Understanding ACL and knee ligament injuries.
Ligament injuries are common following twisting or pivoting injuries whilst doing sports. The most common injury is the anterior cruciate ligament or ACL. Sometimes at the time of the ACL injury, there are associated meniscus or cartilage injuries.
The ACL is an important knee stabiliser, and the stability from the ACL helps reduce the chance of injuries to other structures within the knee, such as the meniscus. There is always the option to manage ACL ruptures with rehabilitation in certain patients, but with a sporty lifestyle and in a younger age group an ACL reconstruction should be considered.Â
A reliable path back to sport and stability.
If there is persistent instability or you do a lot of sports, then an ACL reconstruction is a good option.Â
We can’t repair the ACL in many cases, so we use a tendon graft instead. There are several options, but we use both hamstrings or quadriceps grafts depending on your age, function and sporting requirements.  Â
We use a button either side of the graft construct, and occasional use extra techniques around the knee to increase stability in younger or very active patients.  Â
After surgery we will supply a knee brace to help you rehabilitate, and you can start physio at a week to get the knee moving and reduce swelling. Most of the pain and swelling will have reduced by 4-6 weeks, but after any surgery it takes several months for the body to fully heal. Most people are back to cycling at 6 weeks, in line running 10-12 weeks and cutting sports at 9 months. Its important not to go back to sports that need side to side stability for this longer time period to allow the graft to incorporate and the muscles to strengthen again.Â
