Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL)

The knee, a hinge joint, enables bending and straightening motions but not rotational movement. Ligaments like the ACL and PCL control knee motion and stability. The ACL connects the thigh bone to the shinbone, supporting the knee's stability. A torn ACL may cause knee pain or a popping sensation during movement.

• Pain: Minor injuries to the knee can cause significant pain, making standing or walking difficult.
• Swelling: ACL injuries commonly lead to swelling, which can be managed with ice packs and compression socks.
• Walking Trouble: Difficulty walking due to an ACL injury requires avoiding pressure on the affected leg.
• Reduced Range of Motion: Damage to the ACL can limit the ability to fully bend the knee, affecting mobility.

The anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) stabilizes the knee joint, but when torn or sprained, it causes pain and swelling. Injuries often heal with time and exercise, but severe tears may require surgery and extensive rehabilitation. ACL tears are common in athletes, particularly in sports involving sudden stops, direction changes, or jumping, leading to knee swelling, instability, and difficulty bearing weight.

ACL injuries are graded as follows:

• Grade 1: Mild damage to the ligament with limited knee joint motion, but stability is maintained.
• Grade 2: Partial tearing or stretching of the ligament, requiring prompt professional evaluation.
• Grade 3: Complete ACL tear, resulting in knee instability.

• X-rays: Used to rule out bone fractures and assess the skeletal system, but cannot detect soft tissue injuries like ligament tears.
• MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging): Provides detailed images of both hard and soft tissues, revealing the extent of ACL injury and other knee tissue damage.
• Ultrasound: Uses high-frequency sound waves to visualize internal knee structures, helpful in assessing ligament, tendon, and muscle injuries.
• Clinical Examination: Physical examination by a doctor to assess knee function and mobility, crucial for diagnosing the type of injury.
• Pivot Shift Test: Evaluates knee instability characteristic of ACL injury, with a positive result indicating ligament damage.
• Anterior Drawer Test: Assesses ACL integrity by examining forward movement of the tibia in relation to the femur.
• Lachman Test: Detects ACL injury based on differences in knee joint size and stability when weight is applied.

Non-Surgical Treatment:

• Bracing: For moderate to significant signs of aging, micro-fat grafting is a traditional procedure.
• Conservative Management: Rest and limited mobility are advised for ACL tears to promote ligament healing and protect the knee joint.
• Physiotherapy: Ankle injuries may require braces or casts to protect the joint, with recovery lasting from six weeks to six months.

Surgical Treatment:

• ACL Repair: Involves sewing the torn ACL back together using sutures.
• ACL Reconstruction: In this procedure, the torn ACL ligament is replaced with tissue from another site, such as hamstring muscle tendon autograft or patellar tendon autograft, or with an allograft from a cadaver.

After successful ACL reconstruction surgery and physiotherapy, expected results include: BKL Hospital

The average cost of ACL reconstruction in India starts from around USD 1136 (INR 90457). The total cost varies depending on the type of procedure, surgeon, and facilities. ACL repair costs in India range between USD 553 to 4839 (INR 44000 to 385000), depending on the approach used - traditional open or minimally invasive (arthroscopic).