Sports injury clinic Pain Physicians NY in Brooklyn, NYC is one of the first practices in New York to offer Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) Injections and Stem Cell Therapy for patients suffering from Knee Pain. We provide effective Anterior Cruciate Ligament injury treatment including advanced rehabilitation therapy and surgery if required. Our facility is equipped with the most advanced, cutting edge equipment to treat pain.
Our Brooklyn knee pain specialists are best in the region.
Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injury
Unlike the collateral ligaments, LCL (lateral collateral ligament) and MCL (medial collateral ligament), which run on the outside of the knee, cruciate ligaments run inside of the knee. Their purpose remains the same, providing support to the knee and making it stable.
The anterior cruciate ligament, ACL, connects the bottom of the femur (thighbone) to the top of the tibia (shinbone). By connecting these two bones, it prevents the tibia from sliding out in front of the femur during the back and forth movements of the lower leg.
Women are more likely to have Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) injuries than men. Various studies on men and women athletes have shown that women tend to land from a jump in a way that increases the stress on their knee joint. This leads to an Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) injury.
What Are the Causes of ACL Injury?
Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) injuries are among the most common form of injuries in sport. ACL tears account for about 40% of all sport-related injuries. Unlike collateral ligament injuries, which are often the result of a direct impact, ACL injuries are often the result of low velocity, contactless deceleration. Only contact injuries with a rotational component can be responsible for Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) injuries.
Some of these contactless actions that may lead to ACL injuries may include landing incorrectly from a jump or stopping and changing direction suddenly. These accidents can happen during sports such as basketball, football or other physical activities.
What Are the Signs and Symptoms of an ACL Injury?
Since the Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) is located deep within the knee, symptoms are not always visible from the outside of the knee. Your symptoms may not be as pronounced as collateral ligament injuries. Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) injuries signs and symptoms include:
- Feeling or hearing of a popping sound within the knee after certain movements
- Knee pain that could vary from mild to severe, especially with movement of the knee
- Knee instability
- Loss of range of motion
Nevertheless, when the symptoms are severe or extensive, symptoms will be evident on the outside. These ACL injury symptoms include:
- Swelling that bulges to the outside of the knee
- The development of a large hemarthrosis
You should seek immediate medical help every time you get a knee injury. The knee joint is a complex structure made of bones, ligaments, and tendons that work together. By getting medical help on time, you will get the right diagnosis for your problem. Determining the severity of the injury will help you get the right treatment and get back to your normal daily activities as soon as possible.
People who have an ACL injury tend to develop knee osteoarthritis more often than other people. Knee joint osteoarthritis is a deterioration of the knee joint cartilages, the surface of which tends to get rough.
How Do I Prevent an ACL Injury?
ACL injury is common in young athletes. But there are a few things you can do to prevent an ACL tear. The first and most important injury prevention method is to increase strength and balance to support your knees. Then, learn to move with good alignment.
Always have your knees over your feet, never allowing them to collapse inward. Remember to always maintain proper form. Keep your chest high, bend from the hips and knees, toes straight forward, and land like a feather.
You should always warm-up before you practice to get your blood flowing to your muscles and joints. Always stretch before and after every workout or practice. Strengthen your muscles to support your body while playing sports. Don’t forget to work on your balance. Do jumping exercises to strengthen your knees and remember to never let your knees turn inward. Don’t forget the importance of rest.
Most importantly, learn to listen to your body. If you experience knee pain see an ACL physical therapist for ACL tear treatment in Brooklyn, NY. Do not continue to play through the pain as this can worsen the problem. Your physical therapist can help you with ACL pain relief and exercises that will help strengthen your knee.
How Do I Get a Diagnosis and Treatment for an ACL Tear?
Even though the ACL may be located deep within the knee joint, it can still be diagnosed through an assessment of the symptoms and by establishing the activity at the time of injury. The doctor will compare your injured knee to the uninjured knee and propose a series of motions.
This helps identify the extent of the injury and guide the doctor on an appropriate treatment plan. If there is a reason to believe the damage is severe, further tests may be necessary including X-ray and MRI scans. X-rays are only used to establish if other components are damaged but MRI scans are better at creating images of soft tissues.
Because these injuries are so common, there are also a number of simple management methods, most of which don’t require any professional attention. Rest is the most important first step to prevent further damage to the ligament. Compression with ice or a brace helps reduce the inflammation.
For pain management, over-the-counter pain relievers can be used to make you feel comfortable, while more powerful corticosteroids may be prescribed to prevent infection.
Rehabilitation plays an important part in the treatment of an ACL injury. Physical therapy will teach you exercises that you can perform even at home to stabilize the knee and to avoid extra pressure. The goal of the rehabilitation is to strengthen your muscles and to restore the knee range of motion as well as to eliminate the pain and reduce the swelling.
Surgery is the last treatment option and it is usually recommended in cases such as:
- Severe injury of the knee where more than one ligament or the cartilage are damaged
- You are young and active
- The ACL injury prevents you from doing your everyday activities, reducing your quality of life.
The most advanced pain management center in Brooklyn- Pain Physicians NY has pain management doctors and specialists that offer a unique, individualized approach to manage your Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) knee pain injury. We use the most effective pain management options including Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) and Corticosteroid Injections. We always utilize the latest technologies available in the USA.