Rupture of the ligament of the knee joint: why does it happen and how to eliminate it?

A rupture of the ligament of the knee joint is a serious pathology that requires serious treatment and a long rehabilitation of the patient. It is characterized by the separation of connective tissue fibers from bone. Often a bundle can simply burst in half.

Why does damage occur and how is it determined?

As it was said, this situation is typical for athletes who are forced to constantly train and keep their muscles in suspense. Sometimes they can not stand and tear. The same situation happens after a direct blow to the knee due to some kind of fall.

Naturally, not only athletes can suffer. For example, to get a rupture of the knee joint can an ordinary person who accidentally stumbled and fell. However, his muscles are not trained, so the injury can be more complicated. To provoke damage to the joint can and skeletal disease. The risk of rupture increases in the elderly.

Signs of the presented disease are very quickly manifested. The rupture of the ligament of the knee joint is characterized by the following symptoms:

• Swelling in the affected area;
• Strong painful sensations;
• Redness of the skin in the place of injury;
• During the rupture, a distinct crackling is heard;
• A serious restriction in the movements (a man can not only walk, but simply walk on his foot).

Traditional methods of treatment of pathology

It should be noted that the patient can not cope with the situation on his own, therefore, in any case, he needs the help of traumatologists. The rupture of the ligament of the knee joint is eliminated by means of a set of various procedures. First of all, a cold compress should be applied to the injured area, which will help to partially relieve the pain. In most cases, the patient is prescribed non-steroid drugs ("Ibuprofen", "Diclofenac"), which help to relieve inflammation.

Naturally, the injured person should rest as much as possible and completely limit their movements. The leg should always be in a raised position. For this you can put a pillow or a platen of clothes under it.

To fix the joint, special elastic bandages and bandages are often used. Heat on the foot immediately after injury can not be placed, as it will increase the flow of blood to the damaged area.

To quickly heal the rupture, special ointments are used. Naturally, the doctor can prescribe and physiotherapeutic procedures (electrophoresis, UHF), but he does not do it right away. Treatment of rupture of ligaments of the knee joint is performed with the help of massage. However, it is carried out already during the rehabilitation of the patient, as well as physical therapy.

When is surgery used?

If the fracture is partial (which is easily determined by X-ray examination), the methods listed above are sufficient for treatment. In difficult cases, surgery is performed. The rupture of the ligaments of the knee joint by a radical method is also eliminated if the tissues become uncoordinated or traditional treatment has not produced a result.

The operation consists in sewing the damaged fibers. It is done under local or general anesthesia. Very thin instruments are used for the intervention, due to which it is not necessary to make large cuts on the skin. In this case, after the procedure, the patient recovers faster, and the period of his rehabilitation is reduced.

If the ligament is not sewn, then autotransplantation of the patient's own tissues to the damaged site is performed. In extreme cases, an artificial prosthesis is used.