MCL Tear Information

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MCL Exercises

Content:
  • Passive Knee Extension -- Let gravity fully stretch and straighten your knee.
  • Side-Lying Leg Lift -- Tighten the quad muscles on your injured side.
  • Wall Squats -- Back against the wall, slide down into a squatting position.
  • Clamshell -- Bend your hips and your knees to 45°, keeping your feet together.
  • Heel Slides -- Take your injured leg and slide your heel towards your glutes.
  • Straight Leg Raise -- Keep your injured leg straight and tighten your glutes.
  • Prone Hip Extension -- With your knee straight, lift your injured leg off the floor.
  • Step-Ups -- An exercise platform is needed in order to complete this exercise.

Physiotherapy usually begins once you have completed at least several weeks of healing with conservative treatment. If you have undergone MCL surgery, please let the inflammation go down before you start doing any exercises. The goal of physio is to restore strength and range of motion to your knee. Just make sure you don't start doing physiotherapy too soon in the recovery process, or it will cause re-injury to the MCL. If it hurts, don't do it!

Passive Knee Extension Exercise for an MCL Injury

Passive Knee Extension


Sit down on your couch or bed with your uninjured knee bent and the heel on your injured side resting on a rolled up towel or a pillow (something to elevate it).


Let gravity fully stretch and straighten your knee. Hold this position for several minutes. Do 10 reps 3 times per day.

Side-Lying Leg Lift Exercise for an MCL Injury

Side-Lying Leg Lift


Lie down on your injured side, with your legs stacked one on top of the other. The arm on your injured side should be stretched straight out on the floor to support you. Tighten the quad muscles (muscles in the front of the thigh) on your injured side and lift your injured leg up as high as you can without feeling pain. Hold this position for a moment, then slowly lower your leg back to the starting position. Do 2 sets of 10 per day.

Wall Squats for an MCL Injury

Wall Squats


Stand with your back and head straight against a wall. Your feet should be about 18 inches away from the wall and shoulder-width apart. Keeping your back and head against the wall, slide down into a squatting position until your thighs are parallel to the floor. Hold this position for about 10 seconds, then go back to the starting position. Do 2 sets of 10 per day.

Clamshell Exercise for an MCL Injury

Clamshell


Lie down on the floor, on your uninjured side.


Bend your hips and your knees to 45°, keeping your feet together. Slowly raise your injured knee as far as you can and hold. Lower your knee back to the starting position. Do 10 reps 3 times per day.

Heel Slide Exercise for an MCL Injury

Heel Slides


Lie down on the floor, with your legs stretched out straight in front of you.


Take your injured leg and slide your heel towards your glutes (your knee will start to bend) until your knee is at a 90° angle. Hold for several seconds, then slowly return your leg to the starting position. Do 15 reps 2 times per day.

Straight Leg Raise for an MCL Injury

Straight Leg Raise


Lie down on the floor with your legs stretched out straight in front of you.


Bend your uninjured leg so your foot is lying flat on the floor. Keep your injured leg straight and tighten your thigh muscles. Raise your injured leg up off the floor about 8-10 inches. Hold for 5 seconds. Slowly lower your injured leg back down to the floor. Do 10 reps 2 times per day.

Prone Hip Extension for an MCL Injury

Prone Hip Extension


Lie down on the floor, on your stomach, with your legs stretched out behind you. Cross your arms under your head so you can rest your head on your arms.


Tighten your buttock muscles. Keeping your knee straight, lift your injured leg off the floor about 8-10 inches. Hold for 5 seconds. Lower your injured leg back down slowly. Do 10 reps 3 times per day.

Step-Up Exercise for an MCL Injury

Step-Ups


You will need an exercise platform or something of a similar size (about 5 inches or 13 centimeters high) in order to complete this exercise.


Take the platform and step up on it with the foot on your injured side, keeping your other foot flat on the floor. Transfer all of your weight to the injured leg and straighten it as your other foot lifts off the ground. Lower the foot on your uninjured side back down to the floor, so it's at the starting position. Do 10 reps 3 times per day.

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