ACL Tear
The Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) is a major ligament in the knee. It is injured when torques in opposite directions are placed on the bones (see below). Injury to this ligament most commonly occurs during sports that place a high impulse force – a large force in a short period of time – on your knee. Some examples of such sports include soccer, basketball and volleyball due to their stop-and-go characteristics which can cause the bones to twist in opposite directions.
Causes
ACL tears occur when the bones twist in opposite directions. This can be caused by playing stop-and-go sports such as soccer, basketball and volleyball. Specifically, this may occur when:
- The rest of the body pivots while the foot is planted firmly on the ground
- A very sudden change in direction is attempted
- An athlete lands incorrectly after a jump
- The knee absorbs a large force at the wrong angle
When playing sports, there are many maneuvers that provide a competitive advantage on the field but place a high stress on the body. An example of this is in basketball where a player may suddenly change direction so as to mislead the competition. This kind of motion may place an opposite torque on the leg bones causing an ACL tear.
Symptoms
Symptoms are indicators of a problem and for an ACL tear, some of them may include:
- Unable to walk or carry body weight with the injured knee
- Swelling around the area within a couple hours
- A loud pop at the moment it happens
- Extremely painful
Additionally, when an ACL tear happens, the athlete will most likely be unable to continue playing and it would be best to seek medical attention as soon as possible.
Treatment
First steps toward healing an ACL tear involve visiting a doctor to determine the severity of the injury. This injury may require surgery and an adequate amount of time to heal. During the healing process, along with the proper rest, ice and prescribed medication, supportive bracing designed to stabilize the knee and minimize the amount of force absorbed is important. Please visit Rite Gait to find the perfect knee brace.
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