Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injury Doctor New Jersey

A common knee injury is an anterior cruciate ligament sprain or tear. Athletes who participate in sports like soccer, football and basketball are more likely to get injuries to their anterior cruciate ligaments. The anatomy of this area is that three bones meet to form the knee joint. These bones are your thigh bone (femur), shinbone (tibia), and kneecap (patella). Your kneecap is in front of the joint to provide protection.

These bones are then connected together by ligaments, and there are four ligaments in your knee. They’re like really strong ropes to hold the bones together, keeping your knee stable.

• ·         Collateral Ligaments: These are the sides of your knees. The medial collateral ligament is on the inside, and the lateral collateral ligament is on the outside. These control sideways motion in your knee and brace it for unusual movements.
• ·         Cruciate Ligaments: These are found inside your knee joints. They cross over each other and form an X. The anterior cruciate ligament is in the front and the posterior cruciate ligament is in the back. These ligaments control the knees’ ability to move back and forth. The anterior cruciate ligament runs diagonally across the middle of the knee to prevent it from sliding out in front of the femur and provides rotational stability.
• Half of all injuries to the anterior cruciate ligament occur along with damage to the knee, such as articular cartilage, meniscus or other ligament damage. Injured ligaments fall into the category of “sprains”.
• If your knee is injured and you are diagnosed with an anterior cruciate ligament injury, you’ll want to seek out an anterior cruciate ligament injury doctor in New Jersey.
• ·         Grade 1 Sprains: The ligament is mildly damaged, slightly stretched, but otherwise holds the joint stable.
• ·         Grade 2 Sprains: The ligament is now stretched enough to be loose and is often called a “partial tear” to the ligament.
• ·         Grade 3 Sprains: This type of sprain is called a complete tear, and the ligament is often split into two pieces, making the knee joint unstable.

Partial tears of this ligament are rare, most ACL injuries are complete or near complete tears. Reach out to a knee pain doctor New Jersey after suffering from an ACL injury, they’ll best know how to treat your pain.

Causes of ACL Injuries

Understanding how ACL injuries can be caused can help you avoid them, or at least notice when you have injured your ACL. You may injure your ACL by changing direction rapidly, stopping suddenly, slowing while running, landing from a jump incorrectly, and receive a direct contact hit such as a football tackle.

Symptoms of ACL Injuries

Knowing the symptoms of ACL injuries can help you reach out to a knee pain doctor in New Jersey, such as the ones available at the Northeast Spine & Wellness Center. Having a physician who specializes in knee injuries such as ACL injuries can ensure that you receive the best care.