How long is the recovery for MCL surgery?
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How long is the recovery 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.
Is MCL surgery successful?
Reconstruction or repair of the MCL is a relatively uncommon procedure, as nonoperative treatment is often successful at returning the patients to their prior level of function.
When is MCL surgery needed?
MCL surgery candidates You may need MCL surgery if you have a grade III tear, where the ligament has completely torn, and the ligament is non-functional. Also, if you are an elite athlete with multiple knee ligament injuries, your doctor may recommend surgery to repair the ligament.
Is MCL surgery painful?
Your knee will be bandaged and may have ice on it. There will likely be pain, and you can expect to be given pain medication as needed.
What happens after MCL surgery?
After surgical repair of your MCL (medial collateral ligament), you will need to take steps to reduce the pain and inflammation in the knee. Rest, icing, elevation, pain relievers such as aspirin or ibuprofen can ease pain and swelling, and immobilizing the knee will keep it stabilized.
How serious is a MCL tear?
A grade 1 (mild) MCL tear usually heals within one to three weeks. A grade 2 (moderate) MCL tear generally takes four to six weeks to heal with treatment. A grade 3 (severe) MCL tear can take six weeks or more to heal with treatment. If you undergo surgery to fix your MCL tear, it could take longer.
Is MCL surgery common?
It’s rare for someone with an MCL injury to need surgery, since this ligament can often heal within a few weeks or months with the help of other measures. But you might need it, especially if another part of your knee is also hurt.
Can you drive after MCL surgery?
It is very important to have a normal brake/reaction time prior to returning back to driving. If it is one’s right knee, it could take 4-6 weeks for a complete MCL tear to heal sufficiently to be able to drive safely.
What is the difference between a torn meniscus and a torn MCL?
While MCL injuries are generally a result of a direct blow to the outer side of the knee that pushes the knee inwards, meniscus injuries are usually the product of direct pressure on the knee following a forced twist or rotation. Furthermore, patients with an MCL injury often notice: Knee swelling and stiffness.
What is the most painful ligament to tear?
Quadruple Knee-Ligament Injury It also seems that the more severe the damage to the knee, or the more ligaments destroyed in the injury, the more pain the player seems to be in. For this reason, the quadruple ligament injury must be one of the most painful football injuries imaginable.
When can I return to work after MCL surgery?
If your job mostly involves sitting at a desk, you may be able to get back to work in a week or two. If your job requires being on your feet, you could be off work four to six weeks. For a very physically active job or a return to sports, plan on a three- to six-month recovery period.
Which is worse ACL or MCL injury?
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.
Is an MCL tear serious?
Is MCL worse than ACL?
Can you walk with a torn MCL?
Can you still walk with a torn MCL? If you have a grade 1 (minor) MCL tear, you’ll likely still be able to walk at the time of the injury, though it might be painful. A grade 2 (moderate) MCL tear could make it difficult to walk at the time of the injury since your knee won’t be as stable as it normally is.
What hurts more ACL or MCL?
What happens when you tear your MCL?
Symptoms. An MCL tear causes pain on the inside of the knee.
How do you tear your MCL?
Put ice or a cold pack on your knee for 10 to 20 minutes at a time.
What is the recovery time for a MCL tear?
Nonsurgical Treatment Options for MCL Tears or Sprains. Activities that irritates the knee,such as pivoting and walking for long periods of time,should be avoided until the symptoms get
Can a MCL tear heal without surgery?
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, your surgeon will make an incision at the torn area and use fixation devices called suture anchors to secure the ligament back to the bone.
