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贴一篇关于ACL(anterior cruciate ligament,好象是前十字韧带)损伤的文章
The Dreaded ACL Injury
What it is and How to Prevent it
This is a basic overview primarily to make people aware of the issue and highlight the importance of prevention. It is not a substitute for professional medical examination if you think you may have an ACL injury.
The ACL
One of the most common, and dreaded, skiing injuries is the ACL tear. The ACL, or anterior cruciate ligament, is a ligament located inside the knee joint. It is a major connector of the femur and the tibia and one of the key parts of the joint for maintaining a stable, yet flexible knee.
Causes
ACL injuries are caused by forceful hyperextension or an impact injury to the knee - skiers are particularly susceptible to these types of strains. Jumps, bumps and twisting falls are all culprits of damaging ACLs.
Self Diagnosis
Many who experience a severe ACL injury hear an audible "pop" at the moment of impact (landing a jump, bashing a mogul, etc…) accompanied by a moment of pain. The initial impact is then followed by swelling, pain, and instability of the knee. Instability in this case means that the knee has trouble supporting your body weight when you stand.
If you find yourself facing any of these symptoms, you should head to a doctor's office immediately.
How Bad Is It?
It is possible to function with even a complete tear, however, it will limit mobility and, even after the pain has subsided, expose one to the risk of the knee collapsing at inopportune times (particularly if engaging in athletically strenuous activities). With extraordinarily strong quads and hamstrings, this can be overcome - the story of quarterback John Elway winning the Superbowl with a torn ACL that he chose not to repair is well known in ACL circles. However, he is an extraordinarily strong athlete and was able to achieve this by compensating with super strong quads and hamstrings.
Treatment
Depending on the severity of the injury, recovery can involve exercise, a brace, or surgical reconstruction of the ligament. If it is even a relatively moderate ACL tear, your season is over and daily therapy will become a routine.
A complete tear (which is not uncommon) will most likely require an operation. This is a common procedure with an extremely high success rate.
Nevertheless, surgery is never an appealing thought. The alternative is working-out with an intense rehabilitation program to build muscle strength while allowing the ligament to heal. This typically means starting in the gym with machines and evolving to low-impact exercises such as swimming and cycling - all combined with a lot of ice.
There is some disagreement among doctors as to when surgery is necessary so get multiple opinions and do your own research on the subject (the web has numerous accounts of ACL injuries and recovery programs).
Regardless, you are looking at a long recovery period. It is often months before low impact exercises can be pursued with any intensity and it will be at least a year before you are back on skis.
Prevention
You can take several steps to greatly reduce your risk of an ACL injury (and this is particularly important for women who are more susceptible due to weaker hamstrings):
1. Build up your quadriceps and hamstring pre-season! This cannot be over-emphasized.
2. At the end of the day when you are exhausted, do not go big! (as in, no huge airs, VW size moguls, etc…)
3. Become flexible through regular stretching and/or yoga (it is better to bend than snap!).
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发表于 2004-1-13 09:19:57
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