How to care for a medial collateral ligament knee injury

The MCL or the medial collateral ligament is a thick fibrous tissue that spans the distance between the bottom of the thigh bone and the top of the tibia on the inside of the knee joint. A MCL injury is caused by stretching or tearing of the MCL ligament in the knee. Learn more about the causes, symptoms and treatments for a MCL injury in this medical how-to video.

Take Action
Use ice, rest and anti-inflammatory medication
Wear a brace
Physical therapy can be used

About this Author
Dr. Carolyn Cooper joined On Call Medical Group in 2007. She is a Board Certified Internal Medicine physician, and has been practicing in San Francisco for over seven years. She received a BS from the University of St. Andrews in Scotland, and completed her medical education at the Welsh National School of Medicine in Cardiff, Wales. Dr Cooper completed her internship and residency at California Pacific Medical Center in San Francisco. She has previously worked as a Clinical Investigator at Stanford University School of Medicine, and in private practice in San Francisco. Dr Cooper has participated in many research studies, and is also widely published.