Collateral Ligaments and other non-cruciate tendons & ligaments around the knee :

MCL QUESTION - - Posted by ELEP6 (ELEP6), 27 September 2004

I recently suffered an Unhappy Triad Injury playing Flag Football.  Due to a Blood Clot as a result of the injury I'm not scheduled for surgery until Dec.  My question is.....The Doc told my my MCL (Grade III) will heal on it's own by then.  My concern is I'm 3 1/2 weeks since the injury and I still can't bend my knee more than 40-45 degrees.  I'm worried that by the time of the ACL and Meniscus surgery I still won't have full flexion of my knee.  Also any insight into recovery time before I'm 100%?
Posted by Janet (Janet), 29 September 2004

My daughter had a grade 3 MCL tear, but was lucky not to involve any other structures. It healed completely on its own. The MCL is the only ligament in the knee with its own blood supply, plus it is encased in a sheath, so it is able to heal. Can't help you with your other questions, but with luck, your MCL should do just fine. (BTW, she was in an brace for about six weeks, and had PT for several months.)

Janet
Posted by ELEP6 (ELEP6), 1 October 2004

Thanks a bunch Janet.....That's encouraging news!!
Posted by nick1579 (nick1579), 31 October 2004

From what I'm told, your MCL injury WILL NOT heal while you have a deficiency with your ACL. I tore both (grade 3) 4 months ago and the the medial ligament still feels as bad today as it did the day after injury.

I had the same concern as you, and my OS told me it will not begin to heal until the ACL is reconstructed (which I'm having done soon)

Hope this helps.
Posted by heather_k (heather k from wales), 31 October 2004

In 1991 I completley tore my ACL, LCL and tore the MCL, I also had a large bucket handle tear in the medial meniscus (which I imagine only became a bucket handle tear after not getting it operated for almost 4 years).
In 1994 I had the meniscus repaired and the next year I had the LCL and ACL reconstruction.  The MCL was found to be completley stable by then and did'nt need any work doing to it.

Hope this helps, best of luck,

Heather

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