MCL Injury Rehab & Exercises (Medial Collateral Ligament Sprain)

Summary by Krater

This video provides a comprehensive rehabilitation program for medial collateral ligament (MCL) injuries, detailing anatomy, classification, conservative management, and a three-stage exercise protocol progressing from early recovery to return to sport.

From the video

Answers: How do you rehabilitate an MCL sprain?

• MCL sprain rehabilitation
• knee ligament anatomy
• nonoperative knee treatment
• MCL injury grading
• early stage MCL rehab
• mid-stage MCL rehab
• late stage MCL rehab
• return to sport protocol

Exercises

• Stationary Bike · stationary bike · 5-20 minutes a day
• Heel Slide · towel or strap · 15-20 repetitions, multiple times a day
• Quad Sets · strap · 10 second hold, multiple times a day, everyday
• Heel Prop · towel, elevated surface, weight · 10-15 minutes, multiple times a day
• Squat · bodyweight, dumbbell, kettlebell, barbell
• Split Squat · bodyweight, barbell, dumbbell
• Step Up · step, box
• Straight Leg Raise · bodyweight · 3 sets of 10-20 repetitions
• Isometric Knee Extension · machine, band, ball · 2-3 sets of 30-45 second holds
• Single Leg Balance · bodyweight · 60 seconds
• Front Foot Elevated Split Squat · plate, dumbbells, kettlebells, barbell · 3-4 sets x 6-12 reps each
• Lateral Step Down · step, box, weight · 3-4 sets x 8-15 reps each
• Barbell Back Squat · barbell
• Goblet Squat · dumbbell, kettlebell
• Single Limb Leg Extension · machine · 3-4 sets x 10-20 reps each
• Standing Knee Flexion · ankle weight · 3 sets x 15-20 reps each
• Seated Hamstring Curl · machine · 3 sets x 10-15 reps each
• Romanian Deadlift · barbell · 3 sets x 8-15 reps each
• Roman Chair · Roman chair · 3 sets x 8-15 reps each
• Double Leg Eccentric Slider · slider · 3 sets x 12 reps
• Double Leg Slider · slider · 3 sets x 12 reps
• Single Leg Eccentric Slider · slider · 3 sets x 8 reps each
• Single Leg Slider · slider · 3-4 sets x 4-8 reps each
• Double Leg Floor Heel Raise · bodyweight · 3 sets x 25 reps
• Single Leg Floor Heel Raise · bodyweight · 3 sets x 15 reps each
• Single Leg Deficit Heel Raise · step, plate · 3 sets x 15 reps each
• Weighted Single Leg Deficit Heel Raise · plate, dumbbell · 3-4 sets x 6-12 reps each
• Seated Heel Raise Floor · barbell, dumbbells · 3 sets x 8-15 reps
• Seated Heel Raise Deficit · barbell, dumbbells, plate · 3-4 sets x 8-15 reps
• Double Leg Bridge · bodyweight · 3 sets x 20 reps
• Single Leg Bridge · bodyweight · 3 sets x 15 reps each
• Single Leg Hip Thrust · bench · 3 sets x 15 reps each
• Weighted Single Leg Hip Thrust · bench, weight plate · 3-4 sets x 10-15 reps each
• Short Side Plank Isometric · bodyweight · 3 sets x 60 seconds each
• Side Plank Isometric · bodyweight · 3 sets x 60 seconds each
• Side Plank Hip Abduction · bodyweight · 3-4 sets x 30-90 seconds each
• Ball Squeeze · ball · 3 sets x 60 seconds
• Short Copenhagen Isometric · bench, chair · 3 sets x 60 seconds each
• Long Copenhagen Isometric · bench, chair · 3 sets x 60 seconds each
• Copenhagen Plank · bench, chair · 3-4 sets x 6-12 reps each
• Single Leg RDL · bodyweight · 3 sets x 30 seconds each
• 3-Way RDL · bench · 3 sets x 30 seconds each
• 3-Way RDL with Knee Drive · bench · 3 sets x 30-60 seconds each
• Y Balance · bodyweight · 3 sets x 30-60 seconds each
• Standing Rotation · bodyweight, resistance band · 3 sets x 30-60 seconds each
• Box Jump · box · 2-3 sets x 8 reps
• Vertical Jump · bodyweight · 2-3 sets x 8 reps
• Tuck Jump · bodyweight · 2-3 sets x 8 reps
• 90° Rotational Jump · bodyweight · 2-3 sets x 8 reps
• Lunge Pushback · bodyweight · 2-3 sets x 6 reps each
• Forward Step & Land · bodyweight · 2-3 sets x 6 reps each
• Lateral Step & Land · bodyweight · 2-3 sets x 6 reps each
• Lateral Step & Jump · bodyweight · 2-3 sets x 6 reps each

What it concludes

• Grade III MCL lesions have an 80% incidence of concomitant ligament damage, with greater than 95% of mixed lesions involving the anterior cruciate ligament.
• Isolated MCL injuries can frequently be treated nonoperatively due to their high intrinsic healing potential.
• For grade III MCL injuries, surgery may be considered if there is an avulsion fracture, severe knee valgus, or MCL entrapment.
• Hinged knee braces are commonly used during MCL rehab to increase confidence and protect the ligament against minor stresses, though evidence supporting their necessity is limited.
• Rehabilitation consists of three overlapping stages: early, mid-stage, and late stage, focusing on gradually increasing tolerance to lateral and rotational forces.
• Return to sport follows a continuum from participation to sport to performance, taking several months to safely build up training volume and intensity.