Whenever you take part in any sport, professionally or otherwise, you are almost certainly going to be running about here and there. Of course, to be able to dash around the football field or tennis court, you’ll need your knees to be in tip-top condition. You are probably aware of certain injuries that can occur as a result of torsion on the knees, with even mild levels of this kind of force having catastrophic consequences. One of the most serious, traumatic injuries, which, unfortunately, occurs frequently, is a tear of the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL). Read on to discover what this ligament does, why you need to take care of it, and what you can do if you tear it while playing sports.
What is the ACL?
Essentially, a ligament is like a small, fibrous rope that connects different bones together. The anterior cruciate ligament is a particularly important part of your knee joints as it keeps the femur (thigh bone) and tibia (shin bone) together. In other words, you wouldn’t be able to kick or run without it. For that matter, it is impossible to walk properly without an intact knee joint. This ligament is located at the front (anterior) of the knee joint, although it is behind the patella (knee cap). It is described as cruciate, because it takes the shape of a cross.
How Does an ACL Tear Occur?
Due to the position and shape of the ACL, the most common way to cause a tear is to land on it with your full body weight while you are making a twisting motion with your knee. This particular incident usually occurs in sports or activities where this kind of movement is common. For example, ACL tears occur all too often in football players and dancers. There are different grades of this injury, ranked according to severity. A Grade I sprain is the mildest form, involving some swelling and tenderness as a result of a slight stretch of the ligament. A partial tear is designated as Grade II, and it may result in instability of the joint, meaning that you could require physiotherapy and even surgery. The most severe form is a complete tear or Grade III sprain. If you are a professional sportsperson, you will certainly need to seek treatment for an ACL tear and ACL reconstruction.
Your Options in Case of an ACL Tear
Your treatment options for your ACL injury vary depending on its severity and your lifestyle. If you are a professional athlete and still have your whole career ahead of you, then you really ought to opt for surgery and subsequent physiotherapy to get back to your best. On the contrary, if you live a sedentary life and your ACL is only mildly strained, then you might not need to take such drastic action. Whatever your situation, the best thing to do would be to contact a reputable and experienced orthopaedic surgeon for advice and treatment.
