MCL – Medial Collateral Ligament injury

I’m hoping to get a bit of info on recovery from a grade 1 MCL injury.

History – I’m not far off 70 now. My R knee’s been a bit niggly climbing stairs for months on and off, so maybe that shows instabiity and means this was coming slowly and inevitably – but a comedy sideways off the bike, failing on a way too steep short off-road climb seems to have been the crux moment.
The medial (inner) side of my R kneecap area is now sore on stairs and walking (at first with a VERY short gait). Downhill walking is worse. It came on the day after my off.

This was 4 weeks ago. My favourite Sports Therapist diagnosed grade 1 MCL inflammation and gave me some side leg raises and clams to help support the knee now and in future. As instructed, I’ve also iced it (on and off).
The jury is SO split on icing injuries these days!
Plus linament or arnica cream on and off. Feels like I’m at least doing SOMETHING!

Anyhoo. Anyone had this low grade MCL issue? Recovered successfully? Completely, or is it now a weak spot?

30 days in I’m walking better when th a more normal gait & can ride on the flat as long as I don’t try too hard when standing.

I’m looking fwd to the opening of Hove’s new Velosolutions pumptrack where I plan to work on my trail skills amongst the ankle biters. Hope I’m ready for that and the better weather that’s occasionally showing itself.

I imagine it’s a common injury. This is grade 1 (out of 3) so not a tear or rupture. Thoughts welcome.

I had a complete ACL rupture and grade 1/2 MCL about 9 months ago. Almost totally sorted now, physio didn’t help a lot other than tracking progress. Walking, then static bike, then road bike did it. I’m now doing gym work to get the last of the strength back, it’s the best way for me to do e.g. calf extension. I’m 60 in April.

Thx Murray. Glad you’re healing. That reads like a pretty serious issue.

I twanged my medial when the bike went one way and my foot didn’t unclip, twisting my leg, not as bad as yours by the sound of it but very sore and really affected my cycling, took about six months before I was back to normal.

Yeah done both knees 20years apart. Latest was a tear. I knew immediately the pop then numbness told me exactly what happened.

Chuffing sore and takes time to heal (fractured tidia and damaged ACL at the same time). Mine was all.in one of those RoboCop braces. Took a couple of months to get it working properly.

I’d avoid pumptrack for a few months until you’ve built up strength.

Catfood, 100thidiot
Thanks. Good to know it heals properly.
Pump track is looking like a couple of months away ‘;~}.
I’d add a pic if I could but although a member and logged in I’m only offered “enter image url”.

It’s coming on

”track” looks done. Lots of landscaping to do tho.

It’s coming on

”track” looks done. Lots of landscaping to do tho.

Did a pretty bad tear about 15 years ago, dropped a motorbike on it and overextended the joint. Was told it probably needed surgery but that there was no massive downside to seeing if it’d recover and then operating later if need be so I went with that, was a very slow recovery and the knee just didn’t work at all for a good chunk of that- was very limited in the physio I could do at first- but I had pretty good use of it after about a year and really full normal use by 2. It does still occasionally give me some discomfort if I overwork it or really shock it (big crash-saving dabs are not its favourite) but tbh it’s probably within the normal spec for a 45 year old knee 😉 Can’t complain!

No idea if this is relevant to yours though

I tore mine a few years ago when I went over the bars. The physio was so effective it ended up being stronger than before the injury.

First did my left one playing rugby when I was 16 or 17. No idea what grade. In those days if you could walk you were just told to rest it. It’s been a weak point ever since. Almost every football season I’d get another flare. Right one had a few goes too. Had to quit competitive football aged 28 as it started tweaking in tackles.

Even 30 years later if I kick a ball too hard without absolute control it hurts like buggery.

Hopefully getting good treatment works well for you.

Thanks for your experiences everyone.
reeksy. You might find slow lying weighted side leg raises and semi plank clams against a band will help. I was told to do these 30 years ago by an NHS physio. Wish I’d kept it up.
Glute Med activation seems vital for knee stability. I do loads of mtb but plainly it’s not helped my weak inactive Glute Med.

That sounds familiar actually…I don’t worry about it nowadays though as I don’t have much need to kick a ball really hard. Bike riding doesn’t cause me any grief.

Yes I did my MCL (Grade 2/3) offroading on my motorbike 1 year and 3 months ago. The Motocross boot did the job it was supposed to and held firm – so all forces were transferred to my knee which promptly let go!

Lots of physio – much of which you can work yourself from Youtube, but the best thing is a single leg stand, followed by single leg step up onto bench or stool followed by dual leg body weight squats and eventually single leg body weight squats.

1yr 3 months later it is still weaker than the right one but have almost full mobility. I am 52.

Slowslow yeah that step up is probably useful – maybe the Bulgarian split squat and lunges too. Have a look at “Body By Scuence” if you want full strength.
All that comes once it’s working OK I guess. Walking down stairs has been quite hard the hard 6 weeks but ok now

I managed a decent ride yesterday and it was fabulous to be out. I’m on an Kenevo SL now (my excuse is disc herniation nerve damage rehab) and I did have to use Trail a lot more than I normally do. And had to sit a bit more. I normally try to keep the seat down and stand as much as poss. Luckily that helps bike handling too!

Done another ride. OMG SO muddy here on the South Coast clay. Anyhoo, it seems to be recovering well.
Thanks for the advice everyone. Some propensity to anxiety can make me think each injury may well be an end to bike riding

yuk that mud though

Still progressing. F@@@k me if the other knee hasn’t started to play up now. Oh dear.
happy Trails all.

Much better now. MCL feels ok. Tennis ball to the glutes and standing quad stretch (keep hip from hitching) once in stretch position hold a bit then move knee out to the side then back. Gives the quad a more overall stretch.
just passing on what helped me a lot.