Rupture of the anterior cruciate ligaments is a serious pathology of the knee bone joint that occurs due to a very large load or injury to the leg. A person faced with such a problem needs the help of professional traumatologists and surgeons. The recovery period after such an injury is at least 9 months, although its duration may increase or decrease.
The causes of the pathology and its symptoms
The rupture of the anterior cruciate ligaments occurs due to too much load on the joint, which is very often observed in athletes, as well as due to a blow during a fall (car accident, sloppy
cycling, skiing). Not a single person is safe from this situation.
The symptomatology of the injury is quite simple. The patient has edema of the damaged area with reddening of the skin (due to intraarticular hemorrhage). Naturally, the victim feels a sharp and severe pain. Regardless of whether there has been a complete or partial rupture, the patient cannot walk or even step on his leg.
Rupture of the anterior cruciate ligaments may also be accompanied by unnatural joint mobility. Naturally, after injury, you should immediately consult a doctor for further examination. Procrastination can be fraught with consequences: arthritis of the joint or other bone diseases. The examination is carried out using a visual examination of the damaged area, x-rays and MRI.
Conservative treatment of pathology
The rupture of the anterior cruciate ligaments can be eliminated using physiotherapeutic procedures, limiting the mobility of the legs and medications. In order to relieve pain in the damaged area, you must immediately apply a cold compress to the knee. Heat is not recommended in this case, since it will provoke severe hemorrhage in the joint. In addition, the patient may be prescribed painkillers (Ibuprofen, Diclofenac medicines) with an anti-inflammatory effect.
During the healing period of the ligament, it is necessary to limit the mobility of the leg with tight bandages or bandages. Since therapy requires subsequent rehabilitation, the patient is prescribed massage, physiotherapy exercises and physiotherapeutic procedures. Treatment of rupture of the anterior cruciate ligament must be gentle.
Surgical intervention: should it be performed?
If the pathology is very serious, that is, the
ligaments are broken completely, then the patient needs the help of surgeons. Intervention is simple enough. For this,
general anesthesia is not always used
. For the operation, a special apparatus is used - an endoscope, which allows you to work through very small incisions.
If stitching is not possible, a prosthetics procedure is possible. In this case, you can use both the patient’s own tissues and artificial material.
Rupture of the anterior cruciate ligament, the treatment of which requires further rehabilitation, cannot be cured on its own. Therefore, consult a doctor immediately.