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What ethnicity is likely to suffer from ACL injury?

-Race and ethnicity have been linked to these types of injuries. Caucasians are the most susceptible amongst all ethnic groups. This is likely due to the size of their "intercondylar notches" which houses the stabilizing structures of the ACL.

Notable data is shown below:

Males:

African American: 18.0 mm

Caucasian:16.9 mm

Females:

African American: 15.5 mm

Caucasian: 14.1 mm.

References: https://fixknee.com/athletes-risk-acl-tears

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While all ACL injuries can't be prevented, many are due to wear and tear on the body. Many athletes overwork their muscles making them highly susceptible for injury. With that being said, the National Institute of Health lists the optimal amount of exercise needed to be healthy while sustaining less injuries. These are the minimal requirements for both athletes and non athletes. However, nobody should exceed anywhere from 2-4 times this amount for optimal results.

-Minimum of 5 to 10 hours of moderate physical activity weekly.

-Minimum 2 hours and 30 minutes to 5 hours of vigorous physical activity weekly.

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Before any conditioning or training, athletes are required to have a proper warm-up to help prevent muscle strains or stiff knees that could lead to an ACL tear. In the warm-up, the athletes could include exercises like reverse lunges, bridges, and straight/backward leg rises to help strengthen their muscles. There are also exercises that could improve landing or the sudden movements when playing. Without a warm-up, an athlete could receive cramps or sprains during their game/competition.

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The Washercap, a soft tissue fixation device, is used within a ligament or tendon reconstruction operation including an ACL surgery. The device helps treat the injury and replaces the original ACL with screws. It promotes a safer recovery and ensures proper graft osseointegration. The patient may experience pain from the placement of the screws or it could indicate a sign of failure from the surgery.

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An MRI technology can be used to diagnose an ACL injury. An MRI does this by showing the patient signs of damage to the tissue and cartilage in the knee with its magnetic imaging. This is useful to know the extent of the injury to then take recovery precautions from there.

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Based on the first reference, the study demonstrated that bracing had a significant effect on the gluteus minimus, rectus femoris, vastus medialis, vastus lateralis, gastrocnemius medialis, gastrocnemius lateralis, soleus, and tibialis anterior muscles. Thus, wearing a brace may help prevent ACL injuries by regulating muscle forces during single-leg landings. The gluteus maximus, vastus medius, and vastus medius muscle forces were significantly increased in participants who were wearing a brace during the single-leg landings from 30 cm to 45 cm. This implied that single-leg landings from a greater height may increase the risk of knee joint injury. Further research is required to determine the effects of various braces on specific maneuvers.

Based on the 2nd references test results The knee braces and sleeves worn by the participants in this study exhibited a decrease in flexion, abduction, and adduction movements, while no such reduction was observed in the knee joint shear force, internal rotation, or ACL force, which are part of the primary ACL injury mechanisms in athletes. Therefore, when considering only the mechanical aspects, it is considered that a sports knee brace, which could control the knee joint shear force and internal rotation, could be developed for preventing sports-related injuries or for rehabilitation purposes.

Some challenges with knee braces are athletes will not have the same flexion, abduction, and adduction movements without the brace meaning they are gonna move their legs to their fullest.

Reference:

The Effect of a Knee Brace on Muscle Forces during Single-Leg Landings at Two Heights

Wang, Yubin ; Liu, Haibin ; Wei, Huidong ; Wu, Chenxiao ; Yuan, Feijie

Switzerland: MDPI AG

https://search.lib.asu.edu/permalink/01ASU_INST/fdcm53/cdi_pubmed_primary_36901663

Effect of wearing a knee brace or sleeve on the knee joint and anterior cruciate ligament force during drop jumps: A clinical intervention study Jeheon Moona, Hyeyoung Kim b, Jusung Lee c, Siddhartha Bikram Panday

https://search.lib.asu.edu/permalink/01ASU_INST/fdcm53/cdi_elsevier_sciencedirect_doi_10_1016_j_knee_2018_07_017

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Children have a greater risk of an ACL injury because of their need to be active or energetic. Any child can easily take a fall or land wrong and suffer an ACL injury. The child will be negatively impacted because with that injury they may have to cope with knee pain for the rest of their life. The child could also increase the risk of further injuries like meniscal tears or early onset osteoarthritis. When treating the injury, children may become bored and unmotivated to continue doing the exercises. They could also start being irresponsible and mess around which can make the injury worse.

