ACL Injuries in Athletes
The Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) attaches the femur, which is the thighbone, and the tibia, which is the shin, together (northstar). A torn ACL is one of the most excruciating experiences in an athlete’s life. It is the first thing that comes to mind when they hurt their knee on the field; for many it is their greatest fear. A torn ACL can sometimes mean the end of an athlete’s career. It can mean losing the chance to get that scholarship for young athletes, and it can also mean the end of those million dollar paychecks for those who have gone professional. A torn ACL can result in numerous surgeries, months of vigorous exercise and rehabilitation, and a sufficient amount of pain. It requires complete patience, for pushing too hard can result in further, more painful injury. Even after all that, an athlete is not guaranteed he or she will ever be able to play sports again.
The anterior cruciate ligament is the reason that the knee only has one pattern of movement. Instead of moving sideways and up and down, the knee only serves as a pivot for flexion (bending) and extension (straightening); it holds the tibia and femur in place (northstar). In the northstar web page it is stated that, “The anterior cruciate ligament is one of the most important ligaments to athletes because of its main function, stabilization of the joint while decelerating.” In other words, it is the reason that we can stop abruptly without our leg collapsing. Obviously this asset makes it an essential to have a functioning ACL while playing sports. It is an especially common injury in soccer, which is a game of constant abrupt stops. Not only is soccer a danger to the ACL because of its constant stops and starts, it is also a...
... middle of paper ...
...d of getting hit. It is understandable then to see tears well up in the eyes of an athlete when he/she realizes that the injury is to the knee. A torn ACL is the first thought that comes to mind. It is their greatest fear.
Bibliography:
Works Cited
A Patient’s Guide to Knee Problems. ( November 19, 1997). Sechrest, MD: Medical Multimedia Group. Retrieved September 16, 2000 from: http://www. sechrest.com/mmg/knee/kneeacl.html.
Arthroscopic ACL Reconstruction. ( July 11, 1999).:Arthroscopy.com. Retrieved September 16,2000 from: http://www.arthroscopy.com/sp05018.htm.
Duff, John F. Youth Sports Injuries A Medical Handbook for Parents and Coaches. New York: MacMillan, 1992. (pp. 308-311).
Keilt, Terri. The Anterior Cruciate Ligament. Retrieved September 14, 2000 from: http://www3.northstar.k12.ak.us/schools/students/webpages/keilt/page1.htm.
The incidence and prevalence rate of anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries in female athletes continues to increase over time (Prodromos, Han, Rogowski, Joyce, & Shi, 2007). With the growing rate in the amount of young women participating in sports, data has shown that the rate of ACL injury increases linearly with this participation ("The Relationship Between Static Posture and ACL Injury in Female Athletes," 1996). This epidemic of ACL injuries in female athletes, young or old, continues to be problematic in the athletic world. This problem not only affects the athlete themselves, but also the coaches and the sports medicine community.
The anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) is one of the most important of your four major knee ligaments. The function of the ACL is to provide stability to the knee and minimize stress across the knee joint. It restrains excessive forward movement of the lower leg bone (the tibia) in relation to the thigh bone (the femur). It also limits rotational movements of the knee. “Greater external knee valgus and internal rotation moments have been shown to increase loading on the ACL in vitro and are thought to be associated with the increased risk of noncontact ACL injury” (Effects 2011). A tear to the anterior cruciate ligament results from overstretching of this ligament within the knee. It’s usually due to a sudden stop and twisting motion of the knee, or a “...
Tearing the ACL is now considered an epidemic in the United States over 100,000 recorded incidences are reported each year (Moeller). While such a finding may be good for orthopedic doctors and surgeons, this is not good for millions of athletes’ competing these days in high intensity sports. This is especially a problem for female athletes who are two to four times more likely to tear their ACL than men (Moeller). This is one of the biggest mysteries about ACL tears is the difference between the number of injuries seen in women and men. Women tend to tear there ACL far more frequently then men. While not everyone agrees that gender itself is the source of the problem, evidence is growing that females are learning too late that participating in sports can also become the first step to ruining an active lifestyle.
All in all, injuring the ACL is a devastating blow to the knee. The ACL, which plays a major role in the support of the knee, must be protected during full-contact activities. Even simple activities such as running and jumping can lead to ACL injuries. It is important to follow the proper technique so that the body can stay healthy and continue to do what one does with it.
To understand the importance of the ACL, the knee as a whole must be examined. The knee is formed by the femur, the tibia, and the patella. Several muscles and ligaments control the motion of the knee and protect it from damage at the same time. Ligaments are dense structures of connective tissue that fasten bone to bone and stabilize the knee. Two ligaments on either side of the knee, called the medial and lateral collateral ligaments, stabilize the knee from side-to-side. The ACL along with the posterior cruciate ligament are of a pair of ligaments in the center of the knee joint that form a cross. T...
