By: Katina Anthony

Information on ACL Tears And Other Knee Injuries

The audience who’s attention I would like to grab is athletes of all ages

Females are more likely to sustain a knee injury due to their anatomy

Knee injuries are very serious and take a lot of rehabilitation and time to come back from

Learning ways to reduce your risk of injury is very important for all genders and ages

Intended Audience

What is an ACL?The most common

ligament torn in the knee is the ACL (anterior cruciate ligament)

This can happen from contact with another person or improper twisting of the knee joint.

The ACL prevents the knee from sliding back and forth

The ACL is crucial for stabilizing the knee and is extremely painful if torn

What else is in The Knee?The knee consists of the

MCL, LCL, ACL, and PCLThose four are thick

bands of tissueThese all have a different

location and function in knee

Imperative for flexion and extension of the knee

Also located in the knee are the lateral and medial menisci (discs of cartilage)

Common Signs and Symptoms

Pain or swelling right away= ligament injury

Pain or swelling over period of time= meniscal or cartilage injury

First case scenario for pain is the RICE method (rest, ice, compression, elevation)

Am I injured?Make an appointment with

your doctor!

Strong muscles are the keyStrengthening your quadriceps and

hamstrings will reduce your risk of knee injury

Correct landing and planting on kneeProper footwearStretching

Prevention

Correct LandingKnees should always

be in line with toes when landing

Landing on toes =

Focus on landing with:

knees bent, shoulders forward, glutes and hips back and land on balls of feet with heels up

Strong muscles will prevent stresses on the kneeExercises for the quadriceps include leg press

and lunges (using correct form!)Exercises for the hamstrings include leg curls

and controlled squatsQuestions? Ask a professional at the gym and

they will make sure your workout is effective and meaningful.

Tips to Strengthen Muscles

Ask for help!!!

Look for a shoe with a lot of cushioningAdd inserts to your sneakersAvoid high heelsFootwear impacts how much force and load

you put on your knee, so choose wisely!

Footwear

Stretching Warming-up for 5-10

minutes is a must before starting any activity

Hold a stretch for a minimum of 20 seconds for effectiveness

Both static and dynamic stretching can by used.

Static stretching is done when

standing still. Dynamic

stretching is done when moving in any direction.

MeniscusThe menisci are 2 other

structures that help keep the knee balanced to support the ACL

They are soft and cushion-like and provide shock absorption.

Meniscal tears are often remedied with rest but surgery is sometimes required

Physical therapy and rehab are also useful

for meniscal tears!

Torn ACL

Different ACL’s

Healthy ACL

Course of Action If your ACL is torn surgery

is necessary Consult a doctor to decide

what steps you will take Recovery can range from 6-

9 months depending on severity of damage in the knee

A large brace will need to be wore for 1-2 months post surgery to prevent any damaging movements

Rest, rest, rest!Start rehabilitation from a physical therapist as

soon as possibly to regain range of motionThey will guide you through a series of workouts

to strengthen the knee back upDon’t rush, it takes time and persistence to heal

properly

After Surgery

Every body is different, males tend to heal faster than females after an ACL

surgery. Keep up the hard work and you will be back in no time!

ResultsYou will typically be

left with a big scar lining the knee

With proper care you will get this to become very faint over a period of time.

ACL StatisticsFemales are 2-8 times

more likely to tear their ACL’s than males

Every time you tear an ACL it puts you at a greater risk to do it again

80% of all ACL injuries are non contact

Each year 250,000 people suffer an ACL injury

Sports and Knee InjuriesSkiers: 67%Soccer: 46%Football: 43%Basketball: 42%Runners: 38%Gymnasts: 31%Dancers: 29%Tennis: 24%

Real Life Example: My best friend has torn her ACL

3 times Every time she did it her risk

increased to do it again The first was junior year of high

school and that was the left knee, surgery and a strong recovery follow this

The second time was October 2010 and that was the right knee

The third was September 2011 and that was also the right knee

She will be getting surgery in December 2011 to reconstruct the right knee again

Keeping your head up and a

structured rehab

program will help prevent

re-injury!

In ConclusionKnee injuries are very serious

and should not be taken lightly

They are the most common injury among all sports

Good stretching and workout habits can prevent an injury

Proper footwear and landing techniques are key

Be sure to consult a doctor if knee pain arises

The more educated you are, the better you are going to be able to recover and succeed after a knee injury!

YOU CAN DO

IT!!!

http://www.emedicinehealth.com/knee_injury/article_em.htm

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/kneeinjuriesanddisorders.html

http://www.sportsmed.info/sportsmed/knee.htmlhttp://

www.webmd.com/fitness-exercise/knee-ligament-injuries

References