After the damage is done, the victim can initiate a so-called RICE treatment: Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation. The injured knee should remain stable during the first 24-48 hours to prevent any aggravation of the injury. There must be something cold on the knee. One can use special ice packs or a bag of ice cubes. One can also use a bag of frozen peas or something similar. The ice must never be placed directly on the skin. There should be no cloth between the ice and the skin, otherwise there may be frostbite of the skin. The emphasis is on ice for 20 minutes every hour.

It should at least be treated with ice for the first three hours, but there may be effects of ice treatment throughout the first day. One thing that must not be brought onto the ice is a compressed bandage. The dressing should be firm but not constricting. It may not affect blood circulation. The best thing to use is an elastic bandage, stretching entirely from the toes to the middle of the femur. The knee should if possible be elevated above the heart level. If the injured person lies down, the leg is overlaid on some pillows with a special splint or whatever one has handy. If he or she sits, the leg should be placed on a table or a chair. The leg should also be placed high the next day, as soon as he or she sits or lies down.

In the acute phase the patient should seek an examining physician for all possible lesions in the knee. It may be that the knee is so swollen at first, that it is impossible to examine it properly. The physician can then choose to put a brace on the knee and examine it again after about 10 days.

The doctor will examine for ACL injuries in terms of what is called the anterior laxity or \’drawer\’. This means that by this study he can pull the lower leg forward of the femur. This will be examined with the leg in different positions. If he is in doubt about the diagnosis, an MRI may be helpful.

It is not always required to have an operation with an ACL injury. The first thing to do is to find out what needs the injured person has for an operation. This is very dependent on one\’s activity, job, age, and not least how much discomfort one has. In very young athletes, orthopedic surgeons will quickly decide to make a cruciate ligament reconstruction. It may be appropriate for one to two months after the injury occurred. For patients who indulge in contact sports (handball, football) orthopedists will often recommend that they implement a three-month training program whereby they train the muscles that stabilize the knee. There are two reasons for this: In some cases they will feel that after this training, the knee is now so stable that surgery is not necessary. It is so important now to keep the workout going. Secondly, it is important that the knees and muscles be as efficient as possible in connection with the operation. After surgery, patients need to follow at least three months of rehabilitation.

www.OSC-Ortho.com provides a range of specialized orthopedic services. For more information on treating sports injuries, visit our website.

http://www.osc-ortho.com/ provides a range of specialized orthopedic services. For http://www.osc-ortho.com/services/sports-med.html more information on treating sports injuries, visit our website.

Author Bio: www.OSC-Ortho.com provides a range of specialized orthopedic services. For more information on treating sports injuries, visit our website.

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