Treating ACL Injuries

Author: Adam Farber

ACL or Anterior cruciate ligament injuries are common among athletes whose sport involves several sudden stop-and-go movements, such as volleyball, basketball and soccer. Despite the fact that volleyball is a non-contact sport, it is one of the most injury-prone sports.

Causes of an ACL Injury playing Volleyball

If you play volleyball and have suffered an ACL injury playing volleyball, you need treatment. An ACL injury should be examined as soon as possible.

The ACL is one of four main ligaments stabilizing the knee and performs 3 functions for the knee joint –

  • controlling front-to-back knee movement
  • keeping the tibia (shin bone) in place
  • Stabilizes the knee for rotational movement

Since beach volleyball is played on sand, sudden planting and pivoting movements become even more harmful due to the unstable surface beneath the players’ feet.

The ACL is compromised frequently due to a sudden change in direction and lack of stability in the knee joint.

ACL injuries may be classified as sprains, and if ligaments are injured, they are rated as sprains of –

  • Grade 1: mild damage to ligaments, which can still keep the knee stable.
  • Grade 2: more weakness with the ligament becoming loose. This condition is referred to as a partial tear.
  • Grade 3: one of the most common forms of an ACL tear occurs when the ligament tears apart completely and is not able to stabilize the knee joint. This is referred to as a complete tear.

ACL injuries may be marked by sudden popping sounds, immediate pain and gradual swelling of the knee.

Torn ACL Treatment

There are several options to treat an ACL injury, depending upon the severity of tear, your symptoms and lifestyle. Surgery is often the last option.

If appropriate, your knee surgeon would initially begin with a conservative course of treatment, involving rest, bracing and physical therapy.

If your injury is severe, such as a complete ligament tear, it would be difficult for it to heal on its own and surgery may be recommended. This is also because of the lack of blood supply to the ACL. It is also not possible to repair ACL tears by stitching the edges of the tear together. ACL tears require a surgical reconstruction. To do so, tissue is taken from somewhere else and placed in the location of the ACL to create a new ACL. This tissue can be from your own body (autograft) or from a cadaver donor (allograft). After an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction procedure, rehabilitation is a must to restore motion and function in the knee joint.

To learn more about treatments for various injuries, such as Achilles tendonitis treatment and ACL injury treatment, call one of the best orthopedic surgeons in Phoenix AZ, call Phoenix Shoulder and Knee at 480-219-3342.