Knee ligament rupture. Symptoms, treatment, anterior cruciate, medial collateral, internal lateral

Frequent knee injury reduce its functionality over time. One of these injuries is a rupture of the ligaments. The pathological condition in most cases occurs in athletes. Without timely therapy, rupture of the knee ligaments will lead to serious complications when surgery is needed.

Causes of injury

More often, a rupture of the ligaments of the knee joint provokes mechanical damage. We are talking about an occupational, domestic or sports injury. People of different ages are at risk.

The following provoking factors also increase the risk of ligament rupture:

• falling onto a hard surface;
• jumping with different strengths;
• direct blow to the leg;
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• increased sports loads;
• improper rotation and flexion of the knee;
• car traffic accidents;
• household injury;
• non-compliance with safety rules;
• a sharp landing on your feet.

Athletes (football players, hockey players, gymnasts) are more likely to encounter damage to the ligaments of the knee joint.

Breakage rates

Knee ligament rupture is distinguished by the degree of damage. Given this classification, the traumatologist prescribes the necessary examination and effective treatment after receiving the diagnostic results.

There are the following degrees of rupture of the ligaments of the knee joint:

Name	Description
I degree	Several fibers break (stretching). The pathological condition is accompanied by minor pain and swelling in the affected area. The functions and working capacity of the joint are preserved.
II degree	1/3 of the ligaments are damaged. The victim complains of strong painful sensations, soft tissue edema appears. The ability to work of the lower limb is also impaired.
III degree	The ligaments are completely torn or detached from the attachment point to the bone. The functioning of the joint is impaired, the person complains of strong painful sensations. Soft tissues swell, a hematoma (hemorrhage) appears.

The terms of restoration of the functioning of the knee joint also depend on the severity of the injury.

Types and signs of injuries

Given the affected area, there is also a certain classification of damage to the knee ligaments:

Name	Clinical symptoms
Cruciate ligament rupture	They provide maximum stability of the knee joint and allow rotational movements. Injury occurs when the hip is rotated inward with the leg extended to the side and the knee is extended. Most often occurs when a sharp fall on a sliding surface. The following symptoms occur: severe pain syndrome; swelling of soft tissues in the affected area; motor functions are impaired; blood accumulates inside the joint tissue (hemarthrosis).
Lateral ligament rupture	The injury occurs as a result of a lateral fall. In this case, one leg remains motionless, the second deviates to the side. Ligament rupture is accompanied by the following clinical picture: sharp pain, aggravated by pressure on the inside of the knee; partial or complete impairment of the mobility of the lower limb; extensive swelling that affects healthy tissue around the affected area; slight bleeding causes a feeling of heat spreading under the skin in the damaged area; a severe injury provokes a deflection of the lower leg.
Patellar ligament rupture	Trauma is provoked by a strong mechanical impact or sudden movement, which is an increased load on the joint. The patient is concerned not only with pain, but also with knee instability.

In any situation, the help of a traumatologist is needed. The specialist will conduct an examination, prescribe additional diagnostics for an accurate diagnosis and select the most effective treatment.

Specific symptoms

Only a traumatologist can prescribe examination and treatment. The specialist needs to accurately describe their condition and existing symptoms. Taking into account the data obtained, the doctor selects a therapy regimen.

The pathological condition is accompanied by specific clinical signs that occur with any injuries of the lower extremities:

• a loud crunch is heard immediately after the injury;
• swelling of soft tissues;
• minor painful sensations appear immediately after damage;
• after a while, hematomas form;
• blood accumulates in the joint area;
• disrupted motor activity and functioning of the joint;
• hypermobility of the affected lower limb appears;
• over time, the leg takes on an unnatural appearance.

When the first symptoms appear after an injury, the leg must be fixed and go to the hospital for medical help. You cannot be treated on your own, especially if serious lesions are present. There is a high probability of provoking serious complications.

Diagnostics

A rupture of the knee ligament, depending on the degree of damage, requires the help of a specialized specialist. The traumatologist first conducts an examination and, based on the information received, prescribes an additional examination:

Name	Description
Computed tomography (CT)	The examination allows you to clarify the preliminary diagnosis. The images will show damage to soft tissues, ligaments.
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)	The most informative diagnostic method that allows you to view tissues in layers in a three-dimensional image.
Ultrasound examination (ultrasound)	The examination is assigned to the patient if osteoarthritis, meniscopathy is suspected.
X-ray	The procedure will allow you to view the knee joint, assess its condition and detect a possible fracture. X-rays are taken in several projections.
Arthroscopy	An examination method that is used not only for examination, but also for the treatment of the affected joint.

