A few weeks ago we talked to you about the pubalgia and how to prevent it. Today we bring you all the information about the cruciate ligament rupture, another of the most common conditions among soccer players.
What is the cruciate ligament?
The anterior cruciate ligament is a bundle of collagen fibers that extends between the femur and the tibia, in an oblique direction. It is inserted inside the knee joint and, although it is small in size, it is of great importance. It is called “crossed” because it has that shape in space, in relation to the posterior cruciate ligament and the axes of the knee, in the frontal, sagittal or lateral plane. Thus, the anterior cruciate ligament (in front) crosses forming an “X” with the posterior cruciate ligament (behind).
So… What is a cruciate ligament rupture?
Most people who tear their ACL experience knee pain when they are injured, and the knee often swells after the injury. Generally, once the swelling is reduced or gone, people with an ACL tear can walk, but their knee may feel unstable, non-weight bearing, and cause a loss of balance or a fall.
Signs and symptoms of a posterior cruciate ligament injury may include:
- Mild to moderate knee pain, which may cause a slight limp or difficulty walking.
- Swelling. Knee swelling occurs within hours after the injury.
- Instability. The knee may feel loose, like it might collapse.
If there are no associated injuries to other parts of the knee, the signs and symptoms of a posterior cruciate ligament injury may be so mild that you may not notice that something is wrong. Over time, the pain may worsen and the knee may feel more unstable. If other parts of the knee are also injured the signs and symptoms will likely be more severe.
How is it produced?
Most ACL tears occur during sports activity. For example, when a person:
- Change direction or rotate your knee when running
- He jumps and falls in a way that twists his knee
- Car accidents. A “dashboard injury” occurs when the driver or passenger's bent knee hits the dashboard, putting pressure on the tibia just below the knee and causing the posterior cruciate ligament to tear.
- Contact sports. Athletes who play sports such as soccer and football can tear their posterior cruciate ligament when they fall on a bent knee with their foot pointing downward. The tibia hits the ground first and moves backwards. This injury can also occur if you are knocked down while your knee is bent.
Additionally, the anterior cruciate ligament can be torn if the knee is hit hard from the side.
Treatment
Immediately after the injury, an ACL tear is treated with the following:
- Rest, ice, compression (with an elastic bandage), and elevation (elevate the knee)
- Pain medications, such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen.
Most partial tears can be treated with braces and physical therapy. During recovery, the person may need to use crutches. Some complete tears of the anterior or posterior cruciate ligament require surgery.
As coaches at FutbolLab we like to be prepared for any situation, knowing how to quickly identify a condition as painful as this can save our players and team in general a lot of problems. We have created the Master in Physical Preparation and Injury Prevention especially so that you take care of your players and be a great help to the team.
