The anterior cruciate ligament is one of the structures that connects the femur and tibia bones in the knee joint. This ligament, which is the most important structure that prevents the tibia bone from moving forward abnormally, is also very important for the normal function of the knee.
It is one of the injuries that occur during sports and cause athletes to stay away from sports for more than 4 weeks. Cruciate ligament injuries come first. Anterior cruciate ligament injuries are followed by medial meniscus and medial collateral ligament injuries. It has been determined that approximately 200 thousand anterior cruciate ligament injuries occur annually in the United States. This frequency is expected to increase as society's interest in sports increases. Although there is no reliable data in our country, it is estimated that around 3 thousand anterior cruciate ligament injuries occur annually.
How do anterior cruciate ligament injuries occur?
Anterior cruciate ligament injuries usually occur due to sudden turning on a fixed foot. occurs with movement. It mostly occurs during a movement performed by the athlete himself. Less commonly, anterior cruciate ligament injuries may occur after direct blows to the knee, traffic accidents, falls from height, and industrial accidents. In this case, injuries to the posterior cruciate ligament, lateral ligaments and menisci may be added to the anterior cruciate ligament injuries. Due to the structural characteristics of female athletes, anterior cruciate ligament injuries are more common than male athletes. While injuries in adults occur in the form of the ligament breaking from its body, in children the injury may occur in the form of the ligament tearing off a piece from where it attaches to the bone.
What are the symptoms of anterior cruciate ligament injuries?
At the time of anterior cruciate ligament injury, there is a sudden feeling of tearing in the knee. accompanied by severe pain. Some athletes can hear the sound of the ligament breaking and often fall to the ground. Swelling occurs due to rapidly developing bleeding inside the knee joint. The athlete usually cannot continue playing sports and has to quit the competition. Due to pain and swelling, movement restriction occurs in the knee and limping occurs. Some athletes may feel their knees slipping out of place.
Within a few days or weeks, the swelling and pain in the knee joint subsides. Knee movements are gained and limping disappears. Moment However, this time, a feeling of emptiness and insecurity occurs in the knee, especially during sudden turns, sudden decelerations and when descending stairs. Sports such as swimming and cycling can be done on knees with anterior cruciate ligament rupture; However, it is not possible to perform sports that involve sudden jumps, turns and accelerations, such as football, basketball, handball, volleyball and skiing, at a high level. If the athlete wants to continue these sports without the anterior cruciate ligament, the risk of new injuries and increased damage to the knee is very high.
MENISCUS TEAR
Meniscus tears are usually caused by dysfunction in older people. It is one of the important causes and the most common knee problem. It usually develops as a result of misuse of the knee, and injuries occur due to the excessive load on the meniscus as a result of the muscles around the knee not being strong enough. As a result of wear of part or all of the meniscus, knee biomechanics is seriously affected and can gradually lead to cartilage damage and early osteoarthritis. For this reason, care should be taken to protect the remaining meniscus as much as possible after meniscus injuries.
After meniscus injury or surgery, general rehabilitation principles such as relieving pain and swelling, restoring joint movement and increasing muscle strength are valid.
Generally, physical therapy aims to fully open the knee within 4-6 weeks after surgical repair. On the other hand, it is also very important to implement early mobilization protocols that aim to ensure that joint range of motion and muscle strength reach normal levels as soon as possible. After surgery, weight bearing should be gradually increased during the first 4-8 weeks to prevent the shear force acting on the meniscus during knee flexion (bending). In addition, the rate of return to sports is high in young people with physical therapy after meniscus surgery.
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