Whether you play a lot of sports or are simply active, leg and joint injuries are common. Most can be treated with rest and treatments while some may require a surgical procedure done by orthopedic surgeons. So, here is everything you need to know about ACL injury and how it is caused and treated.
What Is An ACL Injury
Your thigh bone and your shin bone, or the femur and the tibia, are connected by a large ligament, which is the anterior cruciate ligament.
The anterior cruciate ligament is one of the most important ligaments in the knee and if too much stress is exerted on the ligament, it can tear very easily and lead to pain and injury in the long run.
A lot of people who run, jump, or do exercises that engage their legs can get ACL injury. It can be really painful and it can also make walking a whole lot harder.
The ACL is close to the front of your knee, which is why when it is torn or injured, you can feel more pain on the front of the knee rather than the back.
The ACL forms a unique “X” shape inside your knee. It is responsible for ensuring that your knee is flexible and able to take on a lot of force and exertion.
However, there is only so much a poor ligament can take and after some time, due to intense and strenuous exercises or sports, the ACL can get torn and that is not something that you want.
Causes Of An ACL Injury
So, now that you know what ACL injury is, here are some of the main causes of this injury.
- You play a lot of sports in which your knees are always engaged, which is why there is a lot of stress on your knees and this can lead to ACL injury.
- You have had a bad car accident and you have torn your knee ligament badly. Car accidents can also cause back pain and injuries.
- You’ve had a really bad fall on either the floor or you’ve fallen on your knees with a lot of force. This can cause the ligament to tear, which in turn, can cause a lot of pain.
- Sports or activities that involve twisting, stopping and sudden movement of the knees and legs can also lead to ACL injury.
ACL Injuries Are Common
An ACL injury is really common to occur in anyone and everyone. It doesn’t have any relation or association with age or family history. Ligaments are thin, but elastic bands that hold the muscles and bones together. If it weren’t for the ligaments, then all of the bones in the body would dislocate at one point. They’re like thin shock absorbers that strap the bones and muscles in place when they’re faced with stress or impact.
So, an ACL is not as weak, and it doesn’t tear easily but then again, every elastic thing in your body has a limit and if the force or impact exceeds the limit, then it can lead to tears or injury in the ACL and it can also lead to immense pain and halting of normal life activities, which is not what you want. This is why it is really important to keep the symptoms in mind and then visit a doctor as soon as you can, before things take a turn. The doctor will diagnose the injury and tell you whether it’s treatable with or without an ACL surgery.
Symptoms Of An ACL Injury
Speaking of symptoms, there are a lot of symptoms related to knees and pain that you could mistake for ACL injury, which is why knowing the targeted and unique signs is important.
Here are some of the most common symptoms of ACL injury.
Knee Pain
The first sign is pain, which is quite obvious, but you want to focus on the place where you feel the pain. Since the ACL is located in the front of the knee, right behind the kneecap, the pain will also be much more intense there. You want to check whether the pain is only in the front of the knee or all around the knee. If it’s in the front only, then you know that it’s because of an ACL injury.
Popping Sound
You will also hear a very distinct popping sound coming from the knee. When you try to bend your knee or even flex it, you will hear the popping noise.
This is one of the characteristics of ACL injury because in other knee injuries, there is little to no popping sound. So, you know that if you hear the sound, then it is because of the torn or injured ACL. You should see a knee specialist Woodbridge in this case.
Inability To Walk
You will be unable to walk and it will feel as though your knee has lost all strength. This is alarming because your knee is normally feeling fine and then suddenly, after a fall or impact on the knees, you are feeling weak and are having a hard time putting weight on your knees.
This is bad and you need to stop everything right away before things get worse and see a doctor before it’s too late.
Swelling
You will also experience swelling and a tender sensation around the knee. It will hurt and it will feel very tender. You will want to massage the area, but it will hurt when you press on the front of the knee too much.
Diagnosis & Treatments For ACL Injuries
Well, ACL injury can be really bad, so it’s only fitting that you have it diagnosed right away and then treat or manage it so that you can get rid of the pain.
An ACL injury is diagnosed by a physical examination as well as an x-ray or a scan. It will show the tear and you will know what part of the knee is affected.
Once the injury is diagnosed and your history is taken, the next thing to do is to figure out how to actually treat or manage the injury so that you can get back on your feet. Here are some things you can try:
Rest Is Crucial
A lot of the time, you don’t need to do anything too drastic to heal your ACL injury. It just needs a bit of rest and some time and you’ll feel better in no time.
Pain Relief Medication
If you feel a lot of pain, then take some pain medication, but if you’re resting, try to lay off on the meds and use natural ways of alleviating the pain like hot and cold compresses, massages, and keeping the leg elevated.
ACL Surgery
The last resort is surgery, because a tear in the ACL can never be fully healed, but it is easy to live with, if you rest. An ACL surgery involves making an incision in the knee and suturing the torn ligament together.
It is a very simple surgery, but it does take some time to heal, so make sure that you’re giving your leg a rest and using crutches to walk so that there isn’t a lot of stress in the healing knee. You’ll get in shape in no time.
Conclusion
ACL injury is one of the most common injuries in athletes and people who run or engage their legs a lot at work. If you’re experiencing the symptoms or feeling knee pain, see a knee injury doctor Woodbridge.
