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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Written by Guan Jing Tao
Orthopedics
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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.

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Written by Wang Jing
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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Written by Wang Jing
Pediatric Orthopedics
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Can ankle ligament injuries heal by themselves?

Ankle ligament sprains vary in prognosis depending on the severity of the injury. This type of ligament damage generally falls into several categories: the first type is partial fiber damage to the ligament, the second type is partial rupture of the ligament, the third type is complete rupture of the ligament, and the fourth type includes additional injuries. For partial fiber damage and partial ruptures of the ligament, immobilization is often used, and generally after six to eight weeks, the ligament can repair itself. However, if there is a complete rupture of the ligament or additional injuries are involved, surgery is often required for healing.

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Written by Wang Cheng Lin
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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Written by Wang Jing
Pediatric Orthopedics
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Can ligament injuries heal by themselves?

Whether ligament injury can be healed depends on the severity of the injury. Generally, there are four types of ligament injuries. The mildest is a sprain, which is when some fibers of the ligament are torn. The second type is a partial tear of the ligament, the third type is a complete tear of the ligament, and the fourth type is a combined injury, which includes damage to other structures in addition to the ligament injury. If the ligament injury is just a sprain, it can generally heal within two to three weeks with immobilization. However, partial ligament tears that are more severe may require surgical intervention. If the partial ligament injury is not severe and does not affect stability, it can also heal with about three to six weeks of immobilization. However, complete ligament tears or combined injuries often require surgery for suturing or reconstruction in order to heal.