What can my physical therapist do to reduce how long an MCL sprain lasts?

Your body is full of fibrous tissue that holds the joints together known as ligaments. When you tear a ligament, it’s called a sprain. The medial collateral ligament (MCL) is one of the major ligaments that helps stabilize your knee joint. It is usually torn from impact injuries, which is why it is a commonly injured ligament for athletes. It is important to rest after spraining your MCL, but after the initial injury you’re probably left wondering: “How long do MCL sprains last?”

If you’ve sprained your MCL and want to cut down your recovery time, physical therapy may be able to help get you back on your feet sooner. 

How long do MCL sprains normally last?

Before a physical therapist can implement treatments for your MCL sprain, they will have to first determine the severity of your injury. This will help you figure out how long your MCL sprain may last. The medical world uses three grades to rank the severity of MCL injuries:

• Grade 1 injuries are minor and occur when the ligament has only been stretched. Grade 1 sprains usually only take a few days to heal.

• Grade 2 injuries indicate that the ligament has been torn. The symptoms of a grade 2 include increased pain and instability in the knee joint. Grade 2 injuries may take four weeks or longer to completely heal. 

• Grade 3 injuries are the most serious and occur when the ligament has sustained a major tear. Grade 3 injuries can take up to eight weeks or even longer to heal and may require surgical intervention.

What can a physical therapist do to cut down MCL sprain recovery time?

If you sustained a grade 2 or 3 MCL sprain and want to cut down on your recovery time, a physical therapist can help. Here are some techniques a physical therapist may recommend to cut down on how long your MCL sprain lasts:

• Therapeutic exercises — On the road to recovery from a serious MCL sprain, your knee may become weak from disuse. A physical therapist can help you maintain your knee strength and help improve your knee’s flexibility with targeted exercises to increase joint stability while avoiding further irritation to the injury. By strengthening your knee during the recovery phase, you may be able to begin resuming normal knee functions sooner. 

• Joint mobilization — Your knee can become stiff while recovering from an MCL sprain, especially a grade 2 or 3 injury. To help combat decreased flexibility, a physical therapist may implement a form of manual therapy called joint mobilization. This technique involves a physical therapist moving your knee though its normal range of motion to help keep it flexible. This can also stimulate blood flow to the knee, which can help reduce inflammation.

• Instrument-assisted soft tissue mobilization (IASTM) — A serious sprain can cause scar tissue to develop, which is problematic because it receives less blood than normal tissue. Scar tissue also can prevent joints from moving normally. A physical therapist can help prevent this scar tissue from building up with instrument-assisted soft tissue mobilization. This technique can help ensure that your knee is functioning properly and not impeded by stiff scar tissue. 

Advent Physical Therapy is ready to help you recover from an MCL sprain

If you’re wondering how long an MCL sprain lasts, physical therapy can help reduce your recovery time. Our specialists at Advent Physical Therapy are experts in treating knee injuries and conditions. We are prepared to build you a personalized treatment plan to address your MCL sprain. 

Contact our team today for more information about MCL sprains or to schedule an initial appointment.