Medial Collateral Knee Ligament Sprain Phase I Rehabilitation

Ask your health care provider which exercises are safe for you. Do exercises exactly as told by your health care provider and adjust them as directed. It is normal to feel mild stretching, pulling, tightness, or discomfort as you do these exercises, but you should stop right away if you feel sudden pain or your pain gets worse. Do not begin these exercises until told by your health care provider.

Stretching and range of motion exercises

These exercises warm up your muscles and joints and improve the movement and flexibility of your knee. These exercises also help to relieve pain, numbness, and tingling.

Exercise A: Knee flexion, passive

1. Start this exercise in one of these positions:
   1. Lying on the floor in front of an open doorway, with your left / right heel and foot lightly touching the wall.
   1. Lying on the floor with both feet on the wall.
2. Without using any effort, allow gravity to let your foot slide down the wall slowly until you feel a gentle stretch in the front of your left / right knee.
3. Hold this stretch for __________ seconds.
4. Return your leg to the starting position, using your healthy leg to do the work or to help if needed.

Repeat __________ times. Complete this stretch __________ times a day.

Exercise B: Knee flexion, active

1. Lie on your back with both knees straight. If this causes back discomfort, bend your healthy knee so your foot is flat on the floor.
2. Slowly slide your left / right heel back toward your buttocks until you feel a gentle stretch in the front of your knee or thigh.
3. Hold this position for __________ seconds.
4. Slowly slide your left / right heel back to the starting position.

Repeat __________ times. Complete this exercise __________ times a day.

Exercise C: Knee extension, sitting

1. Sit with your left / right heel propped on a chair, a coffee table, or a footstool. Do not have anything under your knee to support it.
2. Allow your leg muscles to relax, letting gravity straighten out your knee. Do not let your knee roll inward. You should feel a stretch behind your left / right knee.
3. If told by your health care provider, deepen the stretch by placing a __________ weight on your thigh, just above your kneecap.
4. Hold this position for __________ seconds.

Repeat __________ times. Complete this stretch __________ times a day.

Strengthening exercises

These exercises build strength and endurance in your knee. Endurance is the ability to use your muscles for a long time, even after they get tired. Isometric exercises involve squeezing your muscles but not moving your knee.

Exercise D: Quadriceps, isometric

1. Lie on your back with your left / right leg extended and your other knee bent.
2. If told by your health care provider, put a rolled towel or small pillow under your left / right knee.
3. Slowly tense the muscles in the front of your left / right thigh by pushing your knee down. You should see your kneecap slide up toward your hip or see increased dimpling just above the knee.
4. For __________ seconds, keep the muscle as tight as you can without increasing your pain.
5. Relax your muscles slowly and completely.

Repeat __________ times. Complete this exercise __________ times a day.

Exercise E: Hamstring, isometric

1. Lie on your back on a firm surface.
2. Bend your left / right knee about __________ degrees. You can prop your knee on a pillow if needed.
3. Dig your heel down and back into the surface as if you are trying to pull your heel toward your buttocks. Tighten the muscles in the back of your thighs to “dig” as hard as you can without increasing any pain.
4. Hold this position for __________ seconds.
5. Relax your muscles slowly and completely.

Repeat __________ times. Complete this exercise __________ times a day.