ACL Surgery (ACL Reconstruction) is a repair or reconstruction of the Anterior Cruciate Ligament. The ACL is an important soft tissue in your knee that connects the femur to the tibia. A partially or completely torn ACL is a common injury among athletes. In particular, rugby and football players tend to be more exposed to ACL injuries and tears in Kenya
Complete ACL tear is usually treated by sports medicine physicians and orthopaedic surgeons with an ACL surgery, during which the torn ACL ligament is replaced with a tissue graft to mimic the natural ACL. Dr. Miano takes an interdisciplinary approach to treating ACL injuries in Kenya, to determine the best treatment option for each patient. Because people who had an ACL injury are more likely to develop osteoarthritis in the knee earlier in life than those who did not.
Do you need ACL surgery?
The need for ACL surgery depends on the severity of the ACL tear and your lifestyle. A completely torn ACL will not heal on its own. Studies have shown, however, that in some patients who experience a partial AC: tear, the ligament may heal without the need for surgery.
To determine whether a tear is partial or complete, an orthopaedic doctor will perform two manual tests:
- Lachman Test: Orthopaedic will try to pull the shin bone away from the thigh bone. If the ACL is torn but still intact, the bones won't move or will do so slightly.
- Pivot Shift Test: The patient will lie on his/her back while the orthopaedic doctor lifts the injured leg and places rotational pressure on the knee. If the bones shift, the test is positive.
Orthopaedic surgeon might recommend to delay the ACL surgery to see if if the ligament heals on its own, should it be only a partial ACL tear.
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