After an injury to your knee's ACL, or anterior cruciate ligament, your doctor might recommend avoiding any activities, such as basketball, that require you to stop short and change directions quickly. Basketball requires high jumps, hard landings, quick pivots and sprinting, all of which are activities that can worsen your injury.
Immediate Care
The length of time you must stop playing basketball depends on many factors, including the type and extent of your injury. Discuss your treatment options with your doctor to determine which methods offer you the best chance for an early and full recovery. Typically, your doctor's first concern will be to reduce the pain and swelling that accompanies an ACL injury. A torn ACL can bleed heavily, so your doctor might be able to lessen the swelling by drawing off excess fluid with a special needle.
Rehabilitation
Rebuilding strength and improving joint movement will require rehabilitation. The length and type of rehabilitation depends on the severity of your injury. It will likely include using crutches and wearing a knee brace while your ACL heals, as well as performing range-of-motion and muscle-building exercises. Playing basketball during this period might set your rehabilitation back and prevent proper healing.
Considerations
Even after your rehabilitation is complete, your doctor might warn you to avoid playing basketball and similar sports. The problem is that your ACL could be unstable. If you pivot too hard or land wrong you might tear it again, or experience other complications, such as pain and swelling.
Surgery
If you're not willing to avoid playing such sports as basketball, tennis, volleyball or soccer, you might consider another option: undergoing surgical reconstruction to stabilize your ACL. Typically, a surgeon replaces your torn ACL with a section of tendon from another area in your leg. The procedure occurs arthroscopically, which means the surgeon makes tiny incisions around your knee and uses small surgical instruments to perform the operation. A small camera allows the surgeon to see inside your knee.
Prevention
After your surgery and any post-surgery rehabilitation, your doctor might permit you to return to playing basketball. You can minimize recurrences of knee injuries by improving your overall physical conditioning, strengthening your hamstrings and learning to land correctly after high jumps. For best results, work with a sports trainer or physical therapist who specializes in sports rehabilitation.
Member Comments