Wondering if You Need to Start Interviewing ACL Surgeons in San Francisco?
Overview
An ACL injury is a tear or sprain of the anterior cruciate ligament that ACL surgeons in San Francisco would have to repair. Ligaments are strong bands of tissue that connect one bone to another. The ACL, one of two ligaments that cross in the middle of the knee, connects your thigh bone (femur) to your shinbone (tibia) and helps stabilize your knee joint.
Symptoms
Signs and symptoms of an ACL injury usually include:
- A loud “pop” or a “popping” sensation in the knee
- Severe pain and inability to continue activity
- Rapid swelling
- Loss of range of motion
- A feeling of instability or “giving way” with weight bearing
Seek immediate care from a knee surgeon in San Francisco if any injury to your knee causes signs or symptoms of an ACL injury. The knee joint is a complex structure of bones, ligaments, tendons and other tissues that work together. It’s important to get a prompt and accurate diagnosis to determine the severity of the injury and get proper treatment.
Causes
ACL injuries most commonly occur during sports and fitness activities such as soccer, basketball, football and downhill skiing. Sudden stops or changes in direction, jumping and landing can put stress on the knee. Examples are:
- Suddenly slowing down and changing direction (cutting)
- Pivoting with your foot firmly planted
- Landing awkwardly from a jump
- Stopping suddenly
- Receiving a direct blow to the knee or collision, such as a football tackle
Risk factors
There are a number of factors that increase your risk of an ACL injury, including:
- Being female — possibly due to differences in anatomy, muscle strength and hormonal influences
- Participating in certain sports, such as soccer, football, basketball, gymnastics and downhill skiing
- Poor conditioning
- Wearing footwear that doesn’t fit properly
- Using poorly maintained sports equipment, such as ski bindings that aren’t adjusted properly
- Playing on artificial turf surfaces
Prevention
Proper training and exercise can help reduce the risk of ACL injury, including:
- Exercises that strengthen leg muscles, particularly hamstring exercises, to ensure an overall balance in leg muscle strength
- Exercises to strengthen the core, including the hips, pelvis and lower abdomen
- Training and exercise emphasizing proper technique and knee position when jumping and landing from jumps
- Training to improve technique when performing pivoting and cutting movements
- Training to strengthen muscles of the legs, hips and core — as well as training to improve jumping and landing techniques — may help to reduce the higher ACL injury risk associated with women athletes.
Do You Need a Knee Surgeon in San Francisco?
Depending on the severity of your ACL injury, treatment may require surgery performed by a knee surgeon in San Francisco to replace the torn ligament.
Have you experienced any of the symptoms of an ACL injury listed above? Contact Dr. Jeffrey Halbrecht for a consultation. He specializes in knee surgery and is one of the best ACL surgeons in San Francisco.
