Sports Injuries

Sports Injuries and Arthritis

A common cause of a sport injury is when a ligament or a supporting structure is damaged which will lead to abnormal mechanics in the joint. If this happens it will cause stress on the articular surface which will wear out over time and lead to artrhritis. This is very common in the knee with the ACL injury. 

ACL stands for Anterior Cruciate Ligament which is regarded as on of the main stabilizing components of the knee. The ACL is commonly injured during pivoting. This will result in torn ACL and an unstable knee.

This instability abuses the knee and over time the articular surfaces are damaged by the abnormal stressors. The result will eventually be Osteoarthritis although the time for this to occur will vary and may happen years later.

Another problem associated with the knee is torn cartilage. The menisci are two semicircular wedges of cartilage that function to create shock absorbancy and cushion the joint.

Historically the entire torn meniscus was removed to relieve the pain but we now know that this procedure predisposes the patient to premature arthritis due to the absence of the protective effects of the menisci. Nowadays attempts are made to repair the torn meniscus and to remove only the necessary parts to leave the patient with as much meniscus as possible but an injured meniscus may still lead to earlier arthritis.

Click here for more info on Prevention and Treatment of Arthritis from Sport Injuries

This page was last modified:
Tuesday, March 19, 2024
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The health information contained in this website provided by Premier Medical is provided for general information and educational purposes only and is not intended to replace advice, discussions, recommendations or treatment from a healthcare provider. Decisions relating to patient care must be made with a healthcare provider.