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Knee
Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury
The main role of the ligaments is to hold the bones in place at the movable joints. Without ligaments, the skeleton would fall apart. When the joints are contorted strangely, ligaments can get damaged.
A common footballer's accident is injury to the anterior cruciate ligaments (ACL). These are the ligaments that cross through the knee joint, holding the bones in place. The ligament is usually damaged through a twisting injury to the knee or because of an impact to the outside of the knee. Almost all people with an ACL problem can recall a specific severe injury that caused the problem.
If you think you have a ligament injury, make sure that you see your doctor as soon as possible.
What are the symptoms?
- Severe pain at the time of injury. This pain will continue when you move your knee
- Swelling of the knee joint
- Instability of the knee may occur after initial swelling has subsided
- Most people describe the feeling they have as their knee 'giving way.'
How should it be treated?
- You can apply RICE (Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation) at home to reduce the swelling, and you can take weight off the joint by using crutches, if necessary. Don't apply ice directly to the skin, always use an ice pack wrapped in soft material
- Your doctor may advise a strength training programme to maintain strength in the leg muscles, particularly the hamstrings
- A support bandage or a plaster cast may be given to you to support the joint
- Sometimes it is necessary to reconstruct the damaged ligament with an operation
What should you do if the injury comes back?
If an old ligament injury 'flares up' you should rest the joint and consult a healthcare professional as necessary.
To read more about the knee ligaments and their injuries, click here.
Medial Meniscus Tear
The meniscus is made of cartilage and acts as a shock absorber for the bones, protecting them from daily wear and tear. Injury to cartilage normally occurs as the result of a collision. Deep knee bends may also cause the injury.
A medial meniscus tear may heal on its own with rest if the injury is not serious, but surgery is often required.
What are the symptoms?
- Pain either along the joint line or through the whole knee
- Inability to fully extend the knee. Most people describe this as their knee 'locking.'
- Swelling.
How should it be treated?
- You can apply RICE (Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation) to the injured knee to soothe initial swelling. Don't apply ice directly to the skin, always use an ice pack wrapped in soft material
- In the longer term, you should rest the injured knee and attempt to build the strength of the muscles around the knee
- It is possible that you may need surgery, so you must visit your healthcare professional
- An exploratory arthroscopy may be carried out to discover the extent of the injury
- During the arthroscopy it may be possible to remove or repair the damaged cartilage
Sources
The following sources were used to write this feature
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