Do ligament injuries fear the cold?

Written by Wang Jing

Pediatric Orthopedics

Updated on September 06, 2024

00:00

00:00

Ligament injuries should not naturally be sensitive to cold; however, due to impaired blood circulation in the damaged area or poor blood supply due to scar repair, the circulation in the injured tendons becomes worse compared to other areas. In cold conditions, this can lead to even poorer blood flow. When circulation is poor, it's hard for metabolic byproducts to be removed from the area, leading to their accumulation, which can stimulate the injured site and cause pain. Therefore, areas with ligament injuries often become sensitive to cold, as the cold causes blood vessels to constrict, leading to the accumulation of metabolic by-products and resulting in pain at the affected site.

Other Voices

home-news-image

Written by Na Hong Wei

Orthopedics

1min 17sec

home-news-image

How to treat patellar ligament injury?

First, it is necessary to qualitatively assess the injury of the patellar ligament, determining whether it is a partial or complete rupture, whether it is a simple rupture, or a compound rupture, the latter involving other injuries such as fractures or joint dislocations. The treatment of patellar ligament injuries, like other tendon injuries, follows the principle of "three earlies": early diagnosis, early treatment, and early rehabilitation. Early diagnosis has been mentioned before. Early treatment means that if surgery is needed, it should be conducted as soon as possible, as earlier surgeries often result in better postoperative recoveries. If surgery is not required, an immediate fixation with a cast or brace should be applied to keep the knee joint in an extended position, and this fixation should be maintained for three to four weeks. The third step is early rehabilitation. As the knee joint is immobilized during the fixation period, and pain and swelling starts to decrease, early functional exercises should be initiated, focusing on distal joint movement and muscular isotonic exercises, but avoiding flexion and extension movements of the knee joint. Early rehabilitation primarily aims to prevent muscle atrophy, prevent joint adhesion, and promote recovery from the condition.

home-news-image

Written by Wang Jing

Pediatric Orthopedics

50sec

home-news-image

How to operate on ligament damage

Ligament injuries that affect joint stability require surgery, and different locations necessitate different surgical methods. Generally, for ligaments within a joint, such as the anterior cruciate ligament or the posterior cruciate ligament of the knee, reconstruction is performed using either autografts, allografts, or synthetic tendons to replace the original damaged ligaments. For ligaments outside of a joint, such as the medial collateral ligament, lateral collateral ligament of the knee, or the anterior talofibular ligament of the ankle, if the joint stability is compromised, suturing is generally performed during the acute phase. For chronic, long-standing injuries that affect joint stability, reconstruction is usually necessary, also using autografts, allografts, or synthetic tendons to substitute their function.

home-news-image

Written by Wang Jing

Pediatric Orthopedics

1min 20sec

home-news-image

Can ligament damage be treated with a block injection?

After ligament injury, the acute phase management mainly involves protection, elevation, avoiding the use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving drugs, compression, and patient education, and, of course, appropriate use of cold compresses. In the subacute phase, when there is no pain, some load can be added appropriately, maintaining an optimistic attitude, engaging in aerobic exercise to improve local blood circulation, and early activity should focus on practice as well as exercise in muscle strength and proprioception. Of course, in severe cases where the ligament injury is completely ruptured, affecting stability, consideration must be given to ligament repair or reconstruction. But for acute cases, there is definitely no need for cortisone injections. For chronic ligament injuries, with long-term chronic pain around the joint, conservative treatment and other methods are ineffective, local injections may be considered. However, it is advisable not to inject the injured ligament itself but rather the synovial sheath or other soft tissues surrounding the ligament, as this can reduce the damage of the injection drugs to the ligament. (Use of specific medications should be under the guidance of a physician.)

home-news-image

Written by Li Jie

Orthopedics

1min 7sec

home-news-image

How to recover from ligament damage

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.

home-news-image

Written by Wang Jing

Pediatric Orthopedics

40sec

home-news-image

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.