Athletes who have twisted their knees in sports like basketball, netball, soccer or badminton, commonly complain of their knees ‘giving way’ or ‘locking’. The sensation of ‘giving way’ is an indication that you may have torn your Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) while ‘locking’ is an indication of a possible meniscus tear.
ACL Injury
When athletes change direction quickly during their games, they twist their knee inwards. This increases the strain on the ACL and places the ligament at risk of tearing. The ACL tears when the knee is forced downwards and inwards beyond the ligament’s ability to hold it. Athletes who tear their ACL often report hearing a ‘pop’ on injury.
Meniscal Injury
The meniscus, which is a crescent-shaped cartilage in the knee joint, acts as a cushion to absorb the impact between the leg and thigh bone. The meniscus is better at handling stress from an up-and-down motion. It doesn’t do as well under a twisting motion especially when compressed. This motion can cause a tear in the meniscus. The knee feels ‘locked’ when the torn part of the meniscus blocks the movement of the knee.
2 comments:
wow that is a good information and nice pictures. Keep it up!
Thank you very much for your feedback. I am glad you like it. If you have any other enquiry on fitness, don't hesitate to email me. Cheers! :)
Post a Comment