Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injury questions and answers| A+ content

Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injury questions and answers| A+ content Most common ACL injury grade 3 sprain = complete tear What does the ACL do band of tissue that keeps the knee joint in place and prevent the tibia from sliding out in front of the femur Mechanism of Injury changing direction rapidly, stopping suddenly, landing from a jump incorrect , direct contact from behind Signs and symptoms initial audible pop, sensation of your knee giving out , and pain and swelling with minutes Later signs/ symptoms loss of complete range in motion, tenderness along joint line, discomfort or instability while walking or running Most commonly used ACL evaluation test Lachman Test Imaging MRI to confirm the damage but can be hard to see due to swelling Surgical Treatment replace ligament with autograph from own body or a allograft from a cadaver Patellar tendon graft central 1/3 of patellar tendon along with a piece of bone from the sites of attachment on the patella and tibia bones ( length of tissue is similar allowing for bone to bone healing )-- larger incision and more pain over the front of the knee Hamstring tendon graft smaller incision but longer time for graft to become rigid Allograft use patellar tendon , Achilles or hamstring tendon -- not as strong as the patients own tissue. Smaller incision and less postoperative pain but must be concerned about disease transmission Risk factors for ACL ( intrinsic ) narrow intercondylar notch, weak ACL, generalized physiological laxity, hormonal effects, malalignment of lower extremity Extrinsic risk factors abnormal quadriceps to hamstring interaction , altered neuromuscular control, playing environmental collateral ligaments medial collateral ligament , Lateral collateral ligament cruciate ligaments anterior cruciate ligaments , posterior cruciate ligaments