Diagnostics will help differentiate the disease, determine the degree of damage to the ligaments, concomitant injuries and the area of ​​pathological changes. The results obtained are necessary for the traumatologist to select the most effective therapy for the patient.

First aid

A rupture of the knee ligament is not fatal to a person's life, but to improve the prognosis in the future, it is necessary to provide the victim with first aid. It is enough to perform simple manipulations.

First aid for ruptured knee ligaments:

1. Call a doctor.
2. Fix the injured leg to prevent an increase in pain and the spread of the inflammatory process. You can use an elastic bandage or any fabric. It is important to remove the bandage after a while to avoid impairing circulation.
3. Apply a cold compress. As it heats up, it is recommended to change it periodically. Cold treatment in the first 15 hours after injury will help reduce pain and prevent severe swelling.
4. The leg should be raised slightly to maintain venous return. You can put any soft object under it (blanket, pillow, clothes).

In case of severe painful sensations, it is recommended to drink pain relievers with anti-inflammatory effects ("Diclofenac", "Paracetamol").

Knee Ligament Rupture Treatment

Medicines are selected by a traumatologist after examination and medical diagnostics. All appointments must be strictly observed in order to prevent complications. Medicines reduce the intensity of pain syndrome, inflammation and eliminate edema.

Topical medications reduce the likelihood of a hematoma. In the absence of serious contraindications in complex therapy, you can use non-traditional means.

Conservative treatment

The main goal of therapy is to reduce pain and relieve swelling, as well as eliminate inflammation. Medicines are recommended to be strictly taken as prescribed or according to the instructions. It is not recommended to use drugs on your own, many provoke side effects.

Drug group	Name	Application
Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs	"Nimesulide", "Ibuprofen"	The adult dosage is 100 mg 2 r. per day. The medicine is taken after meals. The course of therapy lasts no more than 15 days.
Ointments for external use	Voltaren, Indomethacin	The drug is used externally, it is rubbed in 3-4 r. per day with light massage movements for 2-4 g.
Anesthetics	Novocaine, Lidocaine	The medicine is injected intramuscularly in 5-10 ml 3 r. a week for a month. Then take a break for 10 days and, if necessary, continue therapy.
Venoprotectors	Troxevasin, Troxerutin	Treatment begins with 1 capsule 2 r. per day. Supportive therapy involves taking 1 capsule 1 p. a day for 3-4 weeks.

Acute pain syndrome is stopped by intramuscular injections ("Ortofen", "Movalis"). On the 5th day after the start of therapy, patients are prescribed warming ointments ("Kapsikam", "Finalgon").

Surgery

In the absence of positive dynamics after drug therapy and in difficult situations, patients are recommended to undergo surgery.

There are certain indications:

• progressive inflammatory process;
• accumulation of excess fluid in the joint area;
• a person is faced with periodic dislocations, crumbling;
• knee movement is impaired, uncontrollable;
• the patient is worried about periodic or persistent pain syndrome.

Knee ligament rupture involves the following types of operations:

Name	Description
Lavsan seam	If there are no serious contraindications, the surgeon sutures the damaged ligaments, penetrating into the inter-articular cavity.
Implantation	During medical procedures, an artificial ligament is installed. Implantation is necessary when there is a stratification of the fibers of the native ligaments. With such severe damage, classical methods will not be able to restore them.
Installing screws	In difficult situations, a bone fracture occurs, on which the ligament is held, but it remains intact. The surgeon installs a screw or bracket to correct the situation.

After surgery, you will need time for rehabilitation. During this period, the patient should adhere to all the prescriptions of the traumatologist, surgeon. Any independent actions are excluded, since the likelihood of complications is high.

Physiotherapy and remedial gymnastics

In case of rupture of the ligaments of the knee joint during the rehabilitation stage after surgery or together with medications, it is recommended to visit physiotherapy procedures:

Name	Description
UHF therapy	The affected area is exposed to a continuous and impulsive electric field. Edema decreases, tissue nutrition and blood circulation improve, and the recovery process is also activated.
Magnetic therapy	Treatment is carried out using low frequency constant or impulsive magnetic fields. They slow down the degenerative-dystrophic processes in the joint, reduce pain and edema.
Laser treatment	The therapy is carried out with light beams, which include red, violet and infrared spectra. Laser treatment helps to reduce pain, eliminate inflammation and accelerate tissue regeneration.
Paraffin and ozokerite applications	After each procedure, blood flow improves, thereby reducing the inflammatory process and pain syndrome, accelerating the regeneration process of the affected tissues. The functional mobility of the diseased joint also increases.
Medicinal electrophoresis	Helps soothe severe to moderate painful sensations. After medicinal electrophoresis, the therapeutic effect lasts for a long time, microcirculation improves, pain, swelling, and inflammation decrease.

