What is ACL Surgery?
Summary
TLDRThe ACL, a crucial ligament in the knee joint, is vital for stability during sports. Injuries can lead to instability and may require surgery, especially for young athletes. Children's Hospital Colorado specializes in ACL repair, using advanced techniques to protect growth plates while re-stabilizing the knee. Post-surgery rehab is essential for safe return to sports.
Takeaways
- 🦴 The ACL is one of two crucial ligaments in the knee, alongside the PCL, providing stability.
- 🏃♂️ The ACL is vital for sports activities that involve changing direction quickly.
- 🤕 An injury to the ACL can result in the tibia moving too freely, destabilizing the knee.
- 👩⚕️ Experts at the Sports Medicine Center at Children's Hospital Colorado can assess ACL injuries through physical exams and imaging.
- 🔍 Imaging techniques like X-ray and MRI are used to determine the extent of ACL damage.
- 🏥 Children's Hospital Colorado specializes in ACL repair surgery that considers the growth plates in young patients.
- 🔨 During surgery, a new ACL is often created from tissue near the quadriceps and kneecap.
- 🛠️ The new ACL is secured in place with tunnels drilled carefully to avoid growth plates.
- 💪 Post-surgery rehabilitation is essential to safely return to sports and reduce the risk of re-injury.
- 🌐 More information about the Sports Medicine Center at Children's Hospital Colorado can be found on their website.
Q & A
What is the function of the ACL in the knee joint?
-The ACL, or Anterior Cruciate Ligament, helps stabilize the knee by connecting the femur and tibia, and it plays a crucial role in activities that require changing direction.
What is the PCL and its relationship with the ACL?
-The PCL, or Posterior Cruciate Ligament, works together with the ACL to stabilize the knee joint. The ACL travels from the back to the front, while the PCL runs from the front to the back.
What happens if the ACL is sprained or torn?
-If the ACL is sprained or torn, the tibia can move forward freely, leading to a less stable knee.
How do medical professionals confirm the degree of an ACL injury?
-Medical professionals at the Sports Medicine Center at Children's Hospital Colorado perform a physical exam and use imaging techniques like X-ray and MRI to confirm the degree of ACL injury.
Why is ACL repair particularly important for children and young athletes?
-ACL repair is important for children and young athletes because it protects the growth plates around the knee, which determine the future length and shape of the bone.
What surgical techniques does Children's Hospital Colorado specialize in for ACL repair?
-Children's Hospital Colorado specializes in surgical techniques that repair the ACL while protecting the growth plates around the knee.
What is the source of the new ACL during surgery?
-The new ACL can be created from various tissues around the knee, with a preference for tissue connecting the quadriceps and kneecap.
How are tunnels drilled in the bone during ACL surgery to avoid growth plates?
-Tunnels are carefully drilled in the bone during ACL surgery to avoid the growth plates, ensuring the protection of these critical areas for bone development.
What is the purpose of placing the new ACL in tunnels and anchoring it within the knee?
-The new ACL is placed in tunnels and anchored within the knee to secure the tibia and re-stabilize the knee joint.
Why is post-surgery rehab important after an ACL repair?
-Post-surgery rehab is important to safely return to sports and reduce the chances of a retear by strengthening the knee and improving its stability.
Where can one find more information about the Sports Medicine Center at Children's Hospital Colorado?
-More information about the Sports Medicine Center at Children's Hospital Colorado can be found on their website.
Outlines
🦿 Understanding the ACL
The paragraph explains the function and structure of the ACL (Anterior Cruciate Ligament), which is one of the two key ligaments in the knee joint, alongside the PCL (Posterior Cruciate Ligament). It details the ACL's role in stabilizing the knee during activities that require quick changes in direction. The paragraph also discusses the potential for ACL injuries due to excessive stress on the knee, leading to sprains or tears. It emphasizes the importance of the ACL in maintaining knee stability and the consequences of its absence. The Sports Medicine Center at Children's Hospital Colorado is mentioned as a facility that can diagnose and treat ACL injuries using physical exams and imaging techniques like X-ray and MRI.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL)
💡Posterior Cruciate Ligament (PCL)
💡Femur
💡Tibia
💡Sprain
💡MRI
💡Surgical Techniques
💡Growth Plates
💡Quadriceps
💡Rehab
💡Children's Hospital Colorado
Highlights
The ACL is one of two ligaments inside the knee joint.
The ACL and PCL together stabilize the knee.
The ACL connects the femur and tibia and is crucial for changing direction in sports.
The ACL can be sprained or torn if the knee receives too much stress.
Without the ACL, the tibia can move forward freely, reducing knee stability.
Children's Hospital Colorado uses physical exams and imaging like X-ray and MRI to diagnose ACL injuries.
Surgical techniques at Children's Hospital Colorado repair the ACL while protecting growth plates.
Growth plates are important for the future length and shape of the bone, especially in children and young athletes.
Surgery for ACL repair involves creating small holes and an incision for instruments and a camera.
Surgeons examine the knee for additional damage and address it during surgery.
The remaining scar tissue and torn ACL are removed during the procedure.
The new ACL is often created from tissue connecting the quadriceps and kneecap.
Tunnels are drilled in the bone to place the new ACL, avoiding the growth plates.
The new ACL is anchored within the knee to re-stabilize it.
Completing post-surgery rehab is crucial for safely returning to sports and reducing the risk of retear.
The Sports Medicine Center at Children's Hospital Colorado specializes in ACL repair and rehabilitation.
For more information, visit the Sports Medicine Center's website at Children's Hospital Colorado.
Transcripts
The ACL or "Anterior Cruciate Ligament," is one of two
ligaments inside the knee joint. Together, the ACL and PCL or
"Posterior Cruciate Ligament," stabilize the knee. The ACL
travels from the back to the front of the knee joint and is
connected to the femur and the tibia. The ACL plays an
important role when you perform activities in sports that
require changing direction. When the leg and body change
direction, the ACL holds the femur and tibia together. If the
knee receives too much stress, the ACL could be sprained or
completely torn. Without the ACL, the tibia can now move
forward freely, making the knee less stable. To confirm the
degree of your ACL injury, the experts the the Sports Medicine
Center at Children's Hospital Colorado will perform a physical
exam and use imaging like X-ray and MRI. If surgery is required,
Children's Hospital Colorado specializes in surgical
techniques that repair the ACL while protecting the growth
plates around the knee. Growth plates determine the future
length and shape of the bone, so protecting them is specifically
important to children and young athletes who are still growing.
To begin the surgery, your surgeon will create several
small holes and an incision for the instruments and the camera.
Once inside, your surgeon will examine your knee for any other
damage and address it as needed. Your surgeon will remove the
remaining scar tissue and torn ACL. Your new ACL can be created
from a number of different tissues around the knee. We
prefer to use tissue connecting the quadriceps and kneecap. The
new ACL is prepared. Then tunnels are carefully drilled in
the bone, avoiding the growth plates. Next, the surgeon places
the new ACL in the tunnels and securely anchors it within the
knee. The new ACL secures the tibia and re-stabilizes the
knee. In order to get back to your sport safely and reduce the
chances of retear, it's important to complete your
post-surgery rehab. To learn more about the Sports Medicine
Center at Children's Hospital Colorado, visit the website
below.
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