One of the most prevalent injuries that both professional athletes as well as sports aficionados suffer from is the anterior cruciate ligament or ACL tear. This ligament takes on a huge role on the stability of the knee. So, when your ACL gets injured, you can imagine the pain you have to endure. That is why once you tear your ACL, you must not ignore it. Seek medical assistance instantly. Importance Of ACL ACL is responsible for controlling the knee’s forward motion. This ligament connects your shin bone, which is known as tibia to the thigh bone, called the femur. The ACL works with the PCL or posterior cruciate ligament to keep the knee steady and control its movement. The ACL can easily be injured when there is an unexpected movement on the knee such as twisting or if the knee sustained a serious blow. When this occurs, you can feel your knee buckle and wobbly, which makes it hard and painful for you to stand or walk. Signs Of An ACL Injury The most typical symptom of an anterior cruciate ligament injury is the loud snapping or popping sound. Next the knee begins to buckle and a severe pain will likely be experienced. This will be followed by swelling and bruising on the area of the knee where it is injured. If the patient tries to walk or stand up, the person will feel incredible amount of pain. Moreover, the knee will be wobbly and it may be impossible for the patient to stand or walk. So, when you experience any of these symptoms, you need to call the doctor right away. Treating An ACL Injury Depending on the level of the injury, the individual may need a knee brace or surgery. Seldom can you find a case where the patient just needs to rest and wear a brace so as to recover. Most often, a person who has a ruptured ACL must go through surgery. The surgery is done so that the ligament can be reconstructed making the knee stable and strong. There are two methods to repair the torn ligament, one is through making incisions and inserting an instrument inside the knee to make it stable while the other is by taking out the ligament and replacing it with a graft. Often, the patient is not required to stay in the hospital following your surgery. Nonetheless, he or she must go through long and arduous rehabilitation. So, in case you are either active in sports or have a career as an athlete, you will need to care for your anterior cruciate ligament. Women athletes are usually more prone to having an ACL injury than men. Training and performing knee exercises as well as a healthy diet can greatly lower the risk of having an ACL tear.
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