Knee braces provide durable support for moderate to severe ACL, PCL, MCL and Meniscus Injuries instabilities as well as other knee injuries.
Read more about:
- ACL - Anterior cruciate ligament
- PCL - Medial collateral ligament injury
- MCL - Posterior Cruciate Ligament Tear
- Meniscus Injuries
ACL - Anterior cruciate ligament
The anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) is probably the most commonly injured ligament of the knee. In most cases, the ligament is injured by people participating in athletic activity.
There are three types of ACL injuries:
- First Degree Sprain
The fibers of the ACL ligament are stretched, but there is no tear in the fibers. There is a little tenderness and Swelling. Weight bearing and walking is still possible. The knee does not feel unstable or give out during activity. - Second Degree Sprain
The fibers of the ACL ligament are partially torn. There is tenderness and moderate Swelling. Walking feels uncomfortable, and you may need to limp. The joint may feel unstable or give out during activity. - Third Degree Sprain
The fibers of the ACL ligament are completely torn and there is usually a lot of pain at the time of tear, but decreases as time passes. There may be some Swelling or a lot of Swelling. The ligament cannot hold the knee in place properly and the knee feels unstable and may give out and walking is usually difficult and may require the use of crutches. This type of injury requires a visit to the doctor and may require some degree of surgery.
A knee brace can be an effective treatment in some individuals, but in sporting individuals knee surgery for ACL reconstruction is usually indicated to restore knee joint stability and reduce the risk of developing knee Arthritis in the long term. Following ACL surgery, physical therapy rehabilitation is very important.
Common ACL injury signs and symptoms:
- You may here a ‘pop’ or ‘crack’ sound
- Knee joint swells within a short time following the injury
- Feeling of insecurity and giving way of the knee
- Knee may feel like it wants to slip backwards
- Difficult to straighten leg
What is recommended:
- Apply cold therapy/ice packs
- Wear a knee brace for protection (link to braces)
- Consult a physician
Third Degree Sprains usually require surgery when a rupture is diagnosed. Post-surgical care involves efforts to restore natural movement of the knee. Physical therapy to rehabilitate the knee generally follows surgery. Ice packs are applied to reduce Swelling and pain and the DonJoy Armour or Defiance knee braces can be worn to help support the knee, provide compression to reduce Swelling and provide more stabilization.
MCL - Medial collateral ligament injury
The collateral Ligaments can be torn in sporting activities, such as skiing or football. The injury usually occurs when the lower leg is forced sideways, either toward the other knee (medially) or away from the other knee (laterally). A blow to the outside of the knee while the foot is planted can result in a tear of the MCL. Slipping on ice can cause the foot to move outward, taking the lower leg with it. The body weight pushing down causes an awkward and unnatural force on the whole leg, much like bending a green stick. The MCL may be torn in this instance because the force hinges the medial part of the knee open, putting stress on the MCL.
Symptoms:
An injury violent enough to actually tear one of the collateral Ligaments causes significant damage to the soft tissues around the knee. There is usually bleeding and Swelling into the tissues surrounding the knee. The damage may also cause bleeding into the knee joint itself. The knee becomes stiff and painful. As the initial stiffness and pain subside the knee joint may feel unstable, and the knee may give way and not support your body weight.
Chronic, or long-term, instability due to an old injury to the collateral Ligaments is a common problem. If the torn ligament heals but is not tight enough to support the knee, a feeling of instability will continue to be felt. The knee will give way at times and may be painful with heavy use.
Nonsurgical Treatment:
An isolated injury to the MCL rarely requires surgical repair or reconstruction. Most doctors opt not to immobilize the knee in a cast when the MCL is torn. Some doctors prefer to issue their patients a knee brace after the injury if there is significant pain and instability.
Initial treatments for a collateral ligament injury focus on decreasing pain and Swelling in the knee. Rest and anti-inflammatory medications, such as aspirin, can help decrease these symptoms. You may need to use crutches until you can walk without a limp.
Most patients receive physical therapy treatments for collateral ligament injuries. Therapists may treat Swelling and pain with the use of ice, electrical stimulation, and rest periods with your leg supported in elevation.
Some doctors prescribe the use of a functional brace for athletes who intend to return quickly to their sport. These braces support the knee and protect the collateral Ligaments.
Patients who continue having periods of Swelling or instability in the knee may need surgery to correct their problem.
PCL - Posterior Cruciate Ligament Tear
The posterior cruciate ligament is one of the less commonly injured Ligaments of the knee.
The most common way for the PCL alone to be injured is from a direct blow to the front of the knee while the knee is bent. Since the PCL controls how far backward the tibia moves in relation to the femur, if the tibia moves too far, the PCL can rupture.
