subject: Acl Tears And Acl Reconstruction Techniquesin Asheboro Nc [print this page] Anterior cruciate ligament or ACL tears are common injuries sustained by active people in Asheboro NC. As a matter of fact, strains and sprains, or tears, are the most common knee injuries. Athletes who play high demand sports like soccer, football, and basketball are likely to injure their anterior cruciate ligaments. For athletes, ACL surgery is generally needed to regain full knee function. The surgeons and sports medicine doctors see tears almost every day.
Basic knee anatomy
Three bones form your knee joint: your thighbone, your shinbone, and your kneecap, which sits in front of the joint for protection. Ligaments connect bones to other bones, and there are four primary ligaments in your knee. Like strong ropes, they hold the bones together and keep your knee stable. The injury-prone anterior cruciate ligament is located in the front of the knee, and the posterior cruciate ligament is behind it. These two ligaments control the back and forth motion of your knee, and keep it stable on rotation.
Anterior cruciate ligament strains and sprains
An ACL strain is an injury to a knee muscle or tendon. Muscles contract on a bone to pull on a tendon, which is connected to your bone. Muscles are made to contract and stretch, but when stretched too far, a strain may result. Anterior cruciate ligament sprains are injuries to ligaments, the tough fibrous tissue that connects bones together. Ligaments can also tear when they are stretched too far or with too much force.
Anatomic ACL reconstruction
Strains and sprains are often treated non-surgically, but surgery is needed for reconstruction. Because ACL tears cannot be stitched back together, surgery is necessary to restore knee stability.
A new ligament is typically reconstructed using a tissue graft as a frame for new ligament growth. Because ligament regrowth takes time, it may be six months or more before an athlete can return to sports after surgery. With traditional anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction techniques, it is very difficult to achieve the function level of the original ligament.
A very promising anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction technique is now available in Asheboro NC. The aim of anatomic ACL reconstruction is to replicate the original positioning of a torn ligament when placing the new replacement. When placement of the replacement tendon exactly copies the precise location of the native ligament, function increases dramatically. Few orthopedic surgeons have the training and experience to perform this difficult procedure.
Let the caring and experienced doctors help you with your ACL tear. Orthopedic surgeons and sports medicine doctors are committed to restoring you to full health and function.
