Anyone else ever sprained an MCL?

I got a Grade II sprain on my MCL just over a month ago to this day (zipline accident, not rock climbing). Has anyone else ever had this injury, or a full-blown Grade III tear? How long did it take you to get back on the wall?

Mine is still pretty sore, and feels pretty bad when I try to be too active on it. My doctor said 4 - 6 weeks for recovery time, but that seems like a pipe dream at this point as it's been 4 weeks already. If you have an experience with this injury and want to share about it, I'd be grateful to hear what you have to say!

I have torn both mine. One in a trampoline incident that will not be discussed here and the other in an avy. First one took a year or so to fully recover from although I was not committed to a scientific rehab program. The second was less severe although the 8 weeks on non load bearing crutching must have aided the recovery. Side benefit from the first tear: I can drop knee like a mofo! Not recommended while healing. In fact, make sure to avoid said maneuver at all costs for a year, at your own peril. I hike with poles now and try not to make any spastic twisting motions, but in all reality this is probably due to accumulated abuse to my knees over the years and I recommend poles to hike down any hill with a heavy pack before there is a problem. Good luck. Ride your bike a lot, and don't ever to the frog/breast stroke kick when swimming.

I sprained mine about a year ago and it was pretty sore and stiff for quite a while.

My knee felt really unstable and sloppy for a couple months and I was beginning to worry I may have really damaged something. Riding my road bike and pretty light hiking helped me.. as long as it's just a sprain, light work such as cycling is good because there is no possibility for lateral stresses. This is all pretty obvious info, but that was my best therapy. I tried to snowboard on it a couple months after spraining it, and that was rough. It took a while before I had full range of motion back.

Johnathan C wrote:I got a Grade II sprain on my MCL just over a month ago to this day...If you have an experience with this injury and want to share about it, I'd be grateful to hear what you have to say!

Just over a month ago, I got a grade I-II MCL injury on my right knee. But that, together with the completely ruptured ACL, was the least of the doctor's concerns for the knee. (i.e., I have extensive meniscus and cartilage damage.)

I've been able to carefully climb and walk, but am always super careful about hyperextending and twisting the knee. It does best when my leg muscles are tensed and knee slightly bent. I definitely avoid dropping or jumping on it. For trail walking, I use ski poles.

The physical therapist stressed proprioception exercises. I enjoy doing them, and hope that they help. I do other mild exercises too. But the doctor says to avoid deep knee bends and twisting motion.

I partially tore mine and bruised my femur in a snowboarding fall. I didn't do much of anything for 6 to 8 weeks and it was probably 6 months before I was comfortable jumping off boulder problems. Mine felt unstable for the first few months but that slowly went away.

I sprained mine, not sure what grade, at the end of April. It could not have been a high grade sprain because I could bear weight on it a few days after the injury, but with some pain. Doc said to take 6 weeks of full time bracing with no climbing or hiking. That date is fast approaching, but like you I still feel a little pain, especially when twisting. Going for a follow up appointment on Tuesday, I'm hoping to get back to hiking at least after that.

I've done it twice. As joint injuries go it's not so bad. I'd say both times took about a month to feel ok and several more months to get back close to normal. I never completely rested, but was pretty careful about avoiding movement that aggravated it during the early recovery period. Once the pain became diminished, being more active seemed to hasten my recovery.

Thanks for responding. It's really helpful and encouraging to hear y'alls stories about recovery from this injury or similar injuries. My doctor and physical therapist have been really helpful, but it's good to hear from other climbers on how long it takes to get back on the wall.

Done it twice, two years apart, coupled with a meniscus tear and a disgusting kneecap dislocation both times. Both times it was due to gym bouldering, both times doing an odd rockover move coupled with weak hamtrings, and both times I jumped back into my flexibility routine too soon and re-dislocated it stretching a week or two after the initial incident. Due to landing on my dislocated knee the second time, it was definitely a more significant sprain (still not a full tear, though). The knee was stable enough immediately after the injury that I didn't get an MRI either time, but I did go to PT for the knee for a couple months after the second one. Here are some assorted thoughts on mine, which might not transfer to yours:

The recovery time to full ROM was shorter the first time (still not 100% there for #2), but both times it was a few months before I felt confident doing any of the moves that put stress on my injured soft tissue (heel hooks, high steps and rock-overs, essentially). A year later, heel hooks with rotation and rock-overs with dropped toes still feel unsteady, and I can't sit back on my heels, but my climbing is miles better than it was after the injury and I'm pretty much pain-free in every other sport. I no longer have to pick climbs by the foot beta they require, but I do occasionally have to find "workaround" moves (maybe 1 in 10 moves that I would have avoided a year ago). Competition climbing is pretty much out for me, though. I found that a brace actually made mine worse, as I couldn't tell when it was supporting me through movements that would otherwise hurt, leading me to do those moves beyond a point where the brace could support me. Further, it made me tense up more, putting additional stress on the joint.

