MCL Tear
Overview
The medial collateral ligament, or MCL, is a broad, thick band that runs down the inner part of the knee, from the femur (thighbone) to a point 1.5 to 2 inches from the top of the tibia (shinbone). MCL的功能主要是防止腿部向内伸展得太远, 但它也是稳定膝盖并使其旋转的机制的一部分.
MCL损伤通常发生在一个强大的力量撞击膝盖外部，导致MCL损伤——也可能是其他膝盖韧带损伤, such as the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) – to stretch or tear.
This happens to people playing certain sports – in football, for example, when one player collides with another from the side. 在需要快速停止和转弯的运动中，MCL损伤也很常见, such as soccer, basketball and skiing. However, not everyone who damages this ligament is an athlete. Simply slipping on ice, if the lower leg splays out, can injure the MCL, 重复的小损伤也会逐渐导致MCL失去正常的弹性，变得柔软, like a worn-out rubber band.
Our approach to MCL tears
加州大学旧金山分校致力于帮助MCL撕裂患者尽可能恢复最高水平的活动, 无论是每天散步还是报道NFL的训练. Our team includes orthopedic surgeons, primary care sports medicine doctors, physical therapists and athletic trainers. 这些专家一起工作，为每个病人的需要和目标量身定制治疗计划.
Most MCL injuries can be healed through physical therapy. We offer the full range of these treatments, including exercise regimens, 功能性活动训练和神经肌肉再教育(使该区域恢复正常活动的技术). 我们的专家指导每位患者通过个性化的方案，旨在促进愈合, recover function and improve physical performance.
Awards & recognition
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Among the top hospitals in the nation
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One of the nation's best for orthopedic care
Signs & symptoms
MCL撕裂沿着膝盖内侧(向身体中线方向)产生症状。. Initially, you may experience:
- A pop on the inside of the leg
- Tenderness or pain that ranges from mild to severe
- Stiffness
- Swelling
- Unsteadiness, locking or catching in the joint
Diagnosis
Your doctor will likely ask how you injured your knee, how it has felt since the injury and whether you've injured it before. 检查包括检查膝关节内侧的疼痛或压痛，并在腿弯曲和伸直时通过对膝关节外侧施加压力来检查MCL的完整性.
Depending on the degree of pain or looseness of your knee joint, the injury will be classified as one of three grades:
- Grade 1. There's some tenderness and minor pain at the point of injury.
- Grade 2. 膝关节明显松动(操作时“开口”约5毫米), major pain and tenderness at the inside of the knee, and (in some cases) swelling.
- Grade 3. There's considerable pain and tenderness at the inside of the knee, 伴有肿胀和明显的关节不稳定(操作时，膝关节张开约10毫米)。. A grade 3 MCL tear often occurs in conjunction with an ACL tear or, more rarely, with a tear in the posterior cruciate ligament (PCL).
- X-ray. This can show other damage and bone injury.
- Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). 这项检查诊断MCL损伤的准确率为90%，如果体检结果不明确或十大赌博平台排行榜怀疑有其他损伤，可以要求进行这项检查.
- Stress X-ray. This test is similar to a regular X-ray, 除非十大赌博平台排行榜或技术人员从侧面打开膝盖，以便在图像上明显显示关节间隙的任何扩大.
In some cases, 即时的疼痛和肿胀妨碍了十大赌博平台排行榜准确判断损伤严重程度的能力. If this is your situation, you may be asked to wear a light brace, apply ice and elevate your knee; in time, the swelling and pain will lessen enough to allow diagnosis.
In addition, your doctor may order the following tests:
Treatments
Nonsurgical methods
Recovery time for an MCL injury depends on the severity of the damage. On average, these injuries take six weeks to heal. No matter the grade of the tear, 最初的治疗重点是固定膝盖，减轻疼痛和炎症. Measures include:
- Resting, icing and elevating the knee
- 服用缓解疼痛和炎症的口服药物，如阿司匹林和布洛芬
- 戴一个支架，允许膝盖弯曲，同时限制左右运动
Some knee braces are designed to prevent bending. In that case, you'll need to modify your activities so that you don't have to squat, kneel down or bend over. 试着抬高你的腿，即使你是坐着的，这样可以消肿.
