eMedicine Specialties > Sports Medicine > Knee

Medial Collateral Knee Ligament Injury: Follow-up

Author: Thomas M DeBerardino, MD, Director, John A Feagin Jr West Point Sports Medicine Fellowship, Orthopedic Surgery Service, Clinical Instructor in Surgery, Keller Army Community Hospital at West Point
Coauthor(s): Jeffrey C Gundel, MD, Consulting Surgeon, Department of Orthopedic Surgery, North Country Sports Medicine
Contributor Information and Disclosures

Updated: May 30, 2006

Follow-up

Return to Play

Return to play is allowed when sport-specific agility testing is completed comfortably. Usually this requires 90% return of strength compared to the contralateral knee.

Grade 1 and 2 sprains often allow return to play within 1-2 weeks. Grade 3 injuries usually require at least 6 weeks for return to play, although some authors have reported 3-4 weeks.

Complications

Late instability can occur, requiring operative intervention.

Prevention

Prophylactic bracing is controversial, although many athletes wear braces. Some studies recommend bracing after showing a decrease in injury rate. Older studies did not show a decrease in injuries, and some actually demonstrated a slightly increased rate of injuries.

Prognosis

Patients with grade 1 and 2 injuries consistently recover well, and athletes return to play early. Patients with isolated grade 3 injuries also consistently return to full preinjury level, but recovery takes longer.

Education

For excellent patient education resources, visit eMedicine's Breaks, Fractures, and Dislocations Center and Sports Injury Center. Also, see eMedicine's patient education article Knee Injury.

Miscellaneous

Special Concerns

  • Pediatric patients should be specifically evaluated for an associated physeal injury.
 


More on Medial Collateral Knee Ligament Injury

Overview: Medial Collateral Knee Ligament Injury
Differential Diagnoses & Workup: Medial Collateral Knee Ligament Injury
Treatment & Medication: Medial Collateral Knee Ligament Injury
Follow-up: Medial Collateral Knee Ligament Injury
References
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References

  1. Albright JP, Powell JW, Smith W, et al. Medial collateral ligament knee sprains in college football. Effectiveness of preventive braces. Am J Sports Med. Jan-Feb 1994;22(1):12-8. [Medline].

  2. Fanelli GC, Edson CJ, Orcutt DR, et al. Treatment of combined anterior cruciate-posterior cruciate ligament-medial-lateral side knee injuries. J Knee Surg. Jul 2005;18(3):240-8. [Medline].

  3. Halinen J, Lindahl J, Hirvensalo E, Santavirta S. Operative and Nonoperative Treatments of Medial Collateral Ligament Rupture With Early Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction: A Prospective Randomized Study. Am J Sports Med. Feb 1 2006;[Medline].

  4. Lundberg M, Messner K. Long-term prognosis of isolated partial medial collateral ligament ruptures. A ten-year clinical and radiographic evaluation of a prospectively observed group of patients. Am J Sports Med. Mar-Apr 1996;24(2):160-3. [Medline].

  5. Lundberg M, Messner K. Ten-year prognosis of isolated and combined medial collateral ligament ruptures. A matched comparison in 40 patients using clinical and radiographic evaluations. Am J Sports Med. Jan-Feb 1997;25(1):2-6. [Medline].

  6. Reider B. Medial collateral ligament injuries in athletes. Sports Med. Feb 1996;21(2):147-56. [Medline].

  7. Reider B, Sathy MR, Talkington J, et al. Treatment of isolated medial collateral ligament injuries in athletes with early functional rehabilitation. A five-year follow-up study. Am J Sports Med. Jul-Aug 1994;22(4):470-7. [Medline].

  8. Warren LF, Marshall JL. The supporting structures and layers on the medial side of the knee: an anatomical analysis. J Bone Joint Surg Am. Jan 1979;61(1):56-62. [Medline].

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Further Reading

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Keywords

MCL injury, tibial collateral knee ligament injury, TCL injury, torn ligament, knee injury

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Contributor Information and Disclosures

Author

Thomas M DeBerardino, MD, Director, John A Feagin Jr West Point Sports Medicine Fellowship, Orthopedic Surgery Service, Clinical Instructor in Surgery, Keller Army Community Hospital at West Point
Thomas M DeBerardino, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, American Medical Association, American Orthopaedic Association, and American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Coauthor(s)

Jeffrey C Gundel, MD, Consulting Surgeon, Department of Orthopedic Surgery, North Country Sports Medicine
Jeffrey C Gundel, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, American College of Sports Medicine, American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine, Arthroscopy Association of North America, and Medical Society of the State of New York
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Medical Editor

Andrew L Sherman, MD, Associate Professor, Departments of Neurological Surgery, Orthopedics, and Rehabilitation, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine
Andrew L Sherman, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, American Association of Neuromuscular and Electrodiagnostic Medicine, American College of Sports Medicine, and American Medical Association
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Pharmacy Editor

Francisco Talavera, PharmD, PhD, Senior Pharmacy Editor, eMedicine
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Managing Editor

Russell D White, MD, Professor of Medicine, Department of Community and Family Medicine, University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Medicine, Truman Medical Center Lakewood
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

CME Editor

Jon Whitehurst, MD, Consulting Staff, Rockford Orthopedic Associates
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Chief Editor

Wylie D Lowery, Jr, MD, Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Associate Professor, George Washington University
Wylie D Lowery, Jr, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, American Medical Association, Medical Society of Virginia, and Phi Beta Kappa
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

 
 
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