What is A Torn Anterior Cruciate Ligament?
Did you know there are about 150,000 to 200,000 ACL injuries annually in the United States? An ACL injury is a tear or sprain of the tissue that connects your thigh bone to your shin bone. A ligament is a tough band of tissue that connects one bone to another. There are 3-grade levels of ACL injury. Grade 1, Grade 2, and Grade 3.
Description
There are multiple degrees within a torn ACL such as Grade 1, Grade 2, and Grade 3. A Grade 1 sprain is when the ligament is mildly damaged. It has been slightly stretched but is still able to keep the knee joint stabilized. A Grade 2 sprain is when the ligament stretches to the point where it becomes loose, also known as a partial tear of the ligament. A Grade 3 sprain is most known as a complete tear of the ligament. The ligament has been torn in half or pulled directly off the bone, and the knee joint is unstable.
Causes
You can sustain an ACL injury by overextending your knee joint, quickly stopping moving, and changing direction while running, landing from a jump, or turning. Another way you can get an ACL injury is by getting hit very hard on the side of your knee, like a football tackle. The causes of the ACL injury should be taken very seriously, or it can worsen and become broken or a vein can be harmed which leads to internal bleeding. ACL tears mainly happen to athletes due to playing sports that involve them overextending their knee joints more than the regular person.
Symptoms
If you injure your anterior cruciate ligament, you would hear a popping sound and may feel your knee give out. Symptoms of a sprained anterior cruciate ligament include:
Pain in the knee
Knee instability
Swelling, or stiffness in the joints.
Loss of a full range of motion
Bruising, limping, or pain when standing
Direct contact or collision such as a football tackle
Treatment
There are two treatment methods to treat a torn anterior cruciate ligament, Non-surgical and Surgical. An ACL injury cannot be treated on its own because there is no blood supply going to this ligament. A torn ACL is very painful and can cause low to no movement in the ACL area.
Non-surgical method - It is most appropriate for grade 1 injuries. It includes a brace to protect from instability, physical therapy to the surrounding ligaments to provide greater stability, and a gradual progression back to regular activities and sports.
Surgical method - Surgical treatment is recommended for individuals with a grade 3 or complete ACL tear. It includes reconstruction of the ACL to restore the internal structures of the knee to enable maximal stability.
There are also nutritional options and exercise routines that help during the process. Someone with a Torn Anterior Cruciate Ligament injury needs to make sure that they get a lot of protein in their daily foods. It is important to stay healthy with a torn ACL, making sure that you regain leg strength and motion. With an ACL injury, it is best to do exercises that strengthen your thigh muscles (quadriceps and hamstrings).
Examples of exercises to do are:
Quad Sets
Straight leg- raises
Heel Slides
Glute Sets
Bridging
Hamstring Curls
What is used to diagnose a torn Anterior Cruciate Ligament?
Devices that are used to tell whether or not you have a torn ACL are Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), X - rays, and an Ultrasound. An MRI is used to show the extent of an ACL injury and signs of damage to the tissue in the knee. The X-rays are used to check whether or not there is a bone fracture. An Ultrasound is used to check for injuries in the tendons, ligament, and muscle on the knee. The three physical tests that are used to determine ACL tears are the anterior Lachman test, the anterior drawer test, and the pivot shift test.
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