Ligament / Cartilage Injuries
Dr Sammy Hanna – The Best Orthopedic Surgeon for all types of hip and knee replacement surgeries.
Ligament / Cartilage Injuries
Knee ligament and cartilage (meniscus) injuries are very common and are often sports-related, although they can occur from a trauma during everyday activities.
The most common are:
- a sprain/strain – one or more ligaments is overstretched through twisting or pulling
- a tear – either a partial tear or complete rupture of the ligament
- injury or tear to the cartilage in your knee – the cartilage is a crescent-shaped disc called a meniscus, that acts as a ‘shock absorber’ in your knee
- Cartilage injuries could be caused by an acute injury or trauma or due to a more gradual onset because of age-related changes to the cartilage.
The ligaments inside your knee joint are called the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) and the posterior cruciate ligament (PCL). These ligaments provide stability to your knee when it is in different positions, particularly in the forward and backward movements of the knee joint.
How to prevent ligament and cartilage injuries?
Exercise regularly to maintain a good level of fitness. This will mean your muscles are stronger and better able to support your joints, including your knees. If you haven’t been active for a while, start gently and gradually increase the intensity.
Spend five to 10 minutes warming up before exercise to increase blood flow to your muscles and reduce the chance of an injury. Many sports professionals advise stretching your muscles after warming up and again after cooling down; however, the benefit of stretching before or after exercise is unproven.
Vary your knee movements: Anterior knee pain (pain in the front of your knee) is generally the result of overusing the joint, so it is important to try and vary the stresses you place on your knee. For example, runners should make sure they mix up the surfaces they run on to include uphill runs and flat ground
Stretch Regularly: Keep the muscles in your legs as flexible as possible by regular stretching.
Strengthen your leg Muscles: Perform regular exercises such as squats and lunges to strengthen and keep your leg muscles in good condition.
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