ACL Injury

Sports involving repetitive athletic movements for a longer duration and sudden stops and turns see more cases of ACL injury. These include sports like football, basketball, badminton and tennis. These are sports where athletes have to run, jump, stop and change direction quickly, causing the knee joint to be under constant pressure. Sudden movements like rotating or while you pivot can also lead to ACL injury.

Although the injury is mostly caused while playing non-contact sports like the ones mentioned above, there are several cases of ACL injuries even while playing contact sports with a direct impact or blow to the knee. One example of this is kabaddi, where the scissor hold is one of the major causes of knee ligament tears.

The most common causes of injuring the ACL are general stress, inflammation and tendonitis, in that order. Overuse of the ligaments in your knee may also cause the injury. Sudden or acute injury can also lead to a full ACL tear. According to a 2012 study published in the Journal of Athletic Training, women are nine times more likely to tear their ACL than men.

Symptoms of Anterior Cruciate Ligament injury include:

• Pain when you bend your knee or while walking
• The knee is swollen and tender to the touch
• You hear or feel a "popping" sensation in the knee
• You are unable to move the knee to its full range of motion
• You are unable to support your body weight on the injured knee

Visit a doctor immediately if you have recently injured your knee and notice any of these signs.

The Lachman Test and the Pivot Test are common and accurate tests to determine an ACL injury to your knee, while an MRI can give a clearer indication of the extent of damage to the ligament.

To perform the Lachman Test, the doctor will ask you to lie down on your back. Next, he/she will hold your leg above and below the knee and try to move the shin up and down. A healthy ACL will restrict this movement, and the doctor will feel a resistance beyond a certain point. A torn ACL will allow a greater range of movement with less resistance.

For the Lateral Pivot Shift Test, also known as the Macintosh test, the doctor will ask you to lie back. Next, he or she will hold your heel and turn your foot slightly inward. The doctor will then bend your knee and straighten it a few times. If this produces a clicking sound, or if the patient feels a "giving way" sensation, it may indicate a torn ligament.

An X-ray or MRI are done with the help of the appropriate scanners. Remember to remove all metal ornaments before going for an MRI, which uses a giant magnet.

While rest and applying ice may reduce swelling as a result of minor ACL injury, more severe situations like a tear in the ACL can require surgery, prolonged rest and extensive physical therapy.

A tear in the ACL severely hinders your ability to move around, and the go-to method for recovery becomes an Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) Reconstruction Surgery, which is a fairly common procedure. Patients make a full recovery from the surgery and are able to resume their daily activities in most cases.

While anyone can get an ACL injury at any time, there are some factors that can increase the risk:

• Women are more likely to get ACL injuries. Medical practitioners say this could be because of the difference in muscle strength between men and women and hormonal imbalances.
• Playing sports that require jumping, swift turns and running can increase your risk. These include football, basketball, gymnastics, badminton and kabaddi.
• Playing on artificial grass or hard surfaces.
• Ill-fitting footwear and sports equipment like skis with binds that don't close properly.

It is always a good idea to warm up before performing an exercise or playing a sport. Here are some pointers you should keep in mind to avoid ACL injuries:

• Always wear the right footwear while playing a particular sport or performing a physically strenuous exercise.
• Wear a knee brace, if you have frequent aches and pains in the knee.
• Include exercises for the hamstring and stretches for the whole leg into your weekly routine.
• Incorporate more stretching movements just before playing a sport.

ACL reconstruction surgery is only required in severe cases. Usually, physical therapy, rehabilitation and strengthening programmes are enough to recover from minor injuries and to keep the ligaments in good health.

Injuries to the Anterior Cruciate Ligament increase the risk of osteoarthritis later in life. It is important to work with physiotherapists and continue to exercise the knee even after recovering from an injury.

ACL reconstruction surgery is fairly common. And though rare, infection after an ACL surgery can be quite serious. Do keep your follow-up appointments with the doctor, if you have had knee surgery.

(Consult a doctor with Doctor app)