minor mcl injury - advice?

Took a bad fall in a gym ~9 days ago, heard or felt (honestly not sure which) a pop in my knee. No swelling or bruising that I noticed, but I figure it’s a minor mcl injury. Pain in the correct location, and instability in the inner knee for a few days after. I tried climbing on it 3 days ago, and that definitely aggravated it but not significantly so. Feels generally okay for walking etc. Planning to rest another 4-6 days before I try climbing again, but am worried about significantly setting my recovery back/promoting permanent injury. Anyone have any experience with a similar severity of injury? 

I did go to the doc, but he wasn’t very helpful. Said he thought it was mild but didn’t provide much (if any) clarity on the precise nature of the problem, just told me to come back if it was still painful by February. Just got fully recovered from another injury (elbow sprain - goofy i know) so really antsy to get back to it.

Most MCL tears don’t require surgery. Orthopedic testing is often enough to determine what grade it is (although an MRI would also be useful). I sprained my MCL a couple of years ago, and I found this to be extremely helpful:

https://www.massgeneral.org/assets/mgh/pdf/orthopaedics/sports-medicine/physical-therapy/rehabilitation-protocol-for-medial-collateral-ligament-injury-mcl.pdf

Hope that’s helpful. Good luck in your recovery! 

I have had what felt like an MCL tear in both of my knees (both from heel hooks). The first injury, my left knee, I kept climbing/exercising and let pain be my guide. My left knee seems to have healed on its own. Right knee, same pop, same pain and locality, I treated the same but it didn't get better after 6ish months. After an MRI, Ortho confirmed I had a torn meniscus, and required surgery to correct. So, it's up to you if you want to let it ride or not -- if I was in the same position again today I would get imaging done before returning to pushing hard.

With a pop and instability, I would be concerned about your ACL. Strongly consider seeing somebody in sports medicine and not just a primary care doc

In early 2023 I fell on onto my folded leg from an awkward, low, sideways dyno while bouldering. There was an audible pop-ish noise from the knee area on impact, with moderate swelling and tenderness that started immediately. While there was no instability such as actively buckling during movement, I did feel apprehensive when walking/ascending stairs/etc for a few weeks. 

An MRI of the knee found that all of ligaments were intact (great news), however the actual injury was a minor compression fracture of the tibial plateau. The doctor stated that the noise I heard when it happened was likely the bones smacking into each other, which I had no idea was even possible. The injury healed on its own after a month or so. 

Bouldering sucks

I had a similar pop (and acute pain) on a roof drop-knee, hurts later when I climb (sometimes walk), had a MRI showing it is a partial tear. take it easy (climbing) for 2 months and it healed by 3-month mark. Maybe chill for a month or so would help. 

If your interested in rehabilitation for your knee and overall strengthening of the knees. I recommend checking out kneesovertoesguy. He tore both of his ACLs and makes dunking a basketball look easy. He has lots of information available. His programs are essentially free if you take the time to read into it.  What helped me tremendously was walking backwards while dragging a sled. I hope this helps. 

I wish you a fast and quick recovery.

I’m currently recovering from a grade 1 MCL sprain in my left knee. Ski accident, thought I was still cool enough to do big jumps. I was able to ski off the mountain but could barely walk back to the car afterwards. Swollen like a grapefruit, almost no mobility for at least a week afterwards.

I saw a doctor four days after when I got home (ruined my new years ski trip) and they diagnosed it without an MRI. Like a previous poster said, no surgery for this injury, and at the three week mark I could walk without a limp, and go down stairs normally (I was also working ten hour bartendering shifts so was probably set back.)

Anyway, they set me up with a brace and I’ve been hitting the pt hard. Sounds like your injury is more minor, since you can walk normally. One thing the doc said that struck was that heat is better than icing for these things. I’d go see a doctor if you can for a totally accurate assessment, since knee injuries are finicky and a total bitch.

I totally understand what you're going through, as I had a similar knee injury myself. I took a bad fall, and although I didn't feel much pain at first, I noticed a strange sensation in the inner part of my knee, almost like a pull. In my case, I saw knee specialist Dr. Pablo Gelber, who initially recommended a conservative approach: rest, physiotherapy, and avoiding activities that would strain the knee, like climbing. It was a slow process, but the key was not rushing back into physical activity before I was fully recovered.

What helped me the most was listening to my body, not pushing my knee too hard, and following my specialist's advice. Dr. Gelber was very clear about not returning to intense movements too soon, as my knee needed time to heal properly. I would recommend continuing to rest and, if you have any doubts or the pain persists, seeking a follow-up with a professional.