- An anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury is a tear in one of the ligaments that joins the femur to the tibia. The ACL is the ligament that stabilizes the knee. Mild injuries are considered a small tear in the ACL and a severe injury is when the ACL tears completely or when the ACL and part of either bone separates from the rest of the bone. When an ACL injury goes untreated it becomes unable to control knee movement, causing ACL deficiency. The abnormal bone movement may damage cartilage that covers the end of the bones and may also cause the menisci to become trapped and tear. These can lead to osteoarthritis. ACL tears are commonly missed and diagnosed as knee sprains or as collateral ligament knee sprains. ACL tears often require surgical repair and rehabilitation through physical therapy.
- Osteochondritis dissecans occurs when blood supply to the femur, tibia or fibula is cut off. The affected bone and its cartilage may remain in place and cause no symptoms, however; at times fragments may loosen, separate and inflict pain. Older children, adolescents and young adults are most often affected by osteochondritis dissecans.
- There are two pieces of cartilage that absorb shock between the femur and tibia that are called meniscus. The meniscus are rubbery and tough which helps to cushion and stabilize the joint. The meniscus tear in two separate ways. These tears are documented by appearance. Longitudinal, parrot beak, bucket handle, flap and complex tears are the most common meniscus tears. Meniscus tears are frequently found with ACL tears. Meniscal tears are frequently misdiagnosed as chondromalacia patella. For an accurate meniscis tear diagnosis a doctor will need to perform arthroscopic surgery. During arthroscopy the doctor will need to specifically and carefully look at the meniscis from different angles to ensure that there are no tears in the cartilage.
- Cartilage acts as an shock absorber for the knee, however it is not guaranteed to last forever. Overuse, everyday wear and tear and injury can lead to chondromalcia patella. Damage done to the cartilage below the kneecap is called chondromalcia patella. Another name for chondromalacia patella is patellofemoral pain. Chondromalacia most often leads to osteoarthritis. The early stages of chondromalacia are typically symptom free for many people and, therefore, not diagnosed in sufficient time to prevent osteoarthritis.
- Acute patellar injury is the result of a fall or blow directly to the knee. Impact directly to the knee from any hard object may cause a multitude of injuries to include dislocation or fracture of the patella and damage to the cartilage below the patella. Since swelling most often occurs with these injuries an acute patellar injury may be misdiagnosed as a sprain or just a bruised knee.
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