The knee has 5 major ligaments:
The ACL is a major stabilizer of the knee and prevents abnormal rotation and forward movement in the knee. Over time instability because of ACL damage causes earlier degeneration of the knee (osteoarthritis).
ACL injuries can occur during contact sport (e.g. rugby) or by non-contact injuries (e.g. netball). Patients experience a “Pop” sensation with immediate pain and fairly earlier swelling with ACL rupture. The pain subsides after a few days.
The worldwide consensus on the management of ACL injuries, is reconstructive surgery in patients up to 50 years of age or even older in the very active. The ligament cannot be repaired and therefore a ligament reconstruction is performed arthroscopically (with a camera) with a hamstring or patellar tendon graft harvested from the patient. The graft takes 6 weeks to heal to bone and patients ambulate partial weight bearing with crutches for 4 weeks. Patients can only return to cutting type (rugby, soccer etc.) after 6-12 months. They do however start rehabilitation exercises early under supervision of Physiotherapist and Biokinetisist. The idea is that the patient will be able to return to the pre-injury level of activity after rehabilitation, but a minority of patients will not achieve this level.
Suite 2 West Coast Private Hospital,
22 Voortrekker Street
Vredenburg, 7380
