When an athlete injures his knee, it typically involves damage to the acute cruciate ligament. The ACL is perhaps the most injured ligament in an athlete’s knee, especially if he is extremely active in sports, such as rugby and lacrosse. Generally, if the athlete incurs a tear to his ACL, his surgeon will recommend knee reconstruction surgery that will be performed by a knee specialist.
Knee ligaments are sturdy bands of tissue that bind one bone to the other. The acute cruciate ligament is one of the two main ligaments that intertwine in the middle and connects the femur to the tibia. It helps mostly in stabilizing the knee joint.
A large number of ACL injuries occur during intense fitness and sports activities. This particular ligament can tear when an athlete slows down instantly to change his direction or pivot with his foot overextending his knee, twisting, or planted firmly on the ground.
Nevertheless, not every athlete who tears his ACL necessitates ACL knee reconstruction. Inactive or deskbound individuals who forgo fitness or sports activities that entail plenty of quick stops and changes in direction normally recover well by undergoing conservative treatments and rehabilitation.
In most cases involving ACL tears, patients are given anesthesia during the ACL knee reconstruction surgery, so that they would be unconscious during the operation. Reconstruction surgeries are often performed through making small incisions using an arthroscope. An arthroscope is a thin tube with a camera at its one tip, which allows other tiny surgical instruments accessibility to the joint space.
Upon removing the damaged ACL, the surgeon will restore it with an autograph from a deceased donor or a piece of tendon from other parts of the leg. The surgeon will drill several tunnels into his patient’s shinbone and thighbone to position the graft accurately. Afterward, he will secure the bones with screws and various other fixation devices.
As soon as the patient recovers from the anesthesia, he is usually allowed to go home on the same day. Before he is discharged, a physical therapist will advise him to practice walking with crutches and the surgeon will ask him to wear a knee splint or brace to protect the operated knee.
After knee reconstruction surgery, it will take about 2 to 3 weeks for the patient to walk again without crutches. Nonetheless, this all depends on his compliance in progressing well during the rehabilitation period.
Are you looking for a reputable orthopedic surgeon to perform knee reconstruction surgery on you? Call us today at 646-593-7305 to book an appointment, or click the following link to receive a call.