A 16-year-old, female high school soccer player, Lindsey Robinson, tore her anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) during a soccer game. Interestingly, she was not the only one in her team who injured her ACL, but several of her teammates have torn the same ligament as well during the soccer season. Lephart (2002) found that women involved in physical activity are more susceptible to acquiring the ACL injuries than men who are involved in the same physical activity (as cited in Ogden, 2002). According to “ACL Injury Prevention” (2004), the numbers of female ACL ruptures have increased for the past ten years. Over 1.4 million women have suffered from the ACL rupture, which is twice the rate of the previous decade.
Ligaments are tough, non-stretchable fibers that hold bones together. Damage to cruciate ligaments, which crisscross the knee to give it stability, is one of the most common sports injuries. The “tear” occurs from changing direction rapidly, slowing down from running, or landing from a jump improperly. The A.C.L tear is one injury that worries athletes in all sports at all levels because of its devastating effects. People ages 15-25 that participate in basketball and other sports that require pivoting are especially at risk.
Introduction. Ruptures to the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) are one of the most common debilitating knee injuries that can result in significant functional impairments (16). Reconstructive surgery of the ACL is encouraged as the treatment of choice, specifically for individuals who plan on returning to competitive sporting activities, or perform at extreme levels of physical activity. Some of the most vital and fundamental elements to producing a favorable outcome following ACL reconstructive surgery are the involvement in both preoperative and postoperative rehabilitation programs. The volume of literature that is generated reflects this notion as every year, various techniques and treatment protocols are employed during rehabilitation
Everyday an athlete goes to practice or game, putting on a possibility of getting injured. A common one of those injuries is the tear of the anterior cruciate ligament, better known as the ACL. When sports that require quick pivoting and harsh landings became more popular such as soccer and basketball, ACL injuries quickly multiplied. Since kids, teens, and even adults usually focus on one sport it often occurs that they can overuse and exert their body causing injury to the ACL (Young Athletes 10).
There are many injuries in general, but sports injuries? Sprains and Strains are the most common injuries in sports. “Sprains are injuries to ligaments, the tough bands connecting in a joint. Suddenly stretching ligaments past their limits deforms or tears them” (Hoffman 1). Ligaments are like springs in a sense that when you stretch a spring, it will return to it’s normal state unless they are
The majority of ACL injuries suffered during athletic participation are of the noncontact variety. Three main noncontact mechanisms have been identified planting and cutting, straight-knee landing and one-step stop landing with the knee hyperextended. Pivoting and sudden deceleration are also common mechanisms of noncontact ACL injury. Basketball, soccer, and volleyball consistently produce some of the highest ACL injury rates across various age groups. Other activities with a high rate of injury are gymnastics, martial arts, and running. In most sports, injuries occur more often in games than in practice. Many injuries have occurred during the first 30 minutes of play. One-reason physicians are seeing more ACL injuries in female patients that more women play sports, and they play more intensely. But as they continued to do more studies, they are finding that women's higher rate of ACL is probably due ...
The tearing of the ACL (Anterior Cruciate Ligament) is the most common knee injury that can possible end a players season but other ligament injuries that occur at the knee are common. Tears to the meniscus in the knee are common and can occur due to the constant pivoting motion in soccer. Direct Injury- A direct injury is an injury that is sustained at the site of the body by an external force
Paddock, Catharine. "Young Athletes: Injuries And Prevention." Medical News Today. MediLexicon International Ltd, 9 Aug. 2012. Web. 15 Nov. 2013.
For many athletes, nothing can be as devastating as an injury-during the sports season. Depending on the severity of an injury, some incidents can place athletes on the bench for a couple of days while others can bring a complete and devastating end to their season. If you live to compete as an athlete, the pain caused by an injury isn’t even the worst part — no, it’s the fact that you have to miss out on doing what you love. While strains and sprains are not really classified as a season ending injury and generally heal within a few days or weeks, more serious injuries, such as fractures torn ligaments, that require prolonged medical care can lead you to spending some time on the sideline. Although not being able to compete can be devastating, the steps you take during the recovery process can play a huge role in how fast you recover as well as how soon you are able to get back on the field or court.
Many athletes now, weather they encounter minor injuries or major injury, have an immediate pressure to “suck it up and play on”. There are many reasons that’s athletes feel this way. Pressure is the main one, it can be internal can come from different aspect from the players life such as, internal pressure, a personal feeling like they have an obligation to uphold, or that they will see themselves as week, also some may feel they need to get back on the field for finance reasons There are many more external pressure sources such as team mates and coaches, relatives, spouses (them watching), some popular athletes playing for their suburb, state or country even many be pressured to continue playing with injury due loosing athlete ability. A