What is the Anterior Cruciate Ligament?
The anterior cruciate ligament is a ligament that has an essential structure in the knee joint and is located between the thigh (femur) and shin (tibia) bones. This ligament plays a critical role in the stability of the knee and prevents the bones from sliding against each other during movement. The anterior cruciate ligament consists of two different bundles within the knee: anteromedial (AM) and posterolateral (PL). The main component of this ligament is type 1 collagen, but it also contains small amounts of type 3 collagen. These structural features provide the strength and flexibility of the anterior cruciate ligament.
What are the Functions of the Anterior Cruciate Ligament?
The anterior cruciate ligament is a structure that is of vital importance for the functionality and integrity of the knee joint. This ligament ensures that the knee remains stable, especially during dynamic movements. This ligament, whose main function is to prevent excessive movement of the tibia towards the front of the femur, also provides stability to the knee during rotational movements and lateral movements. In addition, there are studies showing that the anterior cruciate ligament plays a critical role in proprioception, that is, position information in the knee. This sense can help reduce the risk of injury by increasing an individual’s ability to move and balance. This stability provided by the anterior cruciate ligament is important in sports and daily activities.
What are the Treatment Options for Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injury?
Treatment of an anterior cruciate ligament injury may vary depending on the patient’s overall health, lifestyle, activity level, and treatment goals. Surgical treatment is often preferred in young and active individuals, especially those interested in sports. However, non-surgical methods may also be considered for individuals who are older, have low activity levels, and do not show significant looseness in the joints. Physical therapy programs, muscle strengthening exercises and lifestyle recommendations can be planned for these patients. However, in injuries that are not treated surgically, the risk of meniscus tears, cartilage damage and knee arthritis may increase in the future. For this reason, the frequently used treatment method for anterior cruciate ligament injuries is arthroscopic reconstruction. This surgical procedure aims to restore the functionality of the ligament and minimize future complications.
Arthroscopic Anterior Cruciate Ligament Surgery
Arthroscopic anterior cruciate ligament surgery is a minimally invasive surgical procedure usually performed with a short hospital stay. Often, patients can stand up and walk even the day following surgery. During this process, a physical therapy and rehabilitation program is essential for patients to achieve a rapid and efficient recovery. After the operation, most patients can return to their daily lives in approximately 3 weeks, while an average of 6 months is required to continue sports activities at full capacity. This process may vary depending on the patient’s general health condition, age and physical activity level.
What Happens If Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injury Is Untreated?
If appropriate treatment methods are not applied for anterior cruciate ligament injuries, some complications may develop in the patient’s knee in the future. When these injuries are left untreated, the risk of meniscus tears increases and cartilage tissue damage may occur. In addition, this condition, which paves the way for the development of osteoarthritis, may cause chronic pain in the patient. In the long term, untreated or late treated anterior cruciate ligament injuries lead to increased instability, limitation of movement and loss of comfort in the knee. This can have the effect of making daily activities and sports activities difficult, especially for individuals with active lifestyles.
How Long Does It Take to Heal from Anterior Cruciate Ligament Surgery?
Although the recovery process of patients after anterior cruciate ligament surgery has individual differences, it generally occurs within a certain time period. One day after surgery, patients can stand up and are encouraged to begin a rehabilitation program. While individuals working in an office environment can return to work approximately 1 week after surgery, this period may be slightly longer in professions that require physical activity. In general, patients fully adapt to their daily lives within approximately 3 weeks. However, full recovery and readiness for sports and intense physical activities may take up to 6 months on average.
When Can I Walk After Anterior Cruciate Ligament Surgery?
After anterior cruciate ligament surgery, the patient can usually step on the operated leg and perform basic walking movements on the first day following the operation. However, the process of gaining complete fluency and comfort in walking may take approximately 3 weeks. During this period, the patients’ gait becomes smoother and more natural. Towards the end of a month, individuals can take more energetic walks and even start jogging.
Ön Çapraz Bağ Ameliyatı Hakkında Sıkça Sorulan Sorular
It is normal to feel pain in the first few days. However, the pain can be kept under control with the painkillers given.
One day after the operation, patients begin to walk slowly. Full walking ability is usually regained within 3 weeks.
Returning to full performance sports can usually take up to 6 months. However, this period may vary depending on personal recovery rate and type of sport.
A full rehabilitation process usually takes between 6 months and 1 year. In this process, physical therapy, exercises and gradually increasing activities are essential.
Heavy lifting, running and jumping should be avoided in the first weeks. It is best to act according to the recommendations of the physical therapist.
Stitches can usually be removed after 10-14 days.
On average, it can take between 1-3 hours, but this time may vary depending on the severity of the injury and the techniques used.
Generally, a 1-day hospital stay is sufficient, but in some cases this period may be extended.