Essay on ACL Surgery

Submitted By he3279
Words: 1878
Pages: 8
Open Document
Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injury

Kathleen Vogler
Armstrong Atlantic State University
Professor Sergi
11/12/13

Anterior Cruciate Ligament injury Anterior Cruciate Ligament injury is the over-stretching or tearing of the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in the knee. A tear may be partial or complete; if it is a complete tear, then it will not heal on its own (MedlinePlus, n.d). The ACL is one of four primary ligaments in the knee joint that provide stability. The four ligaments consist of: Medial Collateral Ligament (MCL), Lateral Collateral Ligament (LCL), Posterior Cruciate Ligament (PCL), and the ACL. The medial collateral ligament runs along the inside of the knee and prevents the knee from bending out. The lateral collateral ligament runs along the outside of the knee and prevents the knee from bending in. The posterior cruciate ligament prevents the shin bone from sliding backwards under the femur. The anterior cruciate ligament keeps the knee from overextending. The MCL and the LCL work jointly with the ACL and the PCL in order to keep the knee stable during activity. The MCL and the LCL are the providers of the inner and outer support of the knee. The MCL and the ACL provide support at the center of the knee. An individual’s knee needs all four ligaments in order to maintain continuous stability throughout movement of the knee during activity (MedlinePlus, n.d).
Although females and males both have the exact same knee ligaments, females are more likely to have an ACL tear or injury (Prentice, 2013). More specific, female athletes have four to ten times more ACL injuries then that of males. Doctors theorize that the different rates of injury are due to the contrast of anatomy, knee alignment, ligament laxity, muscle strength, and conditioning (McAlindon). An anatomy difference is that women have a narrower notch than men have; therefore, the space for ACL movement is more limited in women than in men. A knee alignment difference is that the width of the pelvis determines the size of the Q angle. Women have a wider pelvis than men have; therefore, the Q angle is greater in women than in men (McAlindon, n.d). A ligament laxity difference is that female hormones allow for greater flexibility and looseness of muscles, tendons, and ligaments. Although this looseness prevents injury to other areas of the body, in the knee it leads to instability and actually causes ACL injury. A muscle strength difference would be the muscles surrounding the knee of women are not as strong as those of men. The stronger muscles of the men lead to more stabilization (McAlindon, n.d). A conditioning difference is that men develop muscle coordination and reflexes that can protect the knee once they reach the competitive level. These knee reflexes allow strong muscles to control the knee, thereby maintaining stability in it. Some female athletes do not participate in the same sports until a later age. Therefore, their muscle strength and coordination, as well as reflexes, may not be as fully developed when they reach the competitive level (McAlindon, n.d). An unusual characteristic is that females are more likely to have an ACL tear while they are on their menstrual cycle, but the reason why has yet to be determined. The most common sports that record the most ACL injuries would be: basketball, football, soccer, and skiing. Obviously, football records the least amount of ACL injuries because that is an all-male sport. There are three main causes of an ACL injury. One, if the individual takes in an extreme impact on the side of the knee, inside or out. This causation is most commonly found within the sports of football and soccer. Two, if the individual overextends the knee joint. This causation is also common in football and soccer, but is also found mildly in baseball or softball. And third, if the individual quickly stops their movement and suddenly changes direction while in activity consisting of
Show More

Related Documents: Essay on ACL Surgery

Caca: Anterior Cruciate Ligament and Acl Surgery Essay

2010 in Nation/World Study suggests wait before ACL surgery Malcolm Ritter Associated Press Print Email NEW YORK – Attention, weekend athletes: Don’t be too quick to agree to surgery for a common type of knee ligament tear. A study of Swedish amateur athletes – mostly soccer players – found that those who got an ACL reconstruction right away, plus physical therapy, fared no better than athletes who started out with rehab and got the surgery later if they still needed it. Of those in the…

Words 313 - Pages 2

Anterior Cruciate Ligar Research Paper

injuries ("ESPN feature on ACL Injuries, ACL Tear, ACL Surgery, ACL Injury, Dallas Texas Sports Medicine, Dallas Mavericks"). The anterior cruciate ligament is the tissue that connects your femur to your tibia (Mayo Clinic Staff Print "Overview"). This ligament is critical for an active and healthy lifestyle. There are many aspects in sports that can contribute to the cause of an ACL injury. An injury that can be as severe as a complete or partial tear of the ligament. Almost all ACL injuries occur during…