Sometimes the PCL is injured during an automobile accident. This can happen if a person slides forward during a sudden stop or impact and the knee hits the dashboard just below the kneecap. In this situation, the tibia is forced backward under the femur, injuring the PCL. The same problem can happen if a person falls on a bent knee. Again, the tibia may be forced backward, stressing and possibly tearing the PCL.
Other parts of the knee may be injured when the knee is violently hyperextended, but other Ligaments are usually injured or torn before the PCL. This type of injury can happen when the knee is struck from the front when the foot is planted on the ground.
Symptoms:
The symptoms following a tear of the PCL can vary. The PCL is not actually enclosed inside the knee joint like the ACL. So unlike an ACL tear, which swells the joint with blood, PCL injuries don’t make the knee swell as much. Most patients with a PCL injury sense a feeling of stiffness and some Swelling. Patients may also have a feeling of insecurity and giving way of the knee, especially when trying to change direction on the knee. The knee may feel like it wants to slip.
The pain and moderate Swelling from the initial injury will usually be gone after two to four weeks, but the knee may still feel unstable. The symptom of instability and the inability to trust the knee for support are what requires treatment. Also important in the decision about treatment is the growing realization by orthopedic surgeons that long-term instability leads to early Arthritis of the knee.
Nonsurgical Treatment:
Initial treatment for a PCL injury focuses on decreasing pain and Swelling in the knee. Rest and mild pain medications, such as acetaminophen, can help decrease these symptoms. You may need to use a long-leg brace and crutches at first to limit pain. Most patients are given the okay to put a normal amount of weight down while walking.
Less severe PCL tears are usually treated with a progressive rehabilitation program. Patients intending to return to high-demand activities may require a functional knee brace before returning to these activities. These braces are designed to replace knee stability when the PCL doesn’t function properly. They help keep the knee from giving way during moderate activity, but they can give a false sense of security and won’t always protect the knee during sports that require heavy cutting, jumping, or pivoting. These braces are not the type you can buy at the drugstore. Most orthopedists will recommend wearing a brace for at least one year after a reconstruction, so even if you decide to have surgery, a brace is probably a good investment.
Most patients receive physical therapy treatments after a PCL injury. Therapists treat Swelling and pain with the use of ice, electrical stimulation, and rest periods with your leg supported in elevation.
Exercises are used to help you regain normal movement of Joints and Muscles. Range-of-motion exercises should be started right away with the goal of helping you swiftly regain full movement in your knee. This includes the use of a stationary bike, gentle stretching, and careful pressure applied to the knee by the therapist.
Exercises are also given to improve the strength of the Quadriceps Muscles on the front of the thigh. As your symptoms ease and strength improves, you will be guided in specialized exercises to improve knee stability.
Meniscus Injuries
Meniscal injuries can occur at any age, but the causes are somewhat different for each age group. In younger people, the meniscus is a fairly tough and rubbery structure. Tears in the meniscus in patients under 30 years old usually occur as a result of a fairly forceful twisting injury. In the younger age group, meniscal tears are more likely to be caused by a sport activity. The entire inner rim of the medial meniscus can be torn in what is called a bucket handle tear. The meniscus can also have a flap torn from the inner rim.
The tissue that forms the menisci weakens with age, making the menisci prone to degeneration and tearing. People of older ages often end up with a tear as result of a minor injury, such as from the up-and-down motion of squatting. Most often, there isn’t one specific injury to the knee that leads to the degenerative type of meniscal tear. These tears of the menisci are commonly seen as a part of the overall condition of osteoarthritis of the knee in aging adults. Degenerative tears cause the menisci to fray and become torn in many directions.
Symptoms:
The most common problem caused by a torn meniscus is pain. The pain may be felt along the edge of the knee joint closest to where the meniscus is located. Or the pain may be more vague and involve the whole knee.
The knee may swell, causing it to feel stiff and tight. This is usually because fluid accumulates inside the knee joint. This is sometimes called water on the knee. This is not unique to meniscal tears, since it can also occur when the knee becomes inflamed.
The knee joint can also lock up if the tear is large enough. Locking refers to the inability to completely straighten out the knee. This can happen when a fragment of the meniscus tears free and gets caught in the hinge mechanism of the knee, like a pencil stuck in the hinge of a door.
A torn meniscus can cause long-term problems. The constant rubbing of the torn meniscus on the articular cartilage may cause the joint surface to become worn, leading to knee osteoarthritis.
Nonsurgical Treatment:
Initial treatment for a torn meniscus focuses on decreasing pain and Swelling in the knee. Rest and anti-inflammatory medications, such as aspirin, can help decrease these symptoms. You may need to use crutches until you can walk without a limp.
Some patients may receive physical therapy treatments for meniscal problems. Therapists treat Swelling and pain with the use of ice, electrical stimulation, and rest periods with your leg supported in elevation. Exercises are used to help you regain normal movement of Joints and Muscles.
