1 minute read
What you KNEED to know about ACL
What you KNEED to know about the ACL
Jenny Davys, registered osteopath at Shoreham Osteopathy Centre, looks at an injury that’s hit the headlines…
Advertisement
The Lionesses have come home!!! I’m writing on the day the England women’s football team won the UEFA Cupl! And the winning goal was scored by Chloe Kelly who, just three months ago, had an operation to repair her ACL. But what IS the ACL? ACL stands for Anterior Cruciate Ligament – an important connective tissue within your knee, which stops the shin (tibia) from slipping forward of your thigh (femur). There is also a posterior cruciate ligament (PCL), which stops the tibia sliding backwards. “Cruciate” comes from the Latin for a cross, as these two ligaments cross over each other inside the knee. Both ACL and PCL are important for stabilisation of the knee, but the ACL is more frequently injured, particularly in women. The ACL is smaller, thinner and more vulnerable than the PCL. The PCL is mainly damaged by over-bending (hyperflexion) of the knee, often caused by impact to the lower leg/shin. On the other hand, several movements in sport or daily activity may damage the ACL: • Rotating your knee with foot on the ground – eg landing from a jump and twisting knee the opposite way
• quickly changing direction when running or walking sudden deceleration or stopping when running • over-extending (straightening >180 degrees) your knee Think how often these movements occur in, say, tennis, skiing, netball… and of course football! Dancers too may be susceptible. ACL injuries range from a sprain, to a tear, to full rupture . Pain may be felt within the knee on movement, there may be a popping sound and the knee may feel unstable (as if it might collapse). Minor sprains usually heal with rest, pain relief, exercises and supportive taping. Worstcase scenario, an ACL rupture is marked by rapid and severe swelling of the knee and needs reconstructive surgery (as per our Chloe!). Restoration of full stability may take months, including a rehab programme and knee brace. Ideally, please get any pain in your knee checked out by a professional. Our caring team at SOC will conduct a full assessment and help you back to scoring those goals or leaping around the stage! www.shorehamosteo.co.uk 01273 567654
