How Long Does it Take to Recover from an MCL Injury?

If you have ever torn your MCL (Medial Collateral Ligament), you know how much it can hurt, how frustrating the recovery can be and how important it is to adequately rehabilitate. So, just how long does it take to recover from an MCL injury, and how can you prevent further damage? Let's take a look. 

MCL injury during sport

Two weeks ago, Sydney Roosters back-rower Angus Crichton had to leave the field during their game against the Canberra Raiders with a now confirmed grade 2 MCL tear. He will likely be out of action for around 3-6 weeks. 

This is a common scenario in impact sports and activities that involve frequent and quick turning and pivoting. 

When it comes to recovering from a ligament injury, whether it’s an MCL, ACL, or something else, effective rehab and bracing not only speed up recovery but also significantly reduce the risk of re-injury.

There are two key aspects of recovering from a ligament injury, whether you’ve just injured your knee or you want to be ready in case something happens. 

Knee brace for MCL injury

While surgeons and physios take varied approaches to ligament recovery, science clearly shows that using an effective range-controlled brace to manage such an injury minimises pain, speeds up joint recovery, and removes the necessity of surgery (in many cases). 

Selecting the right brace is crucial, and the Bauerfeind SecuTec Genu Knee Brace sets the standard when treating MCL and ACL injuries. The SecuTec Genu uses world-leading German design and medical engineering, refined over decades of research, and combines it with comfortable material for the perfect fit.

It has a simple-to-use fast buckle system and is made from lightweight aeroplane aluminium. The SecuTec Genu also allows you to 'step into' the brace, compared with others on the market, which could potentially cause more damage and pain.

Additionally, the brace can be worn at all stages of recovery as it is adjustable while you are regaining movement in the knee. Here's what Roosters player Angus Crichton said when he first tried on the SecuTec Genu:

“This feels so good and comfortable, it’s way better than the other brace I was in, that old one kept slipping down, and I still felt the pain.”  

So if you tear a ligament, rather than sitting by and waiting for a long recovery, or using a poorly made brace that doesn’t help, try the SecuTec Genu. It will protect your knee to speed up recovery and allow you to return to training.

Physio and strengthening for MCL injuries

Wearing a knee brace will help; however, it is best done alongside targeted strengthening and training.

While you can’t strengthen the ligament itself, targeted exercise and strengthening of the muscles around your ligaments help to unload the pressure and greatly help to minimise the risk of re-injury.

Targeting the glutes, quads, and hamstrings with strengthening exercises helps a lot in allowing the MCL to be adequately repaired.

So, how long does it take to recover from an MCL injury?

It depends on the severity of the injury; some minor tears can be repaired in a few weeks, while moderate to severe injuries, such as Angus Crichton's, can take up to six weeks. Wearing a protective brace and seeing a physio can help get you back to sport sooner and can also protect you from further damage in the future.