Medial collateral ligament

Structure

An MCL injury can be very painful and is caused by a valgus stress to a slightly bent knee, often when landing, bending or on high impact. It may be difficult to apply pressure on the injured leg for at least a few days. It can be caused by a direct blow to the lateral side of the knee.

The most common knee structure damaged in skiing is the medial collateral ligament, although the carve turn has diminished the incidence somewhat. MCL strains and tears are also fairly common in American football. The center and the guards are the most common victims of this type of injury due to the grip trend on their cleats, although sometimes it can be caused by a helmet striking the knee. The number of football players who get this injury has increased in recent years. Companies are currently trying to develop better cleats that will prevent the injury. MCL is also crucially affected in breaststroke and many professional swimmers suffer from chronic MCL pains.

There are three distinct levels in a MCL injury. Grade 1 is a minor sprain, grade 2 is a major sprain or a minor tear, and grade 3 is a major tear. Based on the grade of the injury treatment options will vary.

Treatment

Main article: Medial knee injuries

Depending on the grade of the injury, the lowest grade (grade 1) can take between 2 and 10 weeks for the injury to fully heal. Recovery times for grades 2 and 3 can take several weeks to several months.

Treatment of a partial tear or stretch injury is usually conservative. Most injuries that are partial and isolated can be treated without surgery. This includes measures to control inflammation as well as bracing. Kannus has shown good clinical results with conservative care of grade II sprains, but poor results in grade III sprains. As a result, more severe grade III and IV injuries to the MCL that lead to ongoing instability may require arthroscopic surgery. However, the medical literature considers surgery for most MCL injuries to be controversial. Isolated MCL sprains are common.

Additional images

File:Slide2CAC.JPG|Anterior view of knee

References

References

1. (2007). "The anatomy of the medial part of the knee". [[Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery.
2. (2016). "Gray's anatomy : the anatomical basis of clinical practice". Elsevier Limited.
3. (2009-05-07). "Operative management of the medial collateral ligament in the multi-ligament injured knee: an evidence-based systematic review". Knee Surgery, Sports Traumatology, Arthroscopy.
4. (May 2015). "KNEE INJURIES". www.ski-injury.com.
5. "Medial Collateral Ligament Injury Grading". Radiopaedia.org.
6. (1988). "Long-term results of conservatively treated medial collateral ligament injuries of the knee joint". Clinical Orthopaedics and Related Research.
7. (1995). "Isolated Medial Collateral Ligament Injuries in the Knee". The Journal of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.