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Many older age adults are often at greater risk for ACL injury because of natural degeneration and wear over time. The fibers that compose the ligaments of the ACL lose organization and the elasticity diminishes with age.

Challenges:

Older age groups may struggle to fully recover from an ACL injury and in addition can suffer from far higher complication rates in surgery.

In addition, with age ligaments become poorly vascularized and unable to provide the nutrient needed for full recovery.

The recovery process can also occur at the end of the 8-12 month window and adults may not regain full ROM, stability, and also experience more future pain/arthritis.

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Am I Too Old for ACL Surgery?: Michael L. Blackwell, MD: Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine

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It’s one thing to suffer ACL damage to one of your knees while you’re young, but what if you’re over 40? Take a moment to learn more about treatment optio

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Changing dietary and nutrition consumption can efficiently affect a person after suffering from a ACL injury. There are nutritions like vitamin D and calcium supplementation that help build more strength and keep them healthy. Also including more nutrient dense foods in the diet like proteins, fruit, carbohydrates can help rebuild that muscle. One can have difficulty making these changes because they may be unmotivated or upset with their injury. Although, it is best to see a dietitians and nutritionists to make a good plan.

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After an ACL injury, your knee will not be stable, may be painful, and may have a limited range of motion. You may eventually develop osteoarthritis in the knee.

If you do exercises to strengthen your thigh muscles (quadriceps and hamstrings) and regain knee motion soon after an ACL injury, you will be better prepared for a rehab program or for surgery with a rehab program.

You should start slowly and gradually increase the intensity of the exercises. Do not push yourself to the point that you feel pain. Talk to your doctor about how to best progress through the exercises.

Quad sets, straight-leg raises, and heel slides are common exercises used after an ACL injury. As symptoms decrease and you are able to bear weight, side-lying leg lifts, glute sets, bridges, mini-squats, heel raises, and prone hamstring curls might be added.

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Many studies have shown that increasing sleep can decrease the risk of re injury as well as speeding up the recovery process. It is noted that especially after ACL surgery, sleep is essential for the body to function during the rehabilitation and physiological process necessary for recovery. This also allows the body to keep the immune system strong as well as keeping the mind healthy in the event of mental health experiences a patient might experience.

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Here is an image of a few exercises mentioned below.

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A few rehabilitation treatments for ACL injuries include several balancing and range of motion exercises. These types of exercises target an issue called "dynamic knee stability". This is an issue that can cause  instability and balance issues in everyday life activities.

Examples of balancing/ROM exercises include quad sets, heel slides, straight leg raises, prone hamstring curls, sitting calf stretch, etc.

Occupational therapists, athletic trainers and physical therapists deliver these treatments.

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Walking is a part of the "gait cycle" which is a term used by physical therapists to describe walking. It is used to rehabilitate and build up the body physically. The professional that would be necessary to prescribe this treatment would be a physical therapist as a treatment plan for ACL recovery. Details would include duration, speed and incline level. They would also work in a proper warm up, and cool down based on the recovery of the injury to the ACL.

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Music therapy is a new trending rehabilitation therapy. It can promote improvements in many areas of recovery, "including language production, cognitive functions, muscle control and coordination, and socioemotional regulation". Following a TBI this form of treatment works to engage different areas in the brain all at once.

This training can be performed by a licensed speech pathologist or other clinical professional who has specialized knowledge within this specific field.

