information on acl tears and other knee injuries
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Information on ACL Tears And Other Knee Injuries. By: Katina Anthony . Intended Audience. The audience who’s attention I would like to grab is athletes of all ages Females are more likely to sustain a knee injury due to their anatomy - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
By: Katina Anthony
Information on ACL Tears And Other Knee Injuries
The audience who’s attention I would like to grab is athletes of all ages
Females are more likely to sustain a knee injury due to their anatomy
Knee injuries are very serious and take a lot of rehabilitation and time to come back from
Learning ways to reduce your risk of injury is very important for all genders and ages
Intended Audience
What is an ACL?The most common
ligament torn in the knee is the ACL (anterior cruciate ligament)
This can happen from contact with another person or improper twisting of the knee joint.
The ACL prevents the knee from sliding back and forth
The ACL is crucial for stabilizing the knee and is extremely painful if torn
What else is in The Knee?The knee consists of the
MCL, LCL, ACL, and PCLThose four are thick
bands of tissueThese all have a different
location and function in knee
Imperative for flexion and extension of the knee
Also located in the knee are the lateral and medial menisci (discs of cartilage)
Common Signs and Symptoms
Pain or swelling right away= ligament injury
Pain or swelling over period of time= meniscal or cartilage injury
First case scenario for pain is the RICE method (rest, ice, compression, elevation)
Am I injured?Make an appointment with
your doctor!
Strong muscles are the keyStrengthening your quadriceps and
hamstrings will reduce your risk of knee injury
Correct landing and planting on kneeProper footwearStretching
Prevention
Correct LandingKnees should always
be in line with toes when landing
Landing on toes =
Focus on landing with:
knees bent, shoulders forward, glutes and hips back and land on balls of feet with heels up
Strong muscles will prevent stresses on the kneeExercises for the quadriceps include leg press
and lunges (using correct form!)Exercises for the hamstrings include leg curls
and controlled squatsQuestions? Ask a professional at the gym and
they will make sure your workout is effective and meaningful.
Tips to Strengthen Muscles
Ask for help!!!
Look for a shoe with a lot of cushioningAdd inserts to your sneakersAvoid high heelsFootwear impacts how much force and load
you put on your knee, so choose wisely!
Footwear
Stretching Warming-up for 5-10
minutes is a must before starting any activity
Hold a stretch for a minimum of 20 seconds for effectiveness
Both static and dynamic stretching can by used.
Static stretching is done when
standing still. Dynamic
stretching is done when moving in any direction.
MeniscusThe menisci are 2 other
structures that help keep the knee balanced to support the ACL
They are soft and cushion-like and provide shock absorption.
Meniscal tears are often remedied with rest but surgery is sometimes required
Physical therapy and rehab are also useful
for meniscal tears!
Torn ACL
Different ACL’sHealthy ACL
Course of Action If your ACL is torn surgery
is necessary Consult a doctor to decide
what steps you will take Recovery can range from 6-
9 months depending on severity of damage in the knee
A large brace will need to be wore for 1-2 months post surgery to prevent any damaging movements
Rest, rest, rest!Start rehabilitation from a physical therapist as
soon as possibly to regain range of motionThey will guide you through a series of workouts
to strengthen the knee back upDon’t rush, it takes time and persistence to heal
properly
After Surgery
Every body is different, males tend to heal faster than females after an ACL
surgery. Keep up the hard work and you will be back in no time!
ResultsYou will typically be
left with a big scar lining the knee
With proper care you will get this to become very faint over a period of time.
ACL StatisticsFemales are 2-8 times
more likely to tear their ACL’s than males
Every time you tear an ACL it puts you at a greater risk to do it again
80% of all ACL injuries are non contact
Each year 250,000 people suffer an ACL injury
Sports and Knee InjuriesSkiers: 67%Soccer: 46%Football: 43%Basketball: 42%Runners: 38%Gymnasts: 31%Dancers: 29%Tennis: 24%
Real Life Example: My best friend has torn her ACL
3 times Every time she did it her risk
increased to do it again The first was junior year of high
school and that was the left knee, surgery and a strong recovery follow this
The second time was October 2010 and that was the right knee
The third was September 2011 and that was also the right knee
She will be getting surgery in December 2011 to reconstruct the right knee again
Keeping your head up and a
structured rehab
program will help prevent
re-injury!
In ConclusionKnee injuries are very serious
and should not be taken lightlyThey are the most common
injury among all sportsGood stretching and workout
habits can prevent an injuryProper footwear and landing
techniques are keyBe sure to consult a doctor if
knee pain arisesThe more educated you are,
the better you are going to be able to recover and succeed after a knee injury!
YOU CAN DO
IT!!!
http://www.emedicinehealth.com/knee_injury/article_em.htm
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/kneeinjuriesanddisorders.html
http://www.sportsmed.info/sportsmed/knee.htmlhttp://
www.webmd.com/fitness-exercise/knee-ligament-injuries
References