Once the pain and swelling subside, you'll begin a physical therapy program, 其中包括恢复力量和正常活动范围的锻炼. If your knee feels sore while doing these exercises, 慢慢进行，以防止进一步的刺激，并咨询你的物理治疗师.
Depending on the injury's severity, these methods – a period of rest, bracing and physical therapy – usually suffice to heal the tear. However, if the torn ligament doesn't heal sufficiently, you may experience instability and be more susceptible to reinjury. Surgery may be required in rare cases.
Once the MCL has fully healed, you should have minimal long-term effects, provided your knee suffered no other damage.
As previously noted, recovery times vary widely, but in general:
- 一级(轻微)MCL撕裂可能需要几天到一周半的时间才能恢复正常活动, including sports.
- A grade 2 tear can take from two to four weeks to heal.
- A grade 3 tear usually takes four to eight weeks to heal, unless the ACL is also damaged, in which case recovery may take longer.
Surgical methods
While most MCL injuries can resolve without surgery, there are instances where surgery is the best treatment option. The surgery will either repair or reconstruct the MCL. To repair the ligament, 你的外科十大赌博平台排行榜会在撕裂处切开一个切口，并使用称为缝合锚的固定装置将韧带固定在骨头上. 为了重建韧带，你的外科十大赌博平台排行榜会使用你的膝盖或尸体膝盖上的肌腱.
With either surgery, you can probably return home the same day. 手术后，你将使用拐杖和膝盖支架大约六周. At a post-op visit one to two weeks after surgery, your doctor will check your knee and remove the stitches. 恢复时间取决于任何相关的膝盖损伤，但通常在9到12个月之间.
Frequently asked questions
- When can I shower after surgery?
在你第一次术后检查之前，你应该保持敷料和膝盖干燥, at which point you'll likely be cleared to shower. 但在手术后三到四周，不要将膝盖浸入浴缸或游泳池.
- Will I have stitches?
You'll have stitches along the inside of the knee. 它们会被绷带覆盖，在你第一次术后预约时取下, one to two weeks after surgery.
- When should I expect a follow-up appointment?
You'll have a scheduled visit one to two weeks after surgery. It will include a knee exam, suture removal and X-rays.
- When should I start physical therapy?
You should start as soon as possible after surgery. Patients generally begin a program within the first one to two weeks, often right after the first post-op appointment.
- How long will I be on crutches?
Most likely, you'll use crutches for about six weeks, depending on which other structures were repaired in your knee.
- Are cold therapy machines best for pain relief?
Simple icing methods, 比如在膝盖上放一个普通的冰袋或一包冷冻蔬菜(放在绷带上面)效果很好. Cold therapy units, which work by recirculating ice water through a pad over your knee, are also effective, though somewhat expensive.
- When can I return to school or work after MCL surgery?
大多数病人在手术后5到7天就能回到学校或办公室工作. If you're able to work from home, your initial recovery may be easier. If you have a physically demanding job, 在重返工作岗位之前，你可能需要更多的时间来安全康复和体检.
- When can I drive after MCL surgery?
That depends on which leg had surgery. If it was your left knee and you drive an automatic car, 一旦你不再服用麻醉止痛药，感觉有能力安全驾驶，你就可以开车了. If it was your right knee, you'll probably need to wait six weeks; your surgeon can advise you.
UCSF Health medical specialists have reviewed this information. 它仅用于教育目的，并不打算取代您的十大赌博平台排行榜或其他医疗保健提供者的建议. 我们鼓励您与您的供应商讨论您可能遇到的任何问题或疑虑.
