5 Common Causes Of ACL Injuries
1. Sports
As mentioned before, ACL injuries are commonly associated with sports. Sports that involve pivoting, jumping, and abrupt stopping increase your risk of an ACL injury. These sports can include:
- Skiing
- Football
- Basketball
- Gymnastics
Football is the sport with the highest ACL injury rates.
2. Being Female
Being female does not cause ACL injuries, women are just at a higher risk of experiencing them than men. This is due to the physical conditioning, muscular strength, and anatomical differences between men and women. Other suggested causes include differences in pelvis and lower extremity alignment and the effects of estrogen on ligament properties that can cause women to be more susceptible to ACL injuries.
3. Poor Conditioning
Before you decide to dive into a new sport, it is very important that you correctly prepare and train your body, especially if you are playing a sport that has a high risk of ACL injuries. Start slow and work your way up to more dynamic exercises and make sure to exercise regularly. Participating in a new sport when your body is not in shape can increase your risk of all types of injuries including ACL tears.
4. Improper Footwear
Invest in a good pair of footwear when playing sports, for everyday use, and for when you are working out in the gym. Wearing worn-out runners that you have had for the past ten years will result in strain on your joints and ligaments putting you at a higher risk of ACL injuries.
5. Trauma To The Knee
Getting hit in the knee or overextending your knee can cause an ACL tear or injury. This can result from a tackle, a collision, or any other kind of trauma that is not sport-related. You may not always be able to prevent a collision, however, you can take measures such as exercising to build up strength in your legs to help prevent injuries from occurring.
ACL Injury Treatments
Treatment for an ACL tear will vary depending upon the patient's individual needs as well as the severity of the injury. Most athletes will undergo surgery to reduce pain and mobility issues to get them back to competing as soon as possible. For older and inactive individuals, non-invasive treatments such as physical therapy and wearing a brace may be sufficient enough for recovery. For surgical treatments, your orthopedic surgeon will have to replace the torn ligament with a tissue graft which acts as a scaffolding for the new ligament to grow on. After the surgery, you will have to undergo physical therapy to help strengthen the ligament and restore mobility in the knee.
ACL Repairs At Okanagan Health Surgical Centre
Okanagan Health Surgical Centre in Kelowna is a world-class private surgical facility providing advanced orthopedic surgeries including ACL repair surgery, shoulder surgery, foot and ankle surgery, and more. We provide minimally invasive procedures to allow our patients a faster recovery time so they can get back to living a pain-free life.
The team of private surgeons will be sure to answer any questions you may have during a complimentary consultation regarding ACL treatments and procedures. To book your consultation today call us at 1-250-868-9799 or Toll-Free: 1-877-505-8895 or fill out the contact form below.
FAQ
Q: How long does it take to recover from ACL surgery?
A: A full recovery generally takes nine months. You will be able to regain some range of motion within the first few weeks following your surgery.
Q: Does tearing an ACL hurt?
A: It will all depend on the person. Some people do not feel much pain when they tear their ACL and believe that they only caused a minor tweak to their knee that will resolve on its own. Others have a very different experience and claim that tearing their ACL was extremely painful.
Q: How long does it take to regain full mobility in my knee after ACL surgery?
A: It will take about nine months to regain full mobility and strength in the injured knee.
