What is the ACL?

The anterior cruciate ligament or ACL is one of the 4 main ligaments of the knee joint that connects the thigh bone (femur) to the shinbone (tibia). The ligament keeps the knee joint stable and keeps the movement of the thigh and shinbone within reasonable, tolerable limits.

What is an ACL Tear?

When the knee joint is twisted beyond its range of mobility or is overstretched, the anterior cruciate ligament tears. When the ACL tears, the knee gives and buckles in, and is unable to sustain any weight. Shortly after the surgery, the joint swells up and gets inflamed, and there is a sharp pain at the site of the injury.

Causes of ACL injuries

The ACL is injured when the knee joint is overstretched, overextended, or twisted beyond its range of mobility. Some of the most common causes of ACL injuries are:

• Landing from a jump improperly.
• Sudden change in direction while running
• Suddenly slowing down while running
• Direct trauma to the knee or the sides of the knee.

Symptoms of ACL injuries

Both the immediate and long-term symptoms of ACL injuries depend on the extent of the damage. One of the most common symptoms is hearing a pop sound when the ACL is torn. You will also feel your knee buckling out, or giving in, and within a few hours of the injury, there would be visible swelling and inflammation caused by internal bleeding from vessels of the torn ligament. The knee joint becomes highly unstable and is unable to sustain weight. These symptoms are accompanied by sharp pain and immobility in the affected knee.

Diagnosis

A thorough physical examination of the patient is carried out to diagnose an ACL injury. In the physical assessment, your doctor will look for signs of swelling, inflammation, and immobility as these are some common after-effects of ACL injuries. To get a better look at the muscles and tissues, and to rule out bone injuries, diagnostic tests like MRIs and X-rays are done. Along with these, your doctor may also perform the Lachman’s test to confirm your ACL tear.

What are the treatment options for ACL tears?

ACL injuries can be treated both surgically and nonsurgically. To determine the right treatment plan, your doctor would assess your condition and scrutinize your X-rays and MRI scans. After careful understanding of your injury, your doctor will discuss both the treatment options with you.
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ACL Reconstruction Surgery

Damaged and torn anterior cruciate ligaments don’t heal with time, and leaving such injuries untreated will only worsen the damage. ACL reconstruction surgery is the most effective and successful way to treat severe injuries in the anterior cruciate ligament. The surgery involves the use of minimally invasive techniques to replace the damaged parts of the ligament with a tendon graft. The graft can be taken from another part of the same knee, the other healthy knee, or a donor.

If you are planning to undergo ACL reconstruction surgery, you should discuss the following with your doctor.

• Choice of graft
• Potential risks and complications
• Benefits of the surgery
• The success rate of the surgery
• Rehabilitation and recovery

Risks and complications of ACL Reconstruction Surgery

 

Like any other major surgery, ACL reconstruction surgery also comes with its set of potential risks and complications. Some of these are explained as follows.

• Infection
• Numbness
• Deep vein thrombosis
• Blood vessel and nerve damage
• Failure or loosening of graft
• Reduced range of motion post-recovery
• Severe pain in the knee post-surgery
• Cracking, or a feeling of fraction in the knee cap, also known as Crepitus.

Postoperative care

The rehabilitation program is one of the most key elements of recovery and begins immediately after the surgery. The rehab regime is not the same for everyone and varies considerably from patient to patient. A physiotherapist will help you learn some specific stretches and exercises that will help strengthen your leg and restore the mobility of the knee. For a successful and timely recovery, you would be asked to avoid competitive sports completely for 5 to 6 months. This would allow the graft to incorporate into the knee joint and function as normal.

Get back to sports after an ACL injury with successful ACL Reconstruction Surgery in

The anterior cruciate ligament is one of the most important components of the knee and gives the joint balance and stability. A tear or rupture in the ACL can cause the knee to give out, or collapse. Such tears usually happen in sports activities when the leg extends too far or is twisted too much or overstretched. As a torn ACL does not repair itself, ACL reconstruction surgery becomes necessary in case of severe injuries.

At Ortho Doctors, patients receive convenient, personalized, and high-quality care for any orthopedic disease or injury by our expert team of renowned orthopedic specialists and surgeons. With several specialist orthopedic doctors in who can treat any orthopedic condition, there is no reason to delay your treatment. You can rest assured that our highly experienced doctors will explain the procedure and treatment plan in detail at every stage, and deliver unparalleled-class care throughout your treatment journey. Give us a call to meet the best knee surgeons for ACL surgery near you.