For a long time, descents from the crag down steep talus were a laborious process that hurt to endure and eventually resulted in a significantly larger left quad/calf. Now, though, other than avoiding super-deep pistol-squat type moves with the bad leg, it's a much easier process. In hindsight, I probably should have stopped climbing outside, at least at places with lots of talus hopping on the approach.

For a couple months after #2, even once I figured out how to avoid stressing it while climbing, I would get random pain doing daily routine things at unexpected times (getting dressed after a post-workout shower was the most common, probably because my stabilizers were tired). If it were more of an impedance on my climbing or daily life, I would probably focus on it more and try to get to full recovery faster, but I have other more significant injuries that I'm working on, so I don't mind as much that I'm not back to 100%. As with all injuries, patience is key.

If its strictly the MCL and there's no involvement of the meniscus or ACL, you can hope for a 100% recovery. I tore my MCL in a skiing accident in February. It hurt significantly more than a broken ankle. MRIs confirmed that it was strictly the MCL.

My orthopod took away my leg brace after a week, telling me the hardest part of recovery was to get full extension of the knee. At week 2, I started physical therapy, strengthening all the muscles around the knee and beyond. My prognosis was 6 weeks to be reasonably back to normal, and then occasional pain until a year had passed.

I was amazed and secretly skeptical that the recovery was only 6 weeks. I mean, it hurt so much. But sure enough, I was doing normal activities in that time period. 2 months after the injury, I backpacked 26 miles with a 50 lb. pack. I feel great, with no pain except a minor twinge when I rolled over at night. I've just resumed multi-pitch trad climbs, waiting this long only because my dislocated elbow didn't heal nearly as fast.

Things look good. Wishing you a speedy and full recovery.

George Wu wrote: My orthopod took away my leg brace after a week, telling me the hardest part of recovery was to get full extension of the knee. At week 2, I started physical therapy, strengthening all the muscles around the knee and beyond. My prognosis was 6 weeks to be reasonably back to normal, and then occasional pain until a year had passed. I was amazed and secretly skeptical that the recovery was only 6 weeks. I mean, it hurt so much. But sure enough, I was doing normal activities in that time period.

This all sounds so familiar to what's going on with me. I haven't had an MRI yet because it's taking forever to get in with a knee specialist (I've only seen my family doctor and PT so far). I'm about to get an x-ray because apparently insurance companies want that before an MRI.

I was in Estes Park, CO this weekend (I'm on week 5 post-injury) and did a gentle hike (Gem Lake trail, about 3 miles round trip) and felt fine, the knee was just a little sore. Then I climbed a 5.6 and a 5.7 at Jurassic Park. I couldn't help myself. I told myself if it starts to hurt I'd just come down, but it was fine. Again, just a little tender, but not in pain.

I'm hoping these are good signs that my meniscus is fine because that's what my doc is still worried about.

I had a jiu jitsu partner land on my knee. Messed up my MCL pretty badly. I couldn't really walk except short distances with a cane for a couple weeks. It took 6 months or so before getting in and out of the car didn't hurt any more. All better now though.

I also trashed my ACL when I slammed a dirt bike into a fence post and the handle bar and ground trapped my lower leg as I went flying forward. Bad hyperextension that lifted the bike up and ultimately sent me flying backwards into a crumpled heap in the road. The guy watching said it was pretty amazing. I couldn't walk properly for months, and the knee is now double jointed. I never did see a doctor but at a medical I had to take as part of a job app. the guy examining me had a hard time confirming my ACL was doing much of anything.

I still walk, run, jump and climb just fine though.

Mathias wrote: the guy examining me had a hard time confirming my ACL was doing much of anything. I still walk, run, jump and climb just fine though.

I've heard that, if the other parts of the knee are in good working order, then one can get by without a connected ACL.

I just found out that my ACL on my right knee is not connected to the femur bone, so it is essentially useless. The doctor thought it likely happened about 8-9 years ago when I hyperextended it on a bad pole-vault landing. After a few months of exercising it, the knee was just like my other and I climbed fine.