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Many brain injury survivors can benefit from TBI music therapy. Neurologic music therapy is a specialized branch of music therapy that involves the therapeutic use of music to treat the effects of neurological disorders, such as traumatic brain injury. It has successfully been used to address a variety of sensory, motor, speech, and cognitive disorders that many brain injury survivors experience.

This article will describe music therapy and outline the science behind it. Additionally, an explanation of the many benefits of TBI music therapy is provided. Please use the links below to jump directly to any section of this article.

What is TBI Music Therapy?

According to the American Music Therapy Association, music therapy is an evidence-based treatment involving the clinical use of music as a therapeutic modality. While the foundation is always musical in nature, music therapy can be adapted to address diverse goals, depending on the needs of the individual.

Music therapists are the only practitioners who can provide specialized music therapy services. However, other rehabilitation professionals, such as speech, occupational, and physical therapists, may also use some components of music therapy during their interventions to improve outcomes.

Although simply listening to music can have potential benefits for TBI survivors, such as reduced stress and pain levels, music therapy interventions often involve more than just listening. In addition to passively listening to music, interventions may also include producing music through singing or using an instrument, moving in rhythm to the beat of music, or even writing and discussing musical lyrics.

Neurologic music therapy is a specialized branch of music therapy focused on treating neurological conditions, such as stroke, cerebral palsy, and traumatic brain injury. Research has demonstrated that music has the ability to change the brain, playing a role in restoring functions that may have been lost after a neurological injury.

The Science of TBI Music Therapy

Music therapy is not a new concept. Many cultures have utilized music as a healing technique for thousands of years. However, with the advent of brain imaging technology, scientists were able to confirm what many instinctively knew: that music positively affects the brain.

Music has the unique ability to stimulate sensory, motor, perceptive-cognitive and emotional functions simultaneously within the brain. This results in the activation of numerous areas of the brain, in both the right and the left hemispheres. Music is one of the only sensory experiences that activates so many areas of the brain bilaterally, making it an excellent modality to use for recovering brain function.

Consistently stimulating the brain activates a process referred to as neuroplasticity. Through neuroplasticity, the brain is able to reorganize neural pathways in response to changes in the environment or experience. Therefore, when experiencing music, whether as an active participant or passive listener, adaptive rewiring in the brain may be taking place. This allows the brain to compensate for lost functions by reassigning these functions to undamaged brain regions.

Consistent, repetitive tasks and experiences are the best way to activate neuroplasticity. When an experience occurs frequently, the brain perceives a demand for the functions involved, and creates and strengthens the associated neural pathways. Neurologic music therapists can maximize on this by using similar and individualized musical experiences during sessions to promote an optimal recovery.

Music therapy may include a diverse range of musical experiences depending on one's abilities and needs. Different types of musical experiences may activate different areas of the brain, which is why music therapy can treat a number of TBI-related conditions. Although it is still being researched, neurologic music therapy shown great promise in being an effective treatment option for traumatic brain injury because of its ability to stimulate neuroplasticity.

Benefits of Music Therapy

Music therapy can be used to treat many different secondary effects of traumatic brain injury. Since music affects the brain in observable and replicable ways, researchers and therapists have been able to design specific interventions to address certain neurological conditions. However, the studies on music therapy for TBI survivors are still limited, so more research is needed to further demonstrate its effectiveness.

An overview of how music therapy can address various TBI-related conditions is included below.

Language Difficulties

One of the most common applications of music therapy for TBI recovery is treating survivors with aphasia by helping them regain the ability to speak. Interestingly, survivors who are unable to speak due to severe expressive aphasia often retain the ability to sing. This is because speaking disorders frequently occur after damage to the left side of the brain, and singing engages healthy brain areas on the right side of the brain.

With this in mind, therapists developed a technique known as melodic intonation therapy. This therapy involves singing simple words or phrases to the tune of familiar melodies. With enough repetition, survivors can eventually change their singing speech into normal, non-melodic speech. Both music therapists and speech therapists regularly use melodic intonation therapy due to its effectiveness in restoring the ability to speak.