Words 801 - Pages 4

ACL Injury Research Paper

nowadays tearing an ACL is more common. Over the past couple of years, many of my friends have torn their ACLs. I do not know of many men who have torn their ACL, except my dad, but I do know many women who have. I am wondering why girls are more likely to tear their ACL than guys? Seeing my friends go through an ACL injury is very hard to watch because I know they are suffering from the injury and having to sit back to recover. One person that I am very close with who has torn her ACL is Nicole Ann Lavey…

Words 1353 - Pages 6

Essay about ACL tear

movement of the knee joint. Although, ACL tears mostly occur in athletic injuries, they can also happen during any activities that you would land, twist, have forward movement of your tibia on the femur, or when placing excessive strain on the ACL that it cannot handle. Once your ACL tears, your knee gives out from under you and you may hear a popping sound. Special tests or an MRI can decide whether you have torn your ligament or not. In minor cases of an ACL tear, an athlete may go back to their…

Words 369 - Pages 2

Essay on Anterior Cruciate Ligament and Acl Injuries

Alston 1 Tatiana Alston Mrs. Lloyd English 9 1 April 2014 “Broken ankles” and Torn ACL’s Ever heard of the star player Derrick Rose of the Chicago Bulls? He was recently seceded from the NBA games due to a terrible ACL injury. In basketball, logical reasoning for an ACL tear is due to multiple steps of lateral movement, or sudden jumps and stops. Which most basketball players are known for. When a player is fierce and quick it makes it difficult for a defender to keep up. A sudden stop can…

Words 909 - Pages 4

Why Are ACL Injuries So Common In Athletes?

Why are ACL injuries so common in athletes? Many athletes have suffered ACL injuries because of the lack of strong hip and hamstring and bad foot placement while playing. During this decade there have been many reports for professionals and athletes in general of suffering a torn ACL. In fact, the ACL is a relatively thick ligament connecting your thigh bone to your shinbone inside your knee joint, helping keep the two bones together during knee motion. The most common way the ACL is torn is when…

Words 1060 - Pages 5

ACL INJURY PROJECT Essay

ISIAHA MACER ACL INJURY PROJECT Example: ACL Tear Explanation of ACL  The Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) is a ligament or a “rope” that attaches the two bones of your knee together. When it is torn and you try to do things that your muscles are not able to control on their own your knee gives out and feels unstable. If you don’t do things like cutting twisting sports you may be okay without an ACL, but if you do more vigorous sports and your knee gives out you can injure other structures…

Words 533 - Pages 3

Anterior Cruciate Ligament Research Paper

and commonly occur at the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL). This is due to the combination of limited range of motion, heavy load it carries, and the torque generated by the two lever-like bones.[1] Injuries are classified into three grades, where Grade 1 sprain is a slight stretch of the ACL and Grade 3 Sprain is a completely torn ACL.[2] We will focus on Grade 3 Sprains because they are more serious and require more extensive treatments. ACL tears occur when the ligament exceeds its biomechanical…

Words 1023 - Pages 5

Artwork: Anterior Cruciate Ligament and Orthopedic Surgeon Essay

MRI will be ordered, and surgery will be scheduled. As previously stated, athletes tear their anterior cruciate ligaments, better known as an ACL is various ways, in various sports. Though the important thing is what happens next. The first thing that will take place is a visit to an orthopedic surgeon. Orthopedic surgeons deal with the correction of injuries dealing with muscles, joints and ligaments. Since the ACL is a ligament this is the correct doctor to see. The ACL is located in the knee…

Words 997 - Pages 4

Essay on Blank: Time and Columbian Presbyterian

My Torn ACL and Meniscus It was September 3 2013 when I tore my ACL, I remember the day like it was yesterday. It was an early Monday morning with slight over cast and was five days from my first high school football game. After we did stretches we went right to team. We were all fired up because game day was right around the corner. I got set on the line, and was anticipating the snap because my responsibility was to pull and kicking out the end. When the ball was snapped, I flew down the line…

Words 1067 - Pages 5