The anterior cruciate ligament is an important stabilising structure within the knee. It is often injured by active participants sport. In particular, it is an important structure to provide stability in sidestepping or cutting sports such as football, soccer and other similar types of activity. It is often in these sports where the injury and ruptured anterior cruciate ligament occurs.
The patient will often feel or hear an audible pop or crack when the injury occurs. This is usually associated with a great deal of pain and fairly rapid swelling. Ongoing instability can result from a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament rupture.
The treatment depends on many factors, which include the patient’s age and physical demands. Other co-existing injuries, such as tears to the meniscal cartilage, also play a role in decision making.
Broadly speaking, the injury can sometimes be treated conservatively (without surgery) or with an anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction.
The decision to proceed with an anterior cruciate reconstruction would be one you make with your knee surgeon, having considered the risks and benefits of surgery. The recovery from reconstructive surgery requires supervised rehabilitation with a physiotherapist.
In most cases, the patient can return to preinjury activities and sports between nine to twelve months following surgery. The exact timing however is based on the individual scenario and is a decision which will be made with your surgeon.
Disclaimer: The information in this website is for general education only and does not substitute and should not be considered a professional medical opinion.