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MCL tear

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grapesoda
Posts: 999 - Karma: 31
So it looks like I torn my MCL at hood on thursday morning. I'm not completely sure yet because I have an MRI on friday but yesterday the doctor did some tests and he believes it is the MCL. I did some research online and it appears that in most cases surgery is not necessary. Has anyone on here torn their MCL and if so what did you have to do to get it fixed and how long did it take? Thanks.
Jul 22 2009 2:55PM
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Legoman
Posts: 533 - Karma: 13
Well I fucked my knee over time during the season n it was fucked by the end, I was told I could possibly have a meniscus tear even after a couple of months rest due to my knee clicking. But I had the MRI scan and although there signs of damage to my ACL and MCL and a little bit of fluid there is nothing too wrong and it should just be good rehab so I hope you have the same results just keep your fingers crossed. All the best.
Jul 22 2009 3:04PM
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charchar
Posts: 83 - Karma: 60
The emerg doctor I saw after I injured my knee seemed to think it was MCL that was torn, my family doctor who I saw a week later seemed to think I had torn my MCL, ACL and meniscus. I finally got an MRI a month later which told me I had fully torn my ACL.  I saw the surgeon two weeks after that and a few days later I went in for orthoscopic knee surgrey.  Turned out it was only a partial tear of the ACL and a tear to some outer cartilage.

I guess what you can learn from that is you can't really know for sure whats wrong, its frustrating and it sucks but in the end you might find out there was less damage done than what you originally had thought.  I hope thats what happens in your case, good luck with the knee!
Jul 22 2009 3:17PM
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grapesoda
Posts: 999 - Karma: 31
word thanks for the responses. I hope it's not my ACL because that would be brutal...I don't think that it is though. Should know by next week. If I need surgery I want to do is asap cause winter is approaching!
Jul 22 2009 4:11PM
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LoLo913
Posts: 600 - Karma: 29
if its your just your MCL you are looking at pt and 6-8 weeks recovery.

how is the instability of your knee? are you pivot shifting, aka does it feel like your femur is sliding over your tibia, and is your knee giving out.

I thought I just had an MCL tear, I was sure of it actually. until I got my MRI back and found out I had a full ACL tear. 5 months later I am one month away from getting medical clearance from the doc. :)
good luck hope it's just your MCL
Jul 22 2009 4:14PM
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grapesoda
Posts: 999 - Karma: 31
I cannot pivot, I got a brace from the doctor that makes my knee much more stable and helps for walking. When I'm walking without the brace on it feels like my femer is slightly locking with my tibia and wearing away the minicus. I feel like if it was an ACL tear it would be pretty obvious seeming that it requires surgery and a 6 month recovery program but I guess not?
Jul 22 2009 4:23PM
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TimmyP
Posts: 2086 - Karma: 128
Bone bruise caused by tight IT ban rubbing on the knee

yay knee injuries!
Jul 22 2009 4:33PM
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JZA
Posts: 617 - Karma: 42
ya i fucked my knee hard this year. tore my mcl

with an mcl injury the only way ul prob need surgery is if you tore your meniscus. the mcl usually heals by itself, but the meniscus (cartilage) cant do that. talk to your doctor about the severity of your meniscus injuries because usually with mcl tears the meniscus is torn.

the most surgery i can see you having is something to remove the torn cartilage from under your knee cap. trust me itll make it feel so much better. its worth it
Jul 22 2009 6:28PM
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marsland
Posts: 3150 - Karma: 421
tore mine in march, it sucks but its the probably the luckiest you can get wiht a knee injury.  i completely tore mine, although 1 doctor told me otherwise, and after 6-8 weeks you should be good enough to do whatever, but dont take my word for that.  on another note, my doctor said i tore acl mcl and meniscus and it only ended up being my mcl, so you really wont know til you have your mri back. 
good luck with your recovery and is there a story to how it happened?
Jul 22 2009 6:33PM
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grapesoda
Posts: 999 - Karma: 31
Nice thanks for the info guys. Really hoping that it's just my MCL. As far as how it happened it was quite lame really. I was doing a bs270 out of this propane barrel type jib in the Hood public park (it's the first jib in the park after the 2 jump line).  Anyways the landing for it is kinda shitty and a bit of a drop so as I was coming off I was leaning too far forward I think and caught an edge in the snow. My momentum made me keep spinning and my ski stayed caught in the snow and I ended up just tweaking my knee in a really strange way. It hurt like hell even though I wasn't really going too fast or anything.
Jul 22 2009 6:59PM
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SteveStepp
Posts: 9529 - Karma: 20,646
I sprained my MCL early on this summer, i thought for sure it was torn. It healed up really well in about 2.5 weeks
Jul 22 2009 7:34PM
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biG_EaSt
Posts: 575 - Karma: 15
torn mine along with my acl two winters ago usually takes 6-8 weeks to completely heal thats with a brace and physical therapy if i were u id take rehab real seriously if infact its torn cause that ligament is essential to the stability of your knee and could effect you for the rest of your life.
Jul 23 2009 12:03AM
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twin-tip-hero
Posts: 2896 - Karma: 277
pray to god its not your ACL.  that shit sucks, im going through rehab now,a nd the first 2-3 weeks were the worst fucking pain you will ever experience.
Jul 23 2009 1:02AM
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michael_bc
Posts: 1385 - Karma: 712
Wait for the MRI and then listen to your doctor.

There are different grades of tearing your MCL (grade I, II and III), and it can be torn in different locations, so the recovery will be different for every patient. In some cases a complete tear of the MCL (grade III) requires surgery.

I have had an incomplete tear of the MCL (grade II), which meant I had to wear a brace for 1 week, and then no risk sports for 5 more weeks. The result was a full recovery without any complications.

The doctor said I was extremely lucky, because usually a torn MCL comes with additional injuries (ACL or meniscus).

So just be patient and wait for your MRI.
Jul 23 2009 6:54AM
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Alkyy
Posts: 2839 - Karma: 149

i was told right off that i had a torn mcl when i hurt my knee...after the mri they figured out it was my acl and miniscus.  surgery in march im still not able to longboard and shit.

Sorry to thread jack but to thoes that have torn an acl how much/ what did you do for pt and  rehab

Jul 23 2009 8:44AM
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LoLo913
Posts: 600 - Karma: 29
i was in Pt for 12 weeks after surgery. then my therapist gave me my protocols and sent me on my way. started weight training again at around 10 weeks. running at 3 and 1/2 months. and I've been going to the gym like 5 times a week religiously following my protocols and working through the pain and just trying to get strong. I just at about 5 months now and feeling good. I not near full strength yet, but I am starting to feel like I can trust me knee again.
Jul 23 2009 9:58AM
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Alkyy
Posts: 2839 - Karma: 149
^word im basically same timeframe as you but i feel like my knee is still kinda shitty.  its basically because of my pattella (i had that graft because its a little stronger) and hurts to squat or anything like that still.  I go to the gym 4 days a week run on the track 3 days a week and do a 10+mile bikeride 2-3 days a week and still dont feel like thats cutting it
Jul 23 2009 11:12AM
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LoLo913
Posts: 600 - Karma: 29
I had the patella too.. but on top of the cardio stuff I've been doing a lot of weight training and strength training , which is like step ups and a lot of balance stuff. It's painful but I think it's making the difference.
Jul 23 2009 2:16PM
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