Cognitive Dysfunction

Music therapy may also improve cognitive functions, especially the executive functions. Executive functions allow individuals to maintain cognitive control of their behaviors, and include skills such as memory, attention, and judgment.

Music therapists often employ active music interventions, such as musical improvisation and instrument playing, to stimulate cognitive recovery. This is because these activities require the ability to use a number of cognitive skills, including planning, working memory, sustained attention, and mental flexibility. When these cognitive skills are practiced consistently, neuroplasticity is activated, which can promote lasting improvements.

Motor Impairments

Music therapy has also been shown to address motor impairments following a TBI. A common music-based intervention used by music therapists and physical therapists to improve walking is rhythmic auditory stimulation. This involves listening and moving to the beat of rhythmic music in order to improve one's gait and walking speed.

Rhythmic auditory stimulation can be an effective intervention for improving one's walking abilities because a key aspect of skilled movement is timing. In order to walk with a proper gait pattern, individuals must accurately time, coordinate, and execute movements. With rhythmic auditory stimulation, musical rhythms are used as cues to help survivors regain muscle control and synchronize their movements.

Music-based interventions can also be used to improve hand functions. For example, devices such as the MusicGlove can help survivors recover movement faster than other therapies due to a high repetition of movements and the enjoyment of the activity. MusicGlove motivates users to perform hundreds of therapeutic hand and finger exercises through engaging musical games, and it has been clinically proven to improve hand function in just 2 weeks.

Social, Emotional, and Behavioral Difficulties

Studies have shown that music therapy can improve one's sense of wellbeing, increase emotional regulation skills, and advance behavioral regulation abilities. This is because a major focus of music therapy, especially when interventions involve learning to play an instrument, is helping survivors learn to monitor and modulate their own behaviors. Group neurologic music therapy can be especially effective, as survivors can learn to regulate their behaviors with others in a social setting.

For example, a potential music therapy intervention may include replicating a specific rhythm using drumsticks while background music plays. To do so, survivors must monitor whether they are replicating the rhythm accurately while staying with the beat of the music.

If they happen to lose the beat, they have to use behavioral modulation skills to determine how to get back on track. If participating in a group music therapy session, individuals may have to learn to manage or appropriately express their frustration with another survivor who is distracting them by their inability to stay in rhythm. These skills can carry over to everyday interactions and circumstances.

Music therapy can also trigger neuroplastic changes in the orbitofrontal cortex, the portion of the brain that regulates social behavior. These neurological changes can help survivors recover social skills and decrease impulsive behavior.

While music therapy shows great promise as an effective treatment for individuals following a traumatic brain injury, it is important to remember that the research supporting music therapy with TBI survivors is limited. While the research that exists shows many benefits of music therapy, more research is needed to more strongly demonstrate the effectiveness of neurologic music therapy for TBI survivors.

Understanding TBI Music Therapy

Music therapy offers a cutting-edge approach to recovery from TBI. It can promote improvements in many areas of recovery, including language production, cognitive functions, muscle control and coordination, and socioemotional regulation.

Music therapy engages several different areas in the brain at once, allowing it to improve overall brain function. While studies have demonstrated that music therapy can stimulate adaptive changes within the brain through neuroplasticity, more research is needed to more accurately determine its effectiveness for TBI recovery. Survivors should consider asking their doctors whether incorporating music therapy into their healing process could help to boost recovery.

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TBI Music Therapy: Understand Its Techniques and Benefits

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Many brain injury survivors can benefit from TBI music therapy. Neurologic music therapy is a specialized branch of music therapy that involves the therapeutic use of music to treat the effects of neurological disorders, such as traumatic brain injury. It has successfully been used to address a variety of sensory, motor, speech, and cognitive disorders ...