After a complete therapy to speed up the restoration of the knee joint functions, the patient is prescribed spa treatment and mud therapy. Physiotherapy procedures improve blood circulation, accelerate material metabolism, due to which there is a rapid healing of damaged ligaments of the knee joint. The body's susceptibility to drugs also increases.

Special gymnastics helps to heal even long-standing injuries, but the set of exercises must be selected by a specialist.

When doing physical therapy, you need to remember simple rules:

1. All exercises are performed after pain relief and exacerbation of the disease.
2. You should start with light gymnastics, then move on to intensive training.
3. There are certain exercises that can be done during immobilization.
4. Remedial gymnastics should be done regularly and daily.

A properly selected set of exercises will allow you to achieve early recovery of physical activity, the main thing is not to overdo it and remember the doctor's recommendations.

Traditional methods of treatment

Unconventional drugs are used as adjunctive therapy. If the traumatologist allows, in the absence of medical indicators, you can use the recipes of healers and healers for ruptured knee ligaments. Folk remedies reduce swelling and pain in the affected joint.

Effective methods:

Name	Recipe	Application
Compress	Grind 2-3 plantain leaves, add honey (1 tablespoon) and thyme essential oil (3 drops) to them. All components must be mixed well until a homogeneous mass is obtained.	Put the finished mixture on the sore knee, cover it with a plastic bag on top and wrap it with an elastic bandage. Keep the compress for 1 hour.
Ointment	Stir gum turpentine and linseed oil in equal parts (1 tablespoon each). Add 100 g of baby cream to them. The resulting ointment is recommended to be stored in a cool place.	The knee joint is treated with medicine when severe pain occurs.
Horseradish and honey	Grind 250 g of horseradish, fill it with hot water (1 l). Add 125 g of honey and leave in a cold place to infuse for 24 hours.	The broth accelerates the regeneration process of the ligaments. The finished and strained medicine is taken in 1 tbsp. 3 p. per day.

To strengthen local and general immunity, you can drink chamomile tea, rosehip decoction to prevent the development of the inflammatory process.

Rehabilitation

The patient will need 10-14 days to recover from a minor injury. In difficult situations, this period is extended to 2 months. If we talk about rehabilitation after surgery, then the patient will need six months.

During the recovery period, patients need to attend physiotherapy procedures, perform special exercises, eat right and take prescribed medications by a traumatologist.

It is also important to remember the helpful recommendations of a specialist for quick rehabilitation of the knee joint:

• avoid increased physical exertion;
• give up for a while from active sports in favor of swimming;
• add more foods with vitamins and minerals to the diet;
• walk, do yoga, gymnastics, ride a bike.

Exercising daily will help strengthen muscles and improve knee function. Exercises help to increase blood flow, the affected tissues will receive more useful vitamins and oxygen, which activates the regeneration process.

Consequences and complications

In most cases, in the absence of quality medical care, the ligaments do not heal correctly.

This entails a violation of the movable functions of the joint, pathological tissue fusion and serious complications:

Name	Description
Knee structures wear out faster	Inadequate stabilization of the joint leads to the destruction of cartilage tissue, pathological changes affect the tibia and femur.
Deforming osteoarthritis	A disease that often provokes disability. It is characterized by a degenerative inflammatory process. The joint is rapidly aging, its structure is disrupted.
Gonarthrosis	Pathology often develops against the background of improper tissue fusion. Dystrophic disease develops gradually, progresses and affects the entire joint. Normal walking of a person is difficult, since there is a pathological lesion and bone growth.
Arthritis, bursitis	Degenerative processes are the result of inflammation of the articular tissue. There is an accumulation of serous or purulent exudate. The affected joint hurts, the skin swells and turns red, and motor functions are also impaired.
Decreases susceptibility of the affected lower limb	The pathological condition occurs against the background of compression of the nerve roots.

If the rupture of the ligaments of the knee is not treated, the person will be disabled. For athletes, this is an early end to their careers. With severe hemorrhage, the main vessels and arteries are affected. The blood supply to the articular and muscle tissues is impaired.

In the event of a ruptured knee ligament, it is important to provide first aid to the victim and call a doctor. Neglecting your health will lead to a worsening of the condition, when the leg can lose its functional ability. Symptoms of damage to the ligaments cannot be ignored; you must immediately go to the hospital. Complete a complete examination and treatment, as selected by a traumatologist.

Article design: Vladimir the Great

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