MCL Injury Rehab

Recovering from an MCL injury? In this blog post, CRYSC Head Athletic Trainer Julie Graves has put together a step-by-step guide for an effective and healthy rehabilitation process. From decreasing swelling and pain to increasing range of motion and strength, the guide below will assist you through every part of the healing process. By emphasizing pain-free progressions and a gradual return to play, this is your roadmap to a resilient and sustainable recovery.

UCHealth + CU Sports Medicine and Orthopedics has a variety of different locations to help your child get back to the soccer field at 100%. If this is something you think your child may be dealing with, please reach out to our Head Athletic Trainer, Julie Graves, for assistance. Below is the at-home rehab program for hamstring injuries.

Step 1: Decrease Swelling

RICE (Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation)

1. Ice: 20 minutes at least 3 times/day
2. Compression: Ace wrap all the time except during icing, shower, sleep
3. Elevation: Keep knee raised above heart

Step 2: Decrease Pain

1. Natural solutions
2. NSAIDS for no longer than 7-10 days if being used continually

Step 3: Increase Range of Motion

1. Passive flexion: sit on the ground and pull your heel to your butt as far as you can and then grab your ankle and pull it further towards your butt, hold for 3” repeat 10-12x
2. Quad Sets 3X10 hold for 3”
3. Seated position with legs straight out. Flex the quad muscle and hold for 3 seconds (“)

Step 4: Increase Strength and Proprioception

*Note: The following exercises should be done without pain. Being uncomfortable and fatiguing the muscle is one thing but there’s a difference between that and feeling pain.

1. Single Leg Stance on a hard surface 3×30” (seconds)
   1. Progression: Single Leg Stance on an uneven (pillow/folded up blanket) surface 3×30”
   2. Progression: Single Leg Stance on hard surface with eyes closed 3×30”
   3. Progression: Single Leg Stance on an uneven surface with eyes closed 3×30”
2. Bodyweight Squats 3X10
3. Bodyweight Walking Lunges 3×10
   1. Make sure knees aren’t going over toes for both of those
4. Single Leg Squats onto a chair 3X10 each leg
5. Adductor squeezes 3×10 hold for 3”
   1. Sit on the ground, place a pillow in-between your knees and squeeze the pillow by tightening the muscles on the inside of your thighs, hold for 3”
6. Step 1: Here is the first progression where I want you to start. Slow and controlled with both feet on the towel. Drop your butt after the eccentric motion and bring your feet back. Do 2×10 and you can drop sets/reps in the beginning if needed. Once you feel comfortable and strong with this you can increase sets/reps to 3×12-15.
   1. Progression 1: Bring one leg up like in this video but I still want this motion to be slow and controlled. Do 2×10 and again can drop sets/reps as needed in the beginning. Do both legs and you can progress to 3×12-15.
   2. Progression 2: You can use that same video in progression 1 and start doing a double leg quicker motion and then progress to single leg. Remember to always do both legs.
   3. Progression 3: Nordic Hamstring Fall

Step 5: Return to Play

Each phase could take 2-3 practices before progressing and should be pain-free before going to the next step.

1. Stationary Bike, low impact exercises
2. Soccer passing, soccer specific drills
3. Non-contact practice
4. Non contact practice and Conditioning
5. Full contact practice

Find out more about the CRYSC Sports Medicine Program by visiting our website. If you would like more information on natural solutions and the athlete, please don’t hesitate to reach out to CRYSC’s Head Athletic Trainer, Julie Graves, at [email protected].