The anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) is one of four ligaments that stabilizes the knee. It’s the most commonly injured knee ligament. There are nearly 200,000 ACL repair surgeries in the United States each year. Women are seven to eight times more likely to suffer ACL injuries than men.
The ACL prevents the knee from derotating in unnatural ways. Accelerating, decelerating and turning puts torsional stress on the knee. The ACL prevents that twisting.
An injury is often accompanied by a pop and/or the knee giving out. It typically swells but doesn’t need emergency treatment. A stabilizer and anti-inflammatory are the usual treatment. The injury can recover in several weeks.
An ACL tear will not repair itself and leads to knee instability. Rest, ice, compression and elevation can help the knee feel normal again. Physical therapy can help with swelling, soreness and mobility. Nearly every athlete is offered ACL repair surgery because they want to return to athletic activity. Bracing is effective for those who opt out of ACL repair surgery and engage only in low-level physical activity.
ACL Injury Prevention
Neuromuscular training is the best prevention. It teaches the body how to land, jump and cut properly. This could reduce ACL injuries in women by 50% but is also effective for men.
Minding fatigue and resting your body can reduce your body’s required recovery time. If your child is involved in two sports, be sure she’s getting the necessary time to recover from athletic endeavors.
Stick to efficient workouts and get plenty of sleep.
Listen as Dr. Eric Chehab joins Melanie Cole, MS, to discuss how to prevent and treat ACL injuries.
ACL Injury: Treatment & Prevention
Find out how ACL injuries occur, as well as how to treat and prevent them.
Additional Info
- Segment Number: 1
- Audio File: lifes_too_short/ts41.mp3
- Featured Speaker: Eric Chehab, MD
- Guest Website: Illinois Bone & Joint Care
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Guest Bio:
Dr. Eric Chehab is a board certified orthopedic surgeon. He is fellowship trained in Sports Medicine Surgery, and has earned his Certificate of Added Qualification in Sports Medicine through the American Board of Orthopedic Surgery. He provides state of the art care for the treatment of sports related injuries, particularly to the knee and shoulder, and general fracture care for patients of all ages.
Dr. Chehab graduated from Harvard in 1991 with a degree in chemistry. He taught high school before enrolling and graduating from Stanford Medical School in 2000. He fulfilled his orthopedic surgery residency at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York City, recognized by U.S. News and World Report as the nation’s #1 hospital for orthopedics. He then completed advanced training in sports medicine at the Hospital for Special Surgery Sports Medicine and Shoulder Service, where he apprenticed with the medical staff for the New York Giants.
Dr. Chehab is currently a Senior Clinician Educator at the University of Chicago, and a Senior Attending at NorthShore University HealthSystem. Since 2006, he has served as the head team physician for Glenbrook South High School , and was previously an assistant team physician for Northwestern Athletics. In 2012, he received the Charles S. Neer Award from the American Shoulder and Elbow Society for excellence in shoulder research. Recently, Dr. Chehab was honored by the nursing staff at NorthShore Evanston Hospital with the 2016 Physician Excellence Award.
As a high school All-New England lacrosse player, an All-American rugby player in college, and captain of the Harvard squad, Dr. Chehab understands the commitment required to achieve at the highest level. He is privileged and committed to helping his patients return to their own pursuits of excellence by providing the highest level of compassionate care. - Length (mins): 14:26
- Waiver Received: No
Published in
Life's Too Short
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