Have you ever injured your ACL?
Some of you may have answered yes, but if not It is quite possible that you have atleast heard of someone who has injured his or her knee in this way. Your ACL is one of a few ligaments found at your knee and it is important because it minimizes stress across the knee joint. Moreover, this ligament restrains excessive forward movement of the lower leg bone, (AKA your tibia) in relation to the thigh bone (the femur). Secondly, your ACL limits rotational movements of the knee.
So, What can I do after I have injured my ACL?
Well, among the many options you have are to see your doctor, of course,...surgery may be an option, and then to get a knee brace along with having some sort of physical therapy to help work yourself back into shape. Am I going to need surgery?
This is up to you and your doctor to determine. But, If you are going to have surgery, the usual post surgical process would be to get a large knee immobilizing type of splint or knee brace for after surgery. These kinds of knee braces are very good at keeping your knee very still, and possibly allowing a specific range of movements later, when your physician says that you can start moving your knee. These specific movements at the knee are usually controlled by the knee joints on the post op knee brace.
Ok, I have used a post op brace, Now What?
Next it is highly likely, that you get a Functional knee brace. ACL style functional knee braces are gaining increasing acceptance among individuals for treatment of knee instability arising out of injury of the anterior cruciate ligament. These braces are designed to allow normal movements of the tibio-femoral joint without overloading or causing abnormal displacement that may cause strain to the injured ligament or reconstructed Anterior Cruciate Ligament.
In a study of people that have injured their ACL, It was found that the use of braces after the operative procedure provided considerable protection to the ligament from strain under low anterior shear loads, when compared to no bracing.
Bracing is also known to induce a sense of security and improve athletic performance. Some researchers also associate a beneficial proprioceptive effect from the use of braces. However, the performance of a knee brace depends considerably on its design. - While studies are on to pinpoint the relationship of these factors to the functional efficacy of knee braces, they continue to be a top choice among athletes and other persons with high levels of physical activity for complementing treatment of knee instability due to injury to the anterior cruciate ligament.
Summary: Injuries to the anterior cruciate ligament and its associated knee instability are common place. Functional knee braces provide protection from overloading or from causing abnormal displacement that may cause strain to the injured ligament or the reconstructed anterior cruciate ligament.
