How to recover from ligament damage

Written by Li Jie
Orthopedics
Updated on September 04, 2024
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Recovery from ligament damage should be divided into two phases. The first phase is the acute phase of the ligament injury, which generally occurs within three weeks after the injury. During these three weeks, it is recommended to immobilize and minimize movement to create favorable conditions for the growth and repair of the ligament. During this period, heat application can be beneficial, and oral medications that promote blood circulation, remove blood stasis, reduce swelling, and relieve pain can be taken to facilitate the repair of the ligament. After three weeks, the continuity of the ligament is usually established. During this period, it is necessary to enhance functional exercises to prevent joint adhesion. Under the guidance of a physician, joint movements should be strengthened, combined with oral medications for promoting blood circulation, removing blood stasis, reducing swelling, and relieving pain, and also include local heat application and possibly physical therapy. With these comprehensive treatment measures, generally, a good recovery outcome can be achieved.

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What is the best way to recover from meniscus injury and ligament tear with conservative treatment?

For a meniscus injury and ligament tear in the knee joint, if the condition is not very severe, we can manage it with conservative treatment. This means using immobilization, physical therapy, heat application, and anti-inflammatory pain relief. If the knee has been immobilized for a period, say two months, it will obviously become somewhat stiff. In this case, if rehabilitation is to be performed, the first step should be to seek guidance at a formal rehabilitation medical institution. If a therapist is available to assist with training, that would be the ideal best case scenario. If no therapist is available, care must be taken during activities not to excessively tear the healed ligaments or meniscus. During the rehabilitation process, when performing bending and flexing exercises, it's crucial to be mindful of the extent of movement. Additionally, it's important to consistently strengthen the quadriceps muscles.

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Orthopedics
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What should I do if the patellar ligament is injured?

Once a patellar ligament injury occurs, the first step is to immobilize the area; stop all activities to prevent further damage and secondary injuries. Secondly, apply ice. The initial ice application should last from half an hour to an hour, applied directly to the injured patellar ligament. Thirdly, bandage to immobilize the area, primarily using an elastic bandage and cotton padding to compress the knee joint. This can help stop bleeding and limit swelling. Fourth, elevate the injured limb to at least 30 degrees above the level of the heart. After these measures, it's necessary to go to the hospital for further examination including physical assessments by a doctor, X-rays, or an MRI to fully understand the extent of the ligament damage. If there is a partial tear of the ligament without complete discontinuity, conservative treatment such as casting or bracing can be effective, typically for three to four weeks. However, if the ligament is completely torn and surgery is clearly indicated, surgical treatment should be followed by the use of a brace for six weeks. Thus, proper early management of a patellar ligament injury is crucial, followed by hospital evaluation. Additionally, since patellar ligament injuries often coincide with fractures or damage to other structures such as the meniscus or cruciate ligaments, these factors cannot be overlooked.

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Orthopedics
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What should I do if I have a knee ligament injury?

Ligament injuries in the knee are commonly seen in two areas: the first is the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury, and the second is the medial collateral ligament (MCL) injury. The treatment for these two ligament injuries is the same; for instance, in cases of just a simple ligament tear or partial tear, it only requires the use of a plaster cast for external fixation, and immobilization for three to four weeks can achieve recovery. If there is a complete tear, surgery might be needed. There are two types of surgeries: the first one involves direct repair of the ligament, the second involves using autologous tendons to reconstruct the ligament, restoring the stability of the entire knee joint. To determine whether you have a tear, complete tear, or partial tear, it is necessary to undergo an MRI of the knee to confirm.

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Pediatric Orthopedics
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Ligament injuries should be seen by the orthopedics department.

Ligament injuries are often a type of sports injury; therefore, when a ligament injury occurs, the first choice is usually a department of sports medicine. However, many hospitals do not have a sports medicine department. In such cases, ligament injuries are generally treated under orthopedic surgery. If the hospital does not have a sports medicine department, you can visit the orthopedic surgery department. If there is no orthopedic surgery department either, and it is just a general orthopedics clinic, you can go to the orthopedics clinic. Of course, if it is a smaller hospital without a specialized orthopedics clinic, you can visit the surgery department or the emergency surgery department. After some initial treatment, you may need to visit a more specialized hospital for further medical attention.

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Symptoms of ligament rupture

After a ligament rupture, the area will experience pain, swelling, and restricted movement, and it will not be possible to actively extend or bend. Taking the rupture of the finger extensor tendon as an example, after the rupture caused by accidental bumps or other reasons, the site exhibits pain and cannot be straightened. When passively straightened, it will flex on its own after removing the support, unable to actively extend. These are the symptoms of functional limitation after a ligament rupture. Furthermore, some patients may also experience persistent local pain and significant swelling. At this time, it is advisable to combine local hot compresses and physical therapy. For distal finger extensor tendon ruptures, hyperextension fixation can be applied. About four weeks later, if the hyperextension fixation splint or plaster is removed, some patients can heal on their own. However, if some patients cannot heal naturally, surgical anastomosis treatment is required.