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After suffering from a TBI, a patient can visit a speech language pathologists to regain the ability to speak and understand what others are saying. They could also help if they have suffered from issues with swallowing. A speech language pathologist works with children or adults who have trouble speaking or swallowing.

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Since athletes are most known to suffer from ACL injuries, they can be associated to have feelings of decreased athletic identity. Many athletes are encouraged to speak to a sports psychologist who is specifically trained to enhance a player's performance on the mental side.

An athlete might be doubting themselves and their physical capabilities of returning to the sport. This is a mental health issue since rehabilitation can lead to a full recovery.

Short term effect: "Kinesophobia" is a short term condition sports psychologists can treat. This is deliberating fear of engaging in movements and re-injuring the ACL. Sports psychologists can treat this shorter term issue if it is attacked early.

Long term effect: A chronic long term effect associated with ACL injuries is lack of confidence and stress management. Many athletes feel the pressure of coaches, parents, and teammates to re establish high expectations.

Credentials required for sports psychologists for most include a masters or doctorate in clinical counseling or sports psychology.

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Counseling or therapy with a mental health professional can help them through the hard recovery process to reduce anxiety and depression. A professional would need to conduct this kind of support.

Short term goals in therapy and counseling are typically ones in which the patient and therapist completes in a single session. Tackling one specific problem at a time is key to resolving the greater issue.

Long term objectives include resolving mental health problems like major depressive disorder, anxiety, anger, etc. Resolving these issues with the patient would in turn help them heal quicker and prevent physical hindrances from manifesting their mental health.

Credentials required for counseling and therapy also require a masters or doctorate and also licensed in the state they intend to practice.

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The total cost for a counseling session can lead up to $60 to $250. Most insurance companies will not cover the cost if not medically needed. After a someone tears an ACL, they can fall into a state of depression and not be motivated to heal. Their mental health can play a big role in the way they seek any other type of therapy.

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Longterm treatment for ACL: Physical Therapy 

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Longterm treatment for ACL: Physical Therapy 

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Following an ACL tear, physical therapy is needed re-stabilize and strengthen the knee and its internal structure.

Once your deductible is met, "most private insurers will cover 80% of your physical therapy bill." Cases will also only be covered if deemed "medically necessary."

If insurance does not cover PT, these are the costs for rehab:

Initial evaluation visit: $150-200
Rehab across a 9-12 month span which approximates at 24 sessions: $2,880

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Brace to protect from instability and physical therapy to strengthen the surrounding ligaments to provide greater stability is a great long term treatment. A custom knee brace will range in price from $500 - $850 depending on the brand and any unique features or accessories being added onto your order. Most private health insurance companies and Medicare offer coverage for osteoarthritis knee braces based on medical necessity. Not using a brace before your knee joint is ready can impair healing. And neglecting to wear it when you are susceptible to an injury means that you could end up with knee damage.

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This would be a long-term treatment that would be necessary for someone with an ACL injury, due to its effectiveness. With a success rate of 85%-90%, meaning most people who undergo surgery are able to return to the same level of function as they had before the injury. The cost can vary between $3,000 and $ 20,000 depending on the state, place of surgery, and insurance. It is usually covered by insurance if it is classified as a full tear in the ligament. If someone with a full tear does not seek surgery that could deal with further injury and pain in the future.

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There are several studies that suggested that after tearing/straining the ACL, there is a higher rate of re-tearing. It could depend on the individual's exercise, age, or the surgery performed.

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Caused by mechanical impediment to knee extension such as the stump of a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament (ACL).

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An MRI is also another common way to diagnosis an ACL injury. MRI or "Magnetic resonance imaging" is a medical diagnostic technique to showcase the structural integrity of a given structure.

In this case, it can show the extent of the ACL injury but also show damage of other tissues and cartilage.

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After an ACL injury, there will be a "popping" noise and one will feel pain on the outside and back of the knee.

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When tearing or straining your ACL, the knee joint can immediately start swelling.

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Ice can help with the inflammation after injuring the knee.

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Surgical reconstruction of the ACL to restore the internal structures of the knee to enable maximal stability.

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The normal flexibility of a joint is reduced.

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An ACL Tear can lead to several different issues. As already mentioned an ACL can be caused by sudden stops or changes in direction. But how does this injury cause the body to react?

-Popping noises
-Severe swelling and inflammation of the tendons
-Inability to put pressure or weight causing severe pain
-Limited or loss of ROM (Range of motion)

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Overview

An ACL injury is a tear or sprain of the anterior cruciate (KROO-she-ate) ligament (ACL) - one of the strong bands of tissue that help connect your thigh bone (femur) to your shinbone (tibia). ACL injuries most commonly occur during sports that involve sudden stops or changes in direction, jumping and landing - such as soccer, basketball, football and downhill skiing.

Many people hear a pop or feel a "popping" sensation in the knee when an ACL injury occurs. Your knee may swell, feel unstable and become too painful to bear weight.

Depending on the severity of your ACL injury, treatment may include rest and rehabilitation exercises to help you regain strength and stability, or surgery to replace the torn ligament followed by rehabilitation. A proper training program may help reduce the risk of an ACL injury.

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Symptoms

Signs and symptoms of an ACL injury usually include:

A loud pop or a "popping" sensation in the knee

Severe pain and inability to continue activity

Rapid swelling

Loss of range of motion

A feeling of instability or "giving way" with weight bearing

When to see a doctor

Seek immediate care if any injury to your knee causes signs or symptoms of an ACL injury. The knee joint is a complex structure of bones, ligaments, tendons and other tissues that work together. It's important to get a prompt and accurate diagnosis to determine the severity of the injury and get proper treatment.

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Causes

Ligaments are strong bands of tissue that connect one bone to another. The ACL, one of two ligaments that cross in the middle of the knee, connects your thighbone to your shinbone and helps stabilize your knee joint.

ACL injuries often happen during sports and fitness activities that can put stress on the knee:

Suddenly slowing down and changing direction (cutting)

Pivoting with your foot firmly planted

Landing awkwardly from a jump

Stopping suddenly

Receiving a direct blow to the knee or having a collision, such as a football tackle

When the ligament is damaged, there is usually a partial or complete tear of the tissue. A mild injury may stretch the ligament but leave it intact.

Risk factors

There are a number of factors that increase your risk of an ACL injury, including:

Being female - possibly due to differences in anatomy, muscle strength and hormonal influences

Participating in certain sports, such as soccer, football, basketball, gymnastics and downhill skiing

Poor conditioning

Using faulty movement patterns, such as moving the knees inward during a squat

Wearing footwear that doesn't fit properly

Using poorly maintained sports equipment, such as ski bindings that aren't adjusted properly

Playing on artificial turf

Complications

People who experience an ACL injury have a higher risk of developing osteoarthritis in the knee. Arthritis may occur even if you have surgery to reconstruct the ligament.

Multiple factors likely influence the risk of arthritis, such as the severity of the original injury, the presence of related injuries in the knee joint or the level of activity after treatment.

Prevention

Proper training and exercise can help reduce the risk of ACL injury. A sports medicine physician, physical therapist, athletic trainer or other specialist in sports medicine can provide assessment, instruction and feedback that can help you reduce risks.

Programs to reduce ACL injury include:

Exercises to strengthen the core - including the hips, pelvis and lower abdomen - with a goal of training athletes to avoid moving the knee inward during a squat

Exercises that strengthen leg muscles, particularly hamstring exercises, to ensure an overall balance in leg muscle strength

Training and exercise emphasizing proper technique and knee position when jumping and landing from jumps

Training to improve technique when performing pivoting and cutting movements

Training to strengthen muscles of the legs, hips and core - as well as training to improve jumping and landing techniques and to prevent inward movement of the knