Symptoms of torn ligaments

• The symptoms of a torn ligament are easily recognisable although they can sometimes be confused with those of a meniscus injury.
• The intensity of the symptoms and pain will depend on the type of ligament tear, as it can be a partial or complete ligament tear.
• Relief of the symptoms of torn ligaments can be alleviated with conservative treatment, but surgical treatment is mainly recommended.

The knee joint has several ligaments that provide stability and allow the knee to function properly. Of all the ligaments that make up this joint (anterior cruciate ligament, posterior cruciate ligament, internal lateral ligament, external lateral ligament, etc.) the cruciate ligaments are the most important and at the same time the most prone to injury.

Of these two ligaments, the anterior cruciate ligament and the posterior cruciate ligament, the most frequently injured ligament is the anterior cruciate ligament, especially during contact sports such as football, rugby or basketball. This is because these sports involve abrupt changes in running direction that strain the ligament, not to mention the impact of tackles by opponents.

This injury is perhaps one of the most feared by sportsmen and women, due to the fact that it is imperative to undergo surgery and that recovery from a cruciate ligament rupture will take several months.

Therefore, in order to learn a little about the symptoms of an ACL tear, we explain them step by step below.

• When the ligament ruptures, usually the anterior cruciate ligament in the knee, the affected person feels and may even hear a snapping sound in the knee.
• Within a minute of the ligament rupturing, the person usually feels a sharp pain with a stabbing sensation. This pain is sudden, coming on suddenly and reaching a point where the pain is very sharp.
• After a few minutes, a significant swelling of the knee begins to appear.
• Unlike other joints, when ligament rupture occurs in the knee, there is no subcutaneous haematoma because the blood accumulates inside the joint capsule, without being visible from the outside.
• All of this means that the patient feels instability in the joint, as if it were loose, has difficulty in supporting the leg and, together with the pain, finds it impossible to walk normally.

The symptoms of torn ligaments in the knee are similar to those felt with a torn meniscus, so a diagnosis by a doctor is very important to determine the type of injury that has been sustained.

It is common that when such an injury occurs with a traumatic origin, during a movement or a blow, other damage to the knee and even the dreaded knee triad, which involves the rupture of the anterior cruciate ligament, the posterior cruciate ligament and one of the two menisci.

Once the anterior cruciate ligament rupture has been diagnosed by physical examination and confirmed by medical tests such as X-rays or MRI scans, the decision must be made whether or not to operate. In young patients, arthroscopic reconstruction of the cruciate ligament is always recommended, as it is a surgery with a very high success rate and will allow the patient to return to sport.

In the case of an older person, it is possible to opt for rehabilitation focused on the knee musculature to compensate for the lack of stability that occurs with the loss of the anterior cruciate ligament, but whenever possible it is better to reconstruct the ligament.