Anterior cruciate ligament rupture (ALC) is one of the most common sports injuries. It usually requires surgical intervention and a long period of rehabilitation.
Many athletes in the sports world have suffered this injury. Especially among those who practice ball sports such as football, racket sports such as tennis or paddle or winter sports such as skiing.
The anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) gives stability to the knee. It prevents the tibia from sliding out in front of the femur and it specifically prevents the femur from rotating on the knee. The ACL is an important stabilizer of the knee rotation. This is why the knee gives way after an anterior cruciate ligament rupture.
Why does the anterior cruciate ligament rupture?
The most common cause of anterior cruciate ligament rupture is a brusque or uncontrolled twisting of the knee. The foot remains pinned to the ground while the athlete’s body keeps twisting excessively. The ligament cannot resist this excessive traction and ends up rupturing. If the twisting is too brusque or there are other movements involved, not only the anterior cruciate ligament can rupture, but other structures of the knee as well (meniscus, cartilage, lateral ligaments,….)
Approximately half of all ligament injuries involve damage to other knee structures such as the articular cartilage, the meniscus, lateral ligaments… The most severe injuries, such as an O’Donoghue triad, include ACL rupture, rupture of the internal meniscus and sprain or rupture of the internal lateral ligament. In injuries suffered while practicing sports such as skiing, a simultaneous rupture of the posterior cruciate ligament can occur as well, causing a knee dislocation, which is a far more serious injury.
Fortunately, the most common sports injury is an isolated anterior cruciate ligament rupture or associated with a rupture of the meniscus.
Symptoms of an anterior cruciate ligament rupture
When the anterior cruciate ligament ruptures, it ‘s very common to hear a loud pop and to get a feeling of instability during weight bearing. The knee is no longer supported.
Other possible symptoms include:
- Rapid swelling or bleeding within the joints minutes after the injury.
- When the inflammation starts receding and the patient tries to take up his daily activities he may notice instability in the knee. And failures can occur that may cause further damage to the cartilage that cushions the knee or to the menisci.
Complete loss of range of motion or pain are less severe symptoms since they tend to be completely recoverable.
Recovery of anterior cruciate ligament rupture with Capenergy
After the ACL rupture surgery, several complications can arise. In order to avoid this from happening, a good physiotherapy treatment is required.
Some of the complications after ACL surgery:
- Bruising after ACL surgery: Bruising usually appears on the knee, which can cause pain and limited mobility.
- Stiffness: A scar is produced on the knee which can impede correct mobility of said articulation. The initial treatment is rehabilitation but sometimes a second surgical procedure may be required to remove all the internal adhesions.
- Rupture of the contralateral cruciate ligament: Happens in 5%-12% of the cases. The type of sports and physical preparation of the athlete are key to avoid this type of injuries.
Appearance of arthrosis and chondral injuries: arthrosis appears more frequently in person’s that have suffered another ACL injury previously than in those who have not.
How can Capenergy help recover from an anterior cruciate ligament rupture
Thanks to Capenergy’s second generation radiofrecuency, you will be able to:
- Activate the physiological process of edema and bruise absorption faster.
- Break down the adhesions at scar level and prevent future stiffness.
- Avoid adhesions at hamstring level, facilitating full extension of the quadriceps.
- Increase range of movement
- Ease the pain from the first session on.
- Help steady the graft and prevent it from breaking.
SCIENTIFIC EVIDENCE: Capenergy’s radiofrequency energy can create a smooth cartilage surface and reduce the catabolic enzymes at the expense of collagen denaturation and death of the chondrocytes in the superficial layers. The rigidity of the cartilage doesn’t change.
Would you like to know more about Capenergy’s second generation radiofrequency and how it can help in the recovery of an ACL rupture? Request a free demo.
