ACL injury Flashcards
What is the function of the ACL?
- Prevents forward movement of the tibia in relation to the femur
- Control rotational movement
What is the origin and insertion of the ACL?
- front of tibial plateau
- posterior aspect of intercondylar notch
What is the non contact mechanism of injury
- Landing from a jump
- Sudden deceleration
- Changing direction
What is the contact mechanism of injury
-with a rotation aspect of Twisting, bending and hyperextension
what are more prone to ACL injury
Females
Why are females more prone to ACL injury?
- intercondylar notch
- knee alignement
- ligament laxity
- muscle strength
- muscle activation
- hip and ankle ROM
what are the symptoms of an ACL injury
- pop snap or tear
- something ‘going out’ then back in
- +/- pain
- unable to continue with activity
- large effusion - haemarthrosis
- swelling - minimal or delayed
what are the signs of an ACL injury
-Restricted ROM especially extension
-widespread tenderness
positive lachmans test
-positive anterior drawer test
what ingestigations would take place for an acl injury
- X-Ray
-MRI
Arthroscopy
what factors would influence conservative rehab or surgery
- age
- agree of instability
- associated abnormalities
- if the patient is involved in pivorting sports
- occupation of patient
- complance with rehab
- social factors - cost of rehab/time off work
What are the 3 surgical procedures?
- Patella tendon (Autograft)
- hamstring tendon (autograft)
- allograft
What are the advantages of patella tendon surgery
- Length of the patella tendon is approx length of ACL
- Patella tendon is as strong as injured ACL
- bone to bone healing
What are the Disadvantages of patella tendon surgery
- Patella fracture or rupture post surgery
- Anterior knee pain
- Alteration of quads function
- Numbness lateral to inscision from cutting the saphenous nerv
all improve over time
What are the advantages of hamstring tendon surgery
- able to kneel comfortably
- smaller incision
- less pain post of and long term
- patella tendon left alone
What are the disadvantages of hamstring tendon surgery
- longer time needed for graft to become rigid
- soft tissue to bone healing is slower
- slight loss of hamstring strength after recovery
