Sports Medicine Specialists

One of the most common knee injuries is an ACL sprain or tear. Partial tears are rare; most ACL injuries are complete or near complete tears. If this ligament is injured, surgery may be required to regain full function of the knee. This will depend on several factors, such as the severity of the injury, age, and activity level.

Some of the ways the anterior cruciate ligament can be injured include:

– Changing direction rapidly
– Stopping suddenly
– Slowing down while running
– Landing from a jump incorrectly
– Direct contact or collision, such as a tackle

If the overall stability of the knee is intact, the doctor may recommend simple, nonsurgical options including bracing and physical therapy.

Meniscus tears are among the most common knee injuries. When people talk about torn cartilage in the knee, they are usually referring to a torn meniscus.

Acute meniscus tears often happen while playing sports. As people age, they are more likely to have degenerative meniscus tears. Symptoms may include pain, stiffness, swelling, locking or feeling like your knee is giving way.

Many meniscus tears will not need immediate surgery. If symptoms do not persist and you have no locking or swelling of the knee, your doctor may recommend nonsurgical treatment, including the RICE protocol:

Rest. Take a break from the activity that caused the injury. Your doctor may recommend that you use crutches to avoid putting weight on your leg.
Ice. Use cold packs for 20 minutes at a time, several times a day. Do not apply ice directly to the skin.
Compression. To prevent additional swelling and blood loss, wear an elastic compression bandage.
Elevation. To reduce swelling, recline when you rest, and put your leg up higher than your heart.

A rotator cuff tear is a rip in the group of muscles and tendons that stabilize your shoulder joint and let you lift and rotate your arms. This type of injury can cause a dull ache in the shoulder, which often worsens with use of the arm away from the body.

Common symptoms of a rotator cuff tear include:
– Pain at rest and at night
– Pain when lifting and lowering your arm or with specific movements
– Weakness when lifting or rotating your arm
– A crackling sensation when moving your shoulder in certain positions

In about 80% of patients, nonsurgical treatment relieves pain and improves function in the shoulder. Nonsurgical treatment options may include rest, activity modification, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, physical therapy, and corticosteroid injections. Surgery may be recommended if your pain does not improve with nonsurgical methods.

A shoulder labral tear is an injury to the ring of cartilage in the shoulder joint. Tears can occur from acute trauma, such as a fall onto an outstretched arm, or from repetitive shoulder motion.

The symptoms of a tear in the shoulder socket rim are very similar to those of other shoulder injuries, and may include:

– A sense of instability or dislocation
– Pain, usually with overhead activities or at night
– Catching, locking, popping, or grinding
– Decreased range of motion
– Loss of strength

In many cases, nonsurgical methods such as physical therapy are effective in relieving symptoms and healing the injured structures. If they are insufficient, your doctor may recommend arthroscopic or traditional surgery.