However, what I did not know then was that another bad landing on the ACL-less knee would be more likely to damage other parts of the knee. This I learned the hard way, as I now have cartilage damage, meniscus damage, and MCL damage from a recent fall at the gym. And due to some of the damage, plus my age, ACL surgery was not recommended. So, be extra careful about that knee! Train yourself not to hyperextend.

Jon Nelson wrote: I've heard that, if the other parts of the knee are in good working order, then one can get by without a connected ACL. I just found out that my ACL on my right knee is not connected to the femur bone, so it is essentially useless. The doctor thought it likely happened about 8-9 years ago when I hyperextended it on a bad pole-vault landing. After a few months of exercising it, the knee was just like my other and I climbed fine. However, what I did not know then was that another bad landing on the ACL-less knee would be more likely to damage other parts of the knee. This I learned the hard way, as I now have cartilage damage, meniscus damage, and MCL damage from a recent fall at the gym. And due to some of the damage, plus my age, ACL surgery was not recommended. So, be extra careful about that knee! Train yourself not to hyperextend.

I was all set to have an ACL replaced, under anesthesia , in the OR, the show was on. then
the Dr made the decision to just correct the "Twisted Like A Rubber-band" ACL, and left it with A 1/2 tear.
O, I was Not amused! That was in 1996!
Fast forward to a night in 2012, the dog, a large Belgian Malinois, was shaking,Having seizures.
I tried to carry her down the stairs,
the Knee went POP, it was Loud and instant.

That I had run full tilt on the knee climbing almost everyday for the 1st 10years of the 20years says it all.

Then Although, I was A ripe old age, I Insisted on a Cadaver, ACL replacement.
The guide lines say mid 40s tops, don't listen.
Have ACL Replacement surgery,

They Harvest good tendon from you that means more down time & rehab,
so I went with the Cadaver, (some chance of rejection)

get on the stationary bike the next day and workout. I came all the way back.....
Then I did the inside Meniscus of the other knee, .....a month ago..... DOH!

Yeah, until I get an MRI, we won't know if my ACL is damaged, but I heard the same thing: that you can get by for a lot with a torn ACL if everything else is ok. The PT and doctor did physical tests and said they don't think the ACL is hurt, but who knows for sure yet...

Mathias, glad that dirt bike accident wasn't worse! "The guy watching said it was pretty amazing" Pretty much exactly what my friend said who watched me blow through the brake on the zipline I got hurt on.

Johnathan C wrote: Mathias, glad that dirt bike accident wasn't worse! "The guy watching said it was pretty amazing" Pretty much exactly what my friend said who watched me blow through the brake on the zipline I got hurt on.

Thanks! I had no business being on the bike in the first place. I caught my sleeve in a barbed wire fence (thick jacket on thankfully) because I took a corner too fast. That pulled my arm and therefore the handlebars. The forks jammed sideways into a fence post that didn't move at all, and I was stupid enough to extend my leg to try and keep the bike up. Levered right at my knee with the handlebars going maybe 20mph or so. I was apparently airborne for a decent time and landed behind the bike in the direction I came from.

Jon Nelson, thanks for the ACL info. Apparently it's still attached, but isn't doing much of anything. "Wet noodle" is how it was described by the guy. I'm very careful not to hyperextend it, but those first few months after the accident I did it a lot. I was living in a tipi in winter (long story) and almost without fail I'd hyperextend that knee every morning in a snow filled ditch out front. Pretty funny now!

I sprained mine learning to ski on the first day. It didn't require much PT. In fact, I would just extend it to stretch the tendon while laying on the couch. I continued to hike and climb, albeit in a little pain. In six months the pain was completely gone.

Doctor says that I likely tore my meniscus and need to get an MRI to confirm. Bummed that it might mean my summer is toast.

Ashort wrote:Doctor says that I likely tore my meniscus and need to get an MRI to confirm. Bummed that it might mean my summer is toast.

Ugh dang, I hate to hear that for you :( Hopefully once they correct that you can recover quickly. I'll find out soon enough myself if I tore my meniscus.

Johnathan C wrote: Ugh dang, I hate to hear that for you :( Hopefully once they correct that you can recover quickly. I'll find out soon enough myself if I tore my meniscus.

Thanks man, I hope you get some good news. My mri is Thursday, so I will know for sure after that.