What is the ACL?
ACL or the Anterior Cruciate Ligaments main purpose is to aid the knee during twisting and gyratory movements. It is also attached at the back of the thigh and front of the shin bone to ensure that the shin does not create unwarranted movement for the thigh, saving the body from needless stress and trauma.
The ACL tear is a common problem with sportsman and senior citizens, however it can happen to anyone. The ACL is one of two crisscrossing ligaments located in the knee, any damage to the ACL can hinder movement, in terms of sportsmen it can result in a few years of recovery and physiotherapy, the most common solution to the issue is ligament/knee replacement surgery, however these are only ever suggested in extreme cases or done on the request of the patient. At National, we take pride in the fact that we give our patients the most transparent advice, our patients health is always our top priority.
Should you get a knee replacement surgery?
The trend of knee replacement surgeries has changed over the years. It was common among people aged 65 and above, however doctors state that the trend has changed from people aged from 20 to 50 years, and research shoes that this is due to the vigorously active lifestyle that most people in the age bracket have adopted, this does not however mean that doctors will ever tell you to stop your activities. At national, our doctors recommend that people should watch for signs, irregular pains in certain joints, ghost pains, discomfort in the joints or areas near the joints, due to the intricacy and importance of the ACL, doctors recommend that people should never hesitate to get an x-ray or MRI done, the risk of permanent damage to the joints and ACL is very high after and during a person’s teenage years. The ACL tear is one of the toughest injuries anyone can face and the best way to ensure a quick and speedy discovery is to find the problem before it goes out of hand.
Doctors will only recommend knee replacement surgery when it is required, if patients can be treated with physiotherapy, doctors will always prefer to take that route. Doctors employ the use of Arthroscopy, bone scans and consider how much motion the person will be making while deciding whether a knee replacement is actually the best route for a patient, these replacements are not to be taken lightly. Joints inserted in the wrong manner or of the wrong size can cause a large amount of pain and discomfort for patients, this is why we recommend that patients come to National hospital for such issues, and our orthopedic staff is some of the best in the country, filled with well educated, experienced professionals that have been practicing orthopedics for decades. We aspire to give our patients the best treatment possible, and our highly seasoned staff is a testament to our goal, to give the best treatments not just in orthopedics, but in every branch of medicine to our patients.
