MCLS – Medial Collateral Ligament Injury Rehabilitation Exercise Method
For patients with medial collateral ligament injury/tear after 2 months of conservative or surgical treatment.
MCLS-1 Passive knee extension exercises
1. This exercise is required when the knee joint cannot be fully straightened.
2. Sitting and lying with the affected leg extended, place a towel roll behind the ankle joint so that the heel is approximately 15 cm above the ground.
3. relax the leg muscles and rely on gravity to slowly straighten the knee joint and maintain a still position.
4, you can also sit on a chair and put the leg pad on another chair for the exercise.
5, when practicing, 3 sets of 3 times per day, each set should be adhered to for at least 10 minutes, or 2 minutes after straightening.
MCLS-2 heel sliding exercise
1.Sit on a yoga mat or hard bed with legs straight.
2. Bend the knee of the affected leg so that the heel slides slowly and evenly toward the hip, with the knee joint pressed as far as possible to the chest, and then relax back to the original position.
3. For the exercise, 3 sets of 10 reps each day.
MCLS-3 Prone knee flexion exercise
1. Prone position with legs straight.
2. flex the knee on the affected side with the heel firmly pressed against the hip, maintaining the position still in the nearest position.
3. slowly relaxing back to the original position.
4, if it feels easy to complete, you can add 1 kg of sandbags to the ankle joint exercises.
5.Practice with 3 sets of 10 reps per day, holding for 5 seconds each time.
MCLS-4 straight leg raise exercise
1, semi-supine position and bend the knee joint of the healthy leg in order to make the sole of the foot step on the bed surface.
2, the affected leg is straight, the quadriceps muscle is contracted and tensed, and the leg is lifted off the bed about 20 cm, maintaining the posture still.
3, take care not to bend the knee joint, do not lift the leg too high, and lower the leg evenly and slowly.
4, when practicing, 3 sets of 10 times per day, each time insist until the strength is exhausted, the longer the better.
MCLS-5 Lateral Leg Lift Exercise
1.Side lying position with the affected leg on top.
2, the affected leg straight, raised upward about 30 cm, maintain the posture of immobility.
3, pay attention to the leg lowered evenly and slowly.
4, exercise, 3 sets per day, each set of 10 times, each time adhere to 10 seconds.
Knee stability exercises
Prepare about 1.5-2 meters long elastic band or tension piece, knot both ends to make a double-strand loop, the knotted end is fixed on the doorway or bed leg, and the other end is set on the ankle joint of the healthy side leg.
MCLS-6 A forward stability exercise
1. Stand facing the door with the body weight on the affected leg and slightly flex the knee joint.
2. Pull the elastic band with a backward force on the healthy leg.
MCLS-7 B lateral stability exercises
1. turn the body 90 degrees so that the affected leg is close to the door and the healthy leg is away from the door.
2. Push outward on the healthy leg and pull the elastic band.
MCLS-8 C Backward stability exercises
1. turn the body 90 degrees again so that the body stands with the back towards the door and the knee slightly flexed.
2. Push forward on the healthy side leg and pull the elastic band.
MCLS-9 D medial stability exercises
1. turn the body 90 degrees again so that the healthy leg is close to the door and the affected leg is away from the door.
2, The healthy leg exerts force medially and pulls the elastic band.
For the exercise, 3 sets of 10 reps per day. If you feel difficulty standing on one leg, you can prepare a chair and hold the back of the chair with your hand to help balance.
MCLS-10 sliding wall exercises (static squat exercises)
1.Stand with your back to the wall, feet shoulder-width apart, heels 30 cm from the wall.
2.Lean your upper body back, lean your back, shoulders and the back of your head against the wall, look straight ahead and keep your shoulders relaxed.
3. shifting the body weight down until the thighs are close to the horizontal position (patients with cartilage injuries need to avoid the most painful angles).
4, feel a sense of tightness in the quadriceps, maintain the position without moving, and then slowly and evenly return to the original position.
5. Practice with 3 sets of 10 reps per day, holding for at least 10 seconds each time, the longer the better.
MCLS-11 Stirrups Exercise
1.Standing position, with the healthy leg on the ground and the affected leg on an 8-13 cm step or brick.
2. Shift the body weight to the affected leg and step upward onto the step with the healthy leg off the ground.
3, pay attention to the healthy side of the leg down when the movement is uniform and slow.
4. Exercise with 3 sets of 10 reps per day.
MCLS-12 Knee extension resistance exercise
1.Prepare about 1.5-2 meters long elastic band or tension piece, knot both ends to make a double-stranded loop, and fix the knotted end on the doorway.
2, standing facing the door, knee flexion 45 degrees, the elastic band set in the affected leg behind the knee joint (N fossa).
3, the affected leg is weighted on one leg and the knee is slowly straightened, pulling the elastic band backwards.
4. If you feel difficulty standing on one leg, prepare a chair and hold the back of the chair with your hand to help balance.
5.For practice, 3 sets of 10 reps each day.
MCLS-13 Balance Board Exercises A-E
Balance board exercises are exercises to improve the function of the ankle joint, which are helpful for the recovery of mobility, muscle strength and proprioception. It is advisable to buy a balance board (available in sports stores or Taobao, 100-200 RMB for good quality, search for “balance board” or “wobble board” can be found), adhere to the practice, benefit a lot.
1, feet standing on the balance board, shoulder-width apart.
2, legs control the balance board back and forth alternately for a total of 30 times, and then alternate left and right for a total of 30 times, each exercise when the edge of the plate are touching the ground.
3, legs control the balance board clockwise rotation 30 times, and then counterclockwise rotation 30 times, each exercise to keep the edge of the plate are in contact with the ground.
4, improve the difficulty, legs control the balance board clockwise rotation 30 times, and then counterclockwise rotation 30 times, each exercise to keep the edge of the plate can not touch the ground.
5, legs standing still, maintain balance for 2 minutes, keeping the edge of the plate can not touch the ground.
6, increase the difficulty, close the eyes, stand still with legs, maintain balance for 2 minutes, keep the edge of the plate can not touch the ground.
7, if both feet are easy to complete the above actions, you can try the affected foot single-leg exercise, pay attention to the wall or chair exercises to prevent falls.