torn MCL will I be the same?! - Knee & Hip Problems Message Board

Jon powell · 09-13-2006, 07:38 AM

Hi, The ortho said I have a torn MCL mentioned maybe ACL. But didn't really seem to worry about it.

Last night in bed hubby was trying to help me when I was trying to get my right foot under the blankets (right knee injured), he thought I was in the clear and pulled on the blankets. Only to find out my foot was stuck. My leg came up (it hurts to bend it more than slightly) and it made a bunch of cracking and popping noise. I instantly screamed and cried in pain. Hurt badly. Should I be worried? My accident was saturday. I have been walking better each day. Granted still not normal, but I could walk more without crutches just using the brace. Today I can barely put any weight on it and it hurts like heck to move it.

When will I be normal again? I play volleyball and I can't wait to play. When will that happen? If I do get to play again will it never be the same?!

Help!

Kissa · 09-13-2006, 01:02 PM

A tear in any of the cruciate ligaments can take months, if not longer to heal. You do not need these ligaments but you have to be extra cautious when you do not have them.

Individuals who do not have them reconstructed do have problems with pain and weakness. Most likely you will not be able to safely play volleyball again without either having your ligaments reconstructed or without a brace. I wouldn't even suggest you attempt it without one, even after you are healed.

Definately talk to your doctor and express your desire to play volleyball again. If it's that important to you, you may be better of just having them reconstructed instead of waiting for them to heal. Tears can generally heal but your ligaments will never be as strong as they once were.

Barbie

Play_Hard · 09-13-2006, 08:39 PM

Hello, I tore my MCL about 2.5 years ago. That seemed to heal fine, but I have other problems ever since the injury. I never had a knee problem until this MCL tear. What I thought was weird was my knee was in a locked position, I could not bend or straighten it completely. Is your knee in somewhat of a locked position? Tell your doctor to give you an MRI (if you have not had one already) and make sure the MRI is a higher powered one, 1.5 Tesla rating. I had an MRI and the doctor told me things were fine, but I had so much pain. I went to another doctor for a 2nd opinion and he told me that the MRI I had done was not good enough to tell exactly what was going on. So I got another MRI done on a higher powered machine. I wish I knew this earlier!

Kissa · 09-14-2006, 12:09 PM

I agree about the MRI. I had several MRI's on done on my knee and they generally say nothing is wrong. My doctor went ahead and did a knee scope just to clean up the cartilage only to find the elasticity of my acl was comepletely gone! I ended up having my ACL reconstructed and then later my PCL because it was too taught from the ACL surgery.

It seems that once you have a knee problem you'll have them for the remainder of your life. My knee hasn't been normal since I was a child and had one knee surgery back then. Since then I've had 4 knee surgeries and am due for a knee replacement which I'm trying to avoid.. LOL

Jon powell · 09-15-2006, 07:07 AM

Hi,
not sure what you mean by locked position?

My knee doesn't feel stuck or locked if thats waht you mean! Its about a week later now and I still have some swelling. I can't put my full weight on it - especially without a brace. It hurts to completely straighten it and it hurts to bend it too far. I can't even get my knee to bend into a normal sitting position without pain.

I do want an MRI, I would feel more confident if they did that along with a physical exam. The way I see it, it's my knee thats injured I'm the one dealing with it!!