Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injuries

Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injuries; The anterior cruciate ligament is located inside the knee joint and prevents the tibia from sliding forward. The mechanism of injury may be the result of tension, rotation, or stretching of the knee joint. When injured, the stability of the knee joint decreases and sporting activities are limited.

Depending on the severity of the injury, partial or complete ruptures may develop. When a complete rupture occurs, this rupture does not heal spontaneously. Although in some cases it can be treated by reducing physical and sporting activities and with rehabilitation, surgical treatment is often needed.

The surgical procedure involves the formation of a new anterior cruciate ligament using the patellar tendon or some tendons around the knee.

Symptoms of anterior cruciate ligament injury can be pain starting with trauma and continuing afterwards, swelling in the knee (increasing within 24 hours) immediately with the trauma, inability to step on the knee, feeling of insecurity and feeling of tension in the knee.

Anterior cruciate ligament injuries are usually come across as Arthroscopic Surgery. Running, jumping, sudden rotation, sudden stop or collision during knee rotation, forcing can cause the anterior cruciate ligament to rupture.

With a good and attentive treatment, many patients may return to the level of old activity after anterior cruciate ligament injury. Very mild injuries or partial ruptures can be treated without surgery with good rehabilitation.

Severe injuries usually require surgery and a new ligament reconstruction is performed instead of a ruptured ligament. According to our current knowledge, anatomical treatment of anterior cruciate ligaments is very important and double ligament or single ligament anatomic treatments can be made according to the structure of the patient.

Generally, tendons around the knee are used as grafts, and the patient is allowed to step up after surgery and to ride a bicycle and car after 20 days. After a thorough rehabilitation, the return to sports may take more than 6 months.