role in putting them at a higher risk for an ACL tear. Women's joints — including the knee — generally have more looseness and range of motion than men's.

Do strong legs prevent ACL tear?

Work on muscle strength.

A strong core and hips help athletes improve balance, while strong hamstrings and quadriceps work together to bend or straighten the leg. Strengthening these targeted areas can help reduce the risk of an ACL injury.

How long is recovery for ACL tear?

An ACL tear is a very common knee injury. It can happen to athletes who play sports like football, basketball, soccer and volleyball, and to those who work physical jobs. There are surgical and nonsurgical treatments. Most people recover from an ACL tear within six to nine months.

What does a Grade 3 MCL tear feel like?

A grade 3 tear is the most severe MCL injury when your ligament is completely torn. With a grade 3 tear, your knee will be loose and painful. This type of tear can often accompany other damage to your knee, such as an ACL tear.