Citizens Memorial Hospital | Vitality | Fall 2019

8 VITALITY Fall 2019 ACL injuries: What you should know When it comes to knees, few injuries are more common than anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries—some 200,000 are diagnosed every year in the U.S. Here are answers to key questions about a torn or sprained ACL. PHYSICAL THERAPY WHY YOUNEED IT AFTER JOINT SURGERY So you’ve decided to have a knee or hip joint replaced. Good for you! Joint replacement surgery can help you get around better with less pain. That’s a big deal. But what happens after your surgery is also pretty important. Physical therapy is a key part of recovery after joint surgery. It can help your new joint get stronger. And it can help you move your new joint better. Physical therapy usually starts in the hospital. Right after your surgery, your physical therapist will begin to teach you gentle exercises you can do in bed. You’ll learn to sit up, stand and walk short distances with a walker or crutches. Soon you’ll learn to walk farther and climb a few stairs. These exercises in the hospital will help you learn to move your new joint safely. And they’ll keep blood moving through your joints to promote healing. Your physical therapy should continue for several weeks after your hospital stay. You will continue physical therapy in one of our skilled nursing facilities for short-term rehabilitation or receive therapy at our outpatient therapy location in the Douglas Medical Center. As your therapy continues, another benefit is that it can be geared toward helping you meet specific goals, such as going back to work or returning to a sport you enjoy. Sources: American Physical Therapy Association; Arthritis Foundation; National Institutes of Health ANSWER: A torn ACL will not heal without surgery. Even so, treatment will depend on your lifestyle and needs. For example, a young athlete will likely need surgery followed by physical therapy to safely return to a high-demand sport. But for an older, less active adult, physical therapy may be an effective treatment. How is an ACL injury treated? You’ve torn yourACL Now what?Talk to a board certified orthopedic surgeon at CMH Orthopedic & Spine Center. Call 417-777-2663 for an appointment. What is the ACL? ANSWER: It’s one of four main ligaments that hold together bones in your knee and keep it stable. Q COMMUNITY ORTHOPEDICS How do ACL injuries happen? ANSWER: They often occur in high- demand sports like soccer, basketball or football when someone suddenly stops moving, changes direction rapidly or lands from a jump incorrectly. That movement may mildly stretch and damage the ligament. Or it may partially or completely tear it. Though it’s not clear why, female athletes have a much higher rate of ACL injuries, perhaps because of how estrogen affects ligaments. Q What are the symptoms of an ACL injury? ANSWER: You may hear a “pop,” and your knee may give out from under you. Your knee may also hurt and swell. If you think you’ve injured your ACL, get medical attention. Q Sources: American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons; American Physical Therapy Association Q Call CMH OutpatientTherapy and Occupational Health Services at 417-328-6453 for more information.