Active at
50? Still prime for Knee
Repair Surgery
Newswise — A torn anterior cruciate ligament
(ACL), a type of knee injury, doesn’t have
to permanently sideline active adults age 50
and older, according to the March issue of
Mayo Clinic Health Letter.
The ACL is a key ligament that stabilizes
and supports the knee joint. It connects the
thigh bone (femur) to the shinbone (tibia)
and controls movement of the lower leg. The
ACL is an important knee stabilizer when
twisting, pivoting or jumping.
On the tennis court or during other
high-intensity activities, a loud “pop”
emitted from the knee and severe pain are
the first signs of a torn ACL.
A partial or complete tear can result from a
hard twist on the joint, a sudden stop while
running, a jump landing, or a direct blow to
the knee.
Until recently, ACL tears occurring after
age 50, and even after age 40, were
typically managed with nonsurgical care that
included modified activity levels and
physical therapy.
The treatment led to recovery but not the
same level of stability as surgical repair.
More people 50 and older are leading active
lives, which makes them good candidates for
surgical reconstruction of the ACL.
The ligament is reconstructed with a piece
of tendon from the leg or with a tendon from
a donor cadaver. With successful surgery,
active adults can return to the same
activities they participated in prior to the
injury.
Mayo Clinic Health Letter is an eight-page
monthly newsletter of reliable, accurate and
practical information on today’s health and
medical news.
To subscribe, please call 800-333-9037
(toll-free), extension 9771, or visit
www.HealthLetter.MayoClinic.com
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