The symptoms of an MCL injury can be felt on the inside of your knee and can vary, depending on the severity of the damage.
They may include:
- pain and stiffness on the inside of your knee
- tenderness
- you may have some swelling
- a feeling of instability (if there’s a major tear)
- some bruising in the first few days after your injury
Your medial collateral ligament (MCL) is usually injured by your knee being pushed inwards (towards your other knee). This can happen as a result of:
- a direct blow to the outside of your leg – often in contact sports like rugby
- twisting your knee – a common skiing injury
- repeated stress on your knee – during breast stroke
- a fall – usually in older people
Your consultant may recommend surgery if your MCL damage cannot be helped by physiotherapy and your symptoms don’t improve and the knee remains unstable.
Discuss your symptoms with your consultant, they will carefully examine your knee. An MRI scan will likely be ordered to assess the damage.
