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Treatment
How is a medial collateral ligament (MCL) injury treated?
Your treatment will depend on how severe your injury is.
- Mild or grade 1 injuries usually get better in 1 to 3 weeks. You may only need home treatment along with using crutches for a short time.
- Moderate or grade 2 injuries usually get better in about a month. You may need to wear a hinged knee brace and limit how much weight you put on your leg.
- Severe or grade 3 injuries may require wearing a hinged brace for a few months, and limiting weight on the leg for 4 to 6 weeks.
A severe tear may need surgery. But this usually isn't done unless you also injure other parts of your knee, such as the ACL or meniscus.
Your doctor may recommend physical therapy to increase range of motion and strengthen your quadriceps muscles and hamstrings.