Medial Collateral Ligament Sprain
A medial collateral ligament sprain is one of the most painful sprains of the knee area. The instant it happens, the odds are good that you can not only feel it, but you can also hear it. An audible pop usually accompanies a medial collateral ligament sprain, and it is then that time is of the essence when it comes to treating the problem. Within a short few second, the knee is swollen and will continue to swell up. Bringing down the swelling is perhaps one of the most important initial treatments and it may be accomplished with the generous use of ice packs.
If you are diagnosed with a medial collateral ligament sprain, there is a good chance that the spraining may be of a variety of grades. In some cases it may even include a secondary spraining of the anterior ligaments; if this is your diagnosis, you most likely will be spending a good bit of time talking to your doctor about the possibility of surgery. Since the medial collateral ligament sprain affects the connection between the femur and the tibia, this surgery will serve to keep the joint working normally and allowing for a normal gait.
Should you opt against having your medial collateral ligament sprain surgically repaired – if needed – you might find that the odds of experiencing the same kind of injury time and again is greatly increased. It will provide a week spot that could cause the femur to repeatedly move out of alignment with the leg itself. In some cases this might even provide the setup for a potential of an internal fracture when you least expect it. A stiff knee might be the unintended result. For a person relying on their knee and leg for work – especially if it is physical labor or even artistic performance – this is one of the most debilitating injuries possible.
Taking the medial collateral ligament sprain lightly is dangerous. Even if the pain is manageable and the swelling can be controlled with the use of ice and a bandage, there is a chance that the weekend joint will present a serious danger in the case of an athlete. If your lifestyle is mostly sedentary, there is a good chance that you do not need to rely on surgery to fix your medial collateral ligament sprain but instead you may be able to get away with the reduction in swelling, the ace bandage support and also the increased care in using the affected joint in the future.