ACL Injury

Complications

In the short term, you'll have to stop doing the activities that cause pain until your injured ligament has healed. You may have to take time off work, school and sports.

Other complications may include:

  • Torn meniscus: In many cases, an ACL injury also results in a tear of the meniscus — the special cartilage in your knee between the thighbone and shinbone which cushions force through your leg. A cartilage tear increases the risk of future joint problems.
  • Arthritis: A common long-term complication is the early onset of knee osteoarthritis, in which joint cartilage deteriorates and its smooth surface roughens. About half the people with an ACL tear develop osteoarthritis in the involved joint 10 to 20 years later. Arthritis may occur even if you have surgery to reconstruct the ligament.
Treatment Investigations
29 August, 2011