There are several types of knee injuries common to snow boarding. Always consult a doctor in the event of a knee injury to ascertain the extent of the damage through an X-ray or MRI. Surgery may be necessary in order to repair a severe rupture to any ligament of the knee.
Medial Collateral Ligament
The medial collateral ligament, or MCL, is a large ligament on the interior of the knee joint that connects the femur with the tibia. When an MCL injury occurs, you can feel pain when placing pressure on the ligament, such as when bending your knee in addition to feeling pain at the point of the injury, according to ABCs of Snowboarding. The knee can become unstable in the case of a severe MCL sprain.
Treatment for an MCL Injury
Follow the RICE protocol in the early stages of an MCL injury: rest, ice, compression and elevation. Knee Clinic recommends bending your injured knee at about 30 degrees of flexion during elevation to allow it to heal. The leg must be immobile for between three and eight weeks for the MCL to properly heal, according to ABCs of Snowboarding. Surgery is necessary to repair the structure of the MCL in the case of a rupture. A post-surgery rehabilitation period of three months is necessary to fully regain strength and flexibility to the leg through range-of-motion stretching and exercising.
Anterior Cruciate Ligament
The anterior cruciate ligament, or ACL, is deep inside the joint of the knee and helps prevent excessive rotation of the knee. An ACL rupture can occur if you land a snow boarding jump with your knee bent, which can cause your leg to twist, and possibly damage the ligament. Landing a jump with your knee extended beyond its range of motion can also result in an ACL tear. You can feel a snapping sensation within your knee at the moment of an ACL rupture, according to ABCs of Snowboarding. Any strain on the knee in the moments after an ACL rupture can cause the knee to become unstable, and the knee joint will be painfully swollen within a few hours following the injury because of bleeding within the knee joint, according to Knee Clinic.
Treatment for an ACL Injury
A partial tear of the ACL with minimal instability of the knee joint may only require physical therapy such as stretching and exercise to recover range of motion, according to ABCs of Snowboarding. A severe rupture of the ACL requires surgical reconstruction of the ligament.
Inability to Extend Your Leg
If you are unable to extend your leg, then you may have a displaced meniscal tear or femoral avulsion. Each of these injuries requires arthroscopic surgery, according to Knee Clinic.
