Essay Anterior Cruciate Ligament - 3266 Words

Anterior Cruciate Ligament With an ever increasing number of people becoming involved with athletic activities, there is an increasing number of injuries occurring which can be devastating for the individual. Most of the injuries that affect athletes occur in one of four structures in the human body: bones, muscles, tendons, or ligaments. Because ligaments attach bone to bone and play a major part in providing stability for joints, the major stabilizing ligament in the knee, the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), assists in performing everyday actions of the human body including sitting, standing, walking, running, dancing, and participating in other sports. The injury that specifically affects this ligament is very serious and always†¦show more content†¦This short and round ligament, like all other ligaments, prevents slippage within the joint and allows the joint to properly pivot when performing an action (Duff 300). Without this particular ligament, the knees would be fragile and more susceptible to injury. Therefore, it would be impossible to do the simplest movements that are done by humans everyday, like walking and even sitting. This is one reason why many athletes should be aware of the physical indications that arise if they have torn their ACL while participating in athletic activities. In many cases, the symptoms that the patient feels after the trauma has occurred can help the doctor make his or her diagnosis. Many times a doctor will ask the patient to recall what happened after the injury was sustained. Usually with an ACL injury, the patient will describe a so-called pop or snap that he or she heard during the impact. Pain, which is not terribly excruciating, will immediately follow, and if the individual tries to stand, he or she will be faced with an overwhelming feeling of instability, the leg will buckle under, and the individual will ultimately fall down onto the ground. Although the patient is experiencing pain, he or she cannot point out exactly where the injury has occurred. Garrick states, â€Å"some people say that their knee shifts in position – which it actually does† (118). Other symptoms that may arise are stiffness and swelling which may continue for a longShow MoreRelatedThe Ligament Of The Anterior Cruciate Ligament1697 Words    |  7 PagesThe Anterior Cruciate Ligament, also known as the ACL, plays an important role in the stabilization of the knee. The ACL connects the femur to the tibia. The ACL passes, in a diagonal, from the outer area of the femur to the inner area of the tibia. The main function of the ACL is to restrain forward movement and the inner rotation of the bottom half of the leg, as well as prevent hyperextension of the knee (Schwager, 2009). Three bones meet to form the knee joint. These include the thighboneRead MoreThe Anterior Cruciate Ligament ( Acl )1689 Words   |  7 PagesThe Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) is regarded as critical to the normal functioning of the knee, its disruption causing functional impairment, meniscal lesions, and the early onset of joint degeneration (Daniel 1994). The anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) of the knee originates from the anterior aspect of the tibial plateau, inserting on the lateral femoral condyle. The ligament resists anterior translation and medial rotation of the tibia to the femur (Dai, 2012). Injury of the ACL is now theRead MoreTreatment Of Anterior Cruciate Ligament Essay985 Words   |  4 Pagessuch as anterior cruciate ligament injury, anterior cruciate ligament treatment, anterior cruciate ligament rehabilitation. 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To a non-athlete, this injury might not sound life-altering, but when an athlete hears that they have torn their ACL, they know that there will be a hard journey in front of them. Until an athlete endures the hardships of recovering from this injury, they doRead MoreExamination And Examination Of The Anterior Cruciate Ligament910 Words   |  4 PagesExamination: The knee anterior drawer test is a commonly used during orthopedic examinations to evaluate the integrity of the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL). The test is conducted with the patient supine; hips and knees are flexed at a 45 and 90-degree angles with feet flat on the table. While holding the calf distal to the knee joint pulling suddenly away from the patient tests the anterior drawer while pushing back tests the posterior drawer. In this case, the positive anterior drawer test indicatedRead MoreThe Anterior Cruciate Ligament ( Acl )2485 Words   |  10 Pages â€Æ' Background The anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) is a strong rope-like structure that runs through the center of the knee connecting the femur to the tibia. An ACL prevents the femur from moving anteriorly while weight bearing, helps prevent rotation of the joint and is the primary stabilizing structure of the knee and its integrity is essential for walking and any physical activities (Sports Medicine Australia, 2015). An ACL sprain or tear is one of the most common knee injuries, especially amongRead MoreThe Anterior Cruciate Ligament ( Acl )1263 Words   |  6 Pages The anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) is a ligament that can be found in the knee. The ACL attaches two of three bones that link to form the knee joint. These bones are the tibia, which is the larger bone in the calf area, and the femur, which is the bone found in the thigh. The third, non-connected bone is the patella, which is the kneecap that offers protection to the overall area. The knee joint houses four primary ligaments, which are separated into the following two groups. The collateral ligamentsRead MoreWhat Is Anterior Cruciate Ligament?1726 Words   |  7 PagesOne can say that an Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) tear, is an athlete’s worst nightmare. The ACL is one of four major ligaments that stabilizes and supports the knee. Its main function is to prevent anterior movement of the tibia off of the femur along with hyperextension. The ACL injury occurs from overstretching the ligament often caused by a sudden change in direction, awkward landing from a jump, sudde n deceleration, or even a direct collision (3). More importantly, three out of four ACL