Does anterior cruciate ligament tear need surgery?

The anterior cruciate ligament plays a role in stabilizing the knee joint. So when it is damaged, it will cause discomfort, affect the patient's life, even lead to serious complications. Therefore, "Does anterior cruciate ligament rupture need surgery?" This is a question many people ask when they encounter this situation.

Before looking for the answer to the question "Does anterior cruciate ligament rupture require surgery?", it's a good idea to know some basic facts about this injury. What are the signs of an anterior cruciate ligament rupture? What is the cause? And how to diagnose?

Anterior cruciate ligament rupture and some things to know

Signs of trauma

Anterior cruciate ligament rupture is a rupture of the anterior cruciate ligament that stabilizes the knee joint. This condition causes typical pain in the affected knee joint. Along with that, its main sign is the sound emitted at the knee joint as soon as the ligament is broken. In addition, the patient may also feel that the knee is no longer stable and unable to bear force.

Anterior cruciate ligament rupture is a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament that stabilizes the knee joint

If the injury occurs while playing sports or walking, it will not be possible to continue the activity. Because the knee joint becomes swollen, it is difficult or impossible for the patient to extend the injured knee. In many cases, the patient may lose total mobility in the knee.

Reason

The main cause of anterior cruciate ligament rupture is a twisted knee. Cases such as:

• Landing position in which the person is turned or tilted in the opposite direction.
• Stop or change direction suddenly when walking fast or running.
• The knee joint is overextended.

There is also another cause due to a direct impact to the knee. Therefore, this type of concussion is quite typical for people with sports with high intensity, changing direction of movement quickly or stopping suddenly such as tennis, football, volleyball, ...

Diagnose

Before giving a treatment plan to a patient, the specialist will perform evaluation tests to determine:

• Which ligament is damaged?
• Injury level.
• The ability and range of motion of the injured knee.
• Compare with healthy knees.
• The degree of symptoms of swelling, bruising, deformity, ...

In addition, the doctor may also order the patient to perform additional tests such as X-ray or MRI to rule out the risk of fracture and determine if there is still damage in other parts.

Is anterior cruciate ligament rupture dangerous for a long time?

Anterior cruciate ligament rupture can leave many complications for the knee joint as well as the patient's overall health

If the patient is not treated promptly and properly, the rupture of the anterior cruciate ligament will make the knee injuries more and more serious. Specifically like:   

• Knee laxity increases gradually and increases the risk of meniscal tears.
• Teflon knee cartilage is often damaged when the cruciate ligament ruptures. This will speed up the progression of  knee osteoarthritis . 
• The patient feels  pain in the knee . Accompanied by a change in gait due to the tibia sliding forward, but the anterior cruciate ligament is no longer able to fix it. 
• The risk of early knee osteoarthritis, affecting the patient's mobility in the long run.

Anterior cruciate ligament rupture can leave many complications for the knee joint as well as the overall health of the patient because they have limited mobility. Therefore, when experiencing anterior cruciate ligament injury, pay attention to treat it as soon as possible to reduce complications due to the cause of the injury. So does anterior cruciate ligament rupture need surgery?

Does anterior cruciate ligament tear need surgery?

In severe cases or injuries associated with other injuries in the structure of the knee joint, surgery is indicated

Does anterior cruciate ligament tear need surgery? To determine if the injury is a partial or complete rupture and whether surgery is needed, the chiropractor will perform two methods of manual examination:

• Lachman test: The doctor will conduct a test of the patient's tibia forward to check the integrity of the knee joint. If the anterior cruciate ligament has not been damaged or is minimally damaged, the tibia will not be displaced or only slightly displaced.  
• Rotation test: The doctor lifts the patient's leg and applies rotational pressure to the knee. If the bone is not displaced, the test is said to be negative and the patient's cruciate ligament has not been severely damaged. 

In patients with only a partial rupture of the anterior cruciate ligament, the doctor may suggest not having surgery temporarily, but instead taking care to see if the ligament can repair the damage on its own. For severe cases or injuries associated with other injuries in the knee joint structure, surgery will be indicated.

Thus, through the above information, you have got the answer to the question "Does anterior cruciate ligament rupture need surgery?". Thank you for reading this article, hopefully this information can help you understand more about anterior cruciate ligament injury.