Muscle & Connective Tissue Injuries

Recently Answered

• QCan repetitive stress injuries be prevented?

  2 Answers

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  A St Francis Medical Center answered

  Repetitive stress injuries can be prevented by cross training. Repetitive motion or repetitive activity over time can lead to stress fractures, tendonitis and other more serious overuse injuries. There are ways to incorporate other activities and exercise the body without doing the same things over and over again. For example:

  • Use Pilates and yoga to give the body a rest, but, at the same time, give it an active recovery.
  • Get in the pool.
  • Use the bike instead of running all the time.

  Trinity Health is a Catholic health care organization that acts in accordance with the Catholic tradition and does not condone or support all practices covered in this site. In case of emergency call 911. This site is educational and not a substitute for professional medical advice, always seek the advice of a qualified health care provider.

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• QWhy may I need ACL surgery?

  2 Answers

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  A Sunrise Children's Hospital answered

  Whether or not someone may need ACL surgery depends on the patient’s function and the stability of their knee.

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• QWhat is an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tear?

  3 Answers

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  A Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center answered

  The anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) is a ligament inside your knee that keeps your knee and shinbone in place. It's also the most commonly damaged knee ligament.

  When a knee ligament like the ACL is torn, you may feel like your knee doesn't want to hold up. It's likely to give out on you when you turn corners or walk. It's very uncomfortable, and it puts the rest of the cartilage in your knee at risk of being damaged when your knee shifts out of place.

  Basketball, football, soccer, downhill skiing and other aggressive sports where you're making cutting movements are a frequent cause of ACL tears. The most important thing for people to remember is that even if you have very well-developed muscles, you can tear your ACL. Professional athletes frequently tear their ACLs, so it's not an injury you can absolutely prevent.

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• QHow difficult are ACL repairs?

  1 Answer

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  A Sunrise Children's Hospital answered

  ACL repairs are a very common procedure, but it’s best to find a surgeon who frequently performs the surgery for the best results.

• QWhat causes an ACL injury?

  1 Answer

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  A St Francis Medical Center answered

  Most anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries are the result of a specific trauma and are associated with a pivoting or twisting motion. Your knee joint consists of three bones: the femur (thighbone), tibia (shinbone) and patella (knee cap). Four bands of tissue called ligaments hold the bones together and keep them stable. The two collateral ligaments control sideways movement within the knee. The anterior (front) cruciate ligament and posterior (rear) cruciate ligament cross each other to make an X and control forward and backward motion.

  ACL injuries can occur from:

  • changing direction rapidly
  • stopping suddenly
  • slowing down while running
  • landing from a jump incorrectly
  • making direct contact or colliding, such as a football tackle

  Trinity Health is a Catholic health care organization that acts in accordance with the Catholic tradition and does not condone or support all practices covered in this site. In case of emergency call 911. This site is educational and not a substitute for professional medical advice, always seek the advice of a qualified health care provider.

• QWhat are signs of a severe muscle injury?

  1 Answer

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  A American Red Cross answered

  Always suspect a severe injury when any of the following signs are present:
  

  • One of the most common signs in any muscle injury is pain. The injured area may be very painful to touch and move.
  • There is significant bruising and swelling. The area may be swollen and red or bruised.
  • The person is unable to use the affected part normally.
  • The cause of the injury suggests that it may be severe.
• QAre ACL injuries more common in males or females?

  1 Answer

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  A Sunrise Children's Hospital answered

  Women are more prone to ACL injuries than men due to hormonal cycles, and the fact that women use different muscle groups than men.

• QWhat happens during anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) knee surgery?

  1 Answer

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  A Intermountain Healthcare answered

  Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction surgery replaces the ligament in the center of your knee with a new ligament. A ligament is a strong band of tissue that attaches one bone to another. The ACL attaches your thighbone (femur) to your shinbone (tibia). It keeps your shinbone in place and keeps your knee from buckling ("giving out") during physical activity. If it's damaged, it will not heal on its own.

  Tearing the ACL is a common knee injury, especially in people who do sports that involve running, pivoting, and jumping.