Medial Collateral Ligament Tear

Your medial collateral ligament (MCL) runs along the inside of your knee and joins your femur (thigh bone) to your tibia (shin bone). It is usually damaged when a force is placed on the outside of the knee going across the knee. This causes a gapping of the knee and, if the force is great enough, a partial or complete tear of the MCL. The grade of injury (as with all ligament damage) can vary from grade 1 to 3. Grade 1 is classed as 10% of fibres are torn and Grade 3 is a complete tear. Grade 2 falls inbetween meaning the symptoms can sometimes vary.

Symptoms:

  • Tenderness over inside of the knee
  • Some swelling around the area
  • When gapping the knee there is joint laxity – gives the feeling of instability

Article from Orthopaedic Website

Treatment of a medial collateral ligament injury rarely requires surgical intervention