All you need to know about an ACL injury

Rehabilitation program after ACL reconstruction

Mention an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury to any professional athlete, and he or she is likely to shudder. Athletes with such injuries often spend months on the bench and in the physical therapy room.

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

An ACL sprain is usually caused by a sudden twisting of the knee or from a collision or impact. Symptoms will include:

• Sudden pain in the knee joint at the time of injury.
• There may be an audible pop or crack at the time of injury and a feeling of instability.
• Rapid swelling may occur from bleeding within the joint which will feel warm to touch.

Basketball, football, soccer, and skiing are common sports linked to ACL tears.

Females at Greater Risk

National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) injury data show that female athletes injure the ACL more frequently than male athletes. The injury rate for female soccer players, for example, is more than twice as high as that for men. Women basketball players are five to seven times more likely to sustain ACL injuries as men, as many players in the WNBA can attest.

Treatment

Treatment can be split into immediate first aid at the time of injury and longer term rehabilitation which will often involve surgery.

First aid for an ACL injury may include:

• Raising your leg above the level of the heart
• Putting ice on the knee
• Pain relievers such as no steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (such as ibuprofen)

You may need:

• Crutches to walk until the swelling and pain get better
• Physical therapy to help improve joint motion and leg strength
• Surgery to rebuild the ACL

Things NOT to do:

• Do NOT move your knee if you have had a serious injury.
• Do NOT try to bend your knee. Use a splint to keep the knee straight until you see a doctor.
• Do NOT return to play or other activities until you have been treated.

Prevention

Unfortunately, no single exercise can prevent injury to the ACL. The good news is that you can give yourself some protection by developing and maintaining strength and endurance in your lower extremities. To promote stability in the knee, perform closed-chain exercises (for example, leg presses, squats, lunges) as part of your strength-training program. Also, do some cross-training in your cardiovascular workout using the stair climber, stationary bike, elliptical trainer or ski machine.

You can also avoid an ACL injury by preparing for your favorite sport in the preseason. Plan for at least four weeks of endurance training before your basketball, tennis, or racquetball league begins, or prior to ski season.

Have fun, but be sensible when playing your sport. Whenever you find that you must stay away from your regular routine for two or three weeks due to travel or illness, ease up for several workouts to give your body time to recondition.

When to contact a medical professional

Anyone with a serious knee injury should seek medical attention for x-rays, scans and evaluation. If the foot is cool and blue after a knee injury, the knee joint may be dislocated, and blood vessels to the foot may be injured. This is a medical emergency that requires immediate professional help.