Ligament Tears of the Knee

Volleyball players tend to have a lot of jumping and cutting implemented into their sport. Whether it is going up for a block, jumping up for a volley serve, or squatting down low for a dig, knees can be stressed to their limit. As mentioned in my previous blogs the past few weeks, meniscus tears and patellar tendinitis are just a few of the injuries that the knee can sustain; ligament damage can be just as detrimental.

The knee is supported by four ligaments: anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), posterior cruciate ligament (PCL), medial collateral ligament (MCL), and lateral collateral ligament (LCL).2 Each ligament has a specific job in how it supports a particular movement of the knee so when one ligament is damaged, one motion of the knee becomes unstable. Out of all four ligaments the most common one to tear is the ACL.2

Tearing the ACL can happen from either twisting your knee while your foot is planted, hyperextending your knee with another force targeting the outside of the knee, or possibly even stopping too quickly to cut in another direction.2 If the ACL tears there is usually a loud “pop” that is heard or felt, followed by severe pain and swelling.2 A visit to the doctor is necessary to decipher the extent of the tear which will reveal whether surgery is necessary or if general physical therapy can help.2

According to one article, ACL tears make up 14% of volleyball injuries during competition and that athletes are twice as likely to tear their ACL in a game rather than practice.1 The article also stated that 70% of the ACL injuries are from non-contact mechanisms; instead of contact with another player, the ACL is damaged by none other than landing, mechanics, and overall stability of the knee.1

In summary, ACL tears are one of the toughest injuries to return from based on the recovery time (months) and volleyball players are no exception to obtaining this injury. Proper ACL preventative programs allow teams and individuals to help strengthen the muscles around the knee to decrease the likelihood of such a shattering injury.

References:

1. Digging in to prevent ACL injuries in volleyball. (n.d.). Retrieved September 29, 2015.

2. Knee Ligament Injuries: ACL, PCL, and More. (n.d.). Retrieved September 29, 2015.