By: Lauren Gregg Tech and Assess. Anterior Crucial Ligament One of four ligaments in the knee that...
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Transcript of By: Lauren Gregg Tech and Assess. Anterior Crucial Ligament One of four ligaments in the knee that...
ACL Tears and Rehabilitation for
AthletesBy: Lauren Gregg
Tech and Assess
Anterior Crucial Ligament
One of four ligaments in the knee that basically holds the knee together
Provides stability
The ACL
ACL injuries typically occur to athletes 80% are non contact More common in females because of
different hip structure Most prevalent in soccer, football,
basketball, skiing, and rugby
Injury to the ACL
Most tears occur in athletics
Other tears can occur in motor vehicle collisions, falls, and work related injuries
Most come from pivoting or landing from a jump
The knee gives out from under the athlete when it is torn
How ACL tears occur
Necessary to be sure that the ligament is torn and to see how bad the tear is
Helps decide what type of surgery is needed and on which ligaments
MRI
Important to do exercises before surgery to regain muscle strength and ROM
Hamstring and quadriceps exercises Full range of motion: biking, straightening
and bending knee all the way, etc.
Pre Surgery
Done several weeks after injury occurs
Reconstructed using a cadaver or other ligaments in body◦ Patellar tendon,
hamstring, etc
ACL Surgery
Knee joint loses flexibility Little to no range of motion Muscles around knee and thigh atrophy
Post Surgery
Most important part of the surgery process
Very lengthy time period (usually 6-8 months until full recovery)
required to regain pre-surgery strength and use
Rehabilitation
Phase One: early rehab phase; reduce pain and swelling
Phase Two: weeks 3 and 4; joint protection
Phase Three: weeks 4-6; more difficult exercises to increase ROM
Six Phases of Rehab
Phase Four: weeks 6-8; moderate protection, try to gain full ROM
Phase Five: weeks 8-10; light activity phase
Phase Six: week 10 until recovery; full activity
(cont.)
Hamstring stretches
Quadriceps stretches
Stretching/ROM Exercises
Stationary Bike◦ Increases strength and range of motion◦ It is non weight bearing, which is good for the
joints◦ Improves stability◦ Builds up quadriceps muscles
Range of Motion
Wall slide
Straight leg raises
Hamstring Curl
Step ups
Strength Training
Knee Strengthening/Rehab Exercises
YouTube Video
All athletes need functioning ACLs
Those who do not play sports can get through their daily lives without an ACL
Athletes have high demands for cutting, pivoting, jumping, planting, and turning
Sports and ACL Tears
Here are some athletes who have torn their ACLs and are still extremely successful
The Athletes
wider hips; ligament laxity at certain stages of the menstrual cycle
the smaller size of the notch the ligament connects to the femur in the upper leg
a tendency to land straight-legged and knock-kneed;
core instability; a greater imbalance than men in the strength of the hamstring to the quadriceps, or thigh muscle
Caroline Doty (below) plays for University of Connecticut and tore her ACL for the THIRD time last season
Female Athletes more at Risk
Warm up Stretching Strengthening Plyometrics Agilities Cool down
ACL Prevention