acl injuries

posted by admin on Jan 14

An anterior cruciate ligament injury is the over-stretching or tearing of the anterior cruciate ligament or ACL found within the knee. A tear of this kind may be partial or complete.

The anatomy of the knee is similar to a hinge joint. It is located where the end of the thigh bone also known as the femur meets the top of the shin bone also known as the tibia. There are four main ligaments that connect these two bones:

• Medial collateral ligament (MCL) spans the inner part of the knee and act as a means of preventing the knee from bending inwardly.
• Lateral collateral ligament (LCL) spans the outer part of the knee and prevents the knee from bending outwardly.
• Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) is located in the middle of the knee. It prevents the tibia from sliding out in front of the femur; additionally it provides rotational stability to the knee.
• Posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) functions alongside the ACL. It stops the tibia from sliding backwards under the femur.

The ACL and PCL intersect each other inside the knee, creating an “X.”. This is why they are deemed the “cruciate” (which means cross-like) ligaments. ACL injuries often manifest in association with other injuries. A classic example of this is when the ACL is torn at the same time as both the MCL and medial meniscus which is one of the shock-absorbing cartilages found in the knee. This sort of injury frequently occurs in football players and skiers. It has been observed that women are more likely to have an ACL tear than men. The cause for this is not entirely understood, but it may be as a result of the differences in anatomy and muscle function. Adults normally tear their ACL in the middle of the ligament or pull the ligament off the femur bone. These injuries are not able to heal by themselves. Children are more likely than adults to pull off their ACL with a piece of bone still attached. These injuries may in fact heal on their own, or they may necessitate an operation to mend the bone.

When your doctor suspects that you have an ACL tear, an MRI scan may help to confirm the diagnosis. This test may also help to correctly evaluate other knee injuries, such as those to the other ligaments or cartilage. Some people are capable to function as they normally would with a torn ACL. However, most people with the affliction complain that their knee is unstable and may “give out” with any type of physical activity. ACL injuries that are left untreated may also lead to early arthritis in the affected knee.

ACL tears may manifest as a result of contact or non-contact injuries. For example an injury to the side of the knee, which can happen during a football tackle, may result in an ACL tear.