Illinois Lawyer Referrals and Legal Guidance
Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) & Medial Collateral Ligament (MCL)
Findgreatlawyers.com is a free service, founded by Illinois work injury lawyers, to find an attorney or obtain guidance for any Illinois legal matter, including Illinois injury claims cases. Our founding attorneys are Chicago workers' compensation lawyers and we are able to help people that contact us with work injury questions probably better than in any area of law that we help with. Please call us at (312) 346-5320 or (800) 517-1614 or fill out our contact us form and we will contact you. All inquiries are kept in strict confidence.
It is not uncommon for the meniscus tear to occur along with injuries to the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) and the medial collateral ligament (MCL). These three problems occurring together are generally seen in sports such as football when the player is hit on the outside of the knee.
ACL
The anterior cruciate ligament is the primary restraint to forward motion of the shin bone (tibia). The femur (thigh bone) sits on top of the tibia (shin bone), and the knee controls the movement where these bones meet. The ligaments stabilize the knee. The ACL prevents the tibia from sliding too far forward. The ACL also contributes stability to other movements of the knee including the rotation at the knee joint. The ACL performs these functions by attaching to the femur on one end, and to the tibia on the other.
When an ACL injury occurs, the knee becomes less stable. The ACL injury is a problem because this instability can make sudden, pivoting movements difficult, and it may make the knee more prone to developing arthritis and cartilage tears. This is another injury that is common to athletes, more frequently in females than in males.
Treatment for ACL Injuries
ACL reconstruction is the most common treatment when an ACL is completely torn. If an ACL is completely torn, it will not heal back together, even if the torn ends are sewn together. The process of a reconstructive surgery is to remove the torn ends of the ACL and replace the ligament with a different structure (a graft). To secure the graft into the position of the normal ACL, tunnels are made in the shin bone (tibia) and thigh bone (femur), and the graft is passed through these tunnels to reconstruct the ligament.
MCL
The medial collateral ligament (MCL) is another ligament that controls the stability of the knee. It spans the distance from the end of the femur (thigh bone) to the top of the tibia (shin bone) and is on the inside of the knee joint. The medial collateral ligament keeps the joint from widening or "opening up." Because the medial collateral ligament resists widening of the inside of the knee joint, the MCL is usually injured when the outside of the knee joint is struck. This is commonly referred to as the "buckling of the knee." The MCL can also tear if it is stretched too far.
Treatment for MCL Injuries
Treatment of a MCL injury rarely requires surgical intervention, as such injuries generally heal quickly. Resting from activity, icing the injury, and anti-inflamatory medications will usually be all the treatment that is needed. If the sprain is more severe, use of a hinged knee brace is common in early treatment. In such cases, athletes with these injuries can return to activity once they are not having pain over the MCL. In extremely severe cases, patients usually require physical therapy and will not return to their full level of activity for 3 to 4 months.
If the sprain is more severe, use of a hinged knee brace is common in early treatment. In such cases, athletes with these injuries can return to activity once they are not having pain over the MCL. In extremely severe cases, patients usually require physical therapy and will not return to their full level of activity for 3 to 4 months.
Findgreatlawyers.com focuses on finding lawyers in every part of the state of Illinois. From Chicago to Rockford, to Central Illinois, down to Southern Illinois, and every county in between. Whatever the legal area or location within the state of Illinois, we know the perfect lawyer for you Please fill out our contact us form and we will contact you. All inquiries are kept in strict confidence.