Ancient Ayurved

ANTERIOR CRUCIATE LIGAMENT INJURY

Ayurveda can help you

IMAGE SHOWS ANTERIOR CRUCIATE LIGAMENT

WHAT IS ANTERIOR CRUCIATE LIGAMENT
FUNCTION OF ANTERIOR CRUCIATE LIGAMENT
WHAT IS ANTERIOR CRUCIATE LIGAMENT INJURY
CAUSES
SYMPTOMS
INVESTIGATION AND DIAGNOSIS
TREATMENT

WHAT IS ANTERIOR CRUCIATE LIGAMENT

The anterior cruciate ligament (or ACL) is one of the four major ligaments of the knee. It connects from a posterio-lateral part of the femur to an anterio-medial part of the tibia. These attachments allow it to resist anterior translation of the tibia, in relation to the femur. More specifically, it is attached to the depression in front of the intercondyloid eminence of the tibia, being blended with the anterior extremity of the lateral meniscus. It passes up, backward, and laterally, and is fixed into the medial and back part of the lateral condyle of the femur.

FUNCTION OF ANTERIOR CRUCIATE LIGAMENT

The anterior cruciate ligament is the primary restraint to forward motion of the shin bone (tibia). The anatomy of the knee joint is critical to understanding this relationship. Essentially, the femur (thigh bone) sits on top of the tibia (shin bone), and the knee joint allows movement at the junction of these bones. Without ligaments to stabilize the knee, the joint would be unstable and prone to dislocation. The ACL prevents the tibia from sliding too far forward.

WHAT IS ANTERIOR CRUCIATE LIGAMENT INJURY

Like all other forms of ligaments, the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) connects one bone (the femur or thigh bone) to another (the tibia or leg bone) and helps stabilize the joint. When torn, the ligament does not have significant healing capability and the individual is prone to episodes of instability and further damage to the joint.

CAUSES

Most ACL tears occur during sports, such as basketball, football, soccer and skiing. Typically the ligament tears when you slow down suddenly or cut or pivot with your foot firmly planted, twisting or overextending the knee. Landing awkwardly from a jump also is a frequent cause of ACL injury. This type of injury usually doesn’t result from contact with other players.

Top

SYMPTOMS

The ACL is most frequently injured in athletics, but certainly can be torn by any method that applies unusually high stresses to the knee joint. In sports, the injury typically occurs in association with sudden twisting or deceleration activities, and sometimes with a direct blow to the knee. As a rule, swelling develops shortly thereafter. Many athletic events occur in the evening, and patients may not notice the swelling until the following morning. In the event of an acute knee injury (which is marked by pain, followed shortly thereafter by swelling), there is approximately an 80% chance of a torn anterior cruciate ligament. The patient does not have to feel something pop or experience a sense of instability at the time of injury.

INVESTIGATION AND DIAGNOSIS

How is it diagnosed?

To diagnose a torn ACL, your doctor first wants to know as much as possible about how the injury occurred. Be prepared to describe:

How the injury felt and whether you heard or felt your knee pop
Whether the injury swelled immediately afterward
If you were unable to continue being physically active
All of these are signs and symptoms of a possible ACL tear.

Knee examination

Next, your doctor examines your knee to determine if the ACL is torn. Commonly used exams are the Lachman’s test and the pivot shift test.

Lachman’s test.

In this test, while lying on your back with your knee bent at a 30-degree angle and your foot flat on the table, your doctor gently moves your lower leg forward at the knee. If your leg moves forward freely without reaching a firm endpoint, your ACL is torn.

Pivot shift test.

In this test, your doctor extends your knee and rotates your foot inward while applying pressure to the outside of your knee and slowly bending it. Your doctor is checking for signs of instability indicated by a shifting of the shinbone on the thighbone.
If the movement in your knee is restricted by swelling or by contraction of the muscles in the back of your upper leg, your doctor may not be able to a torn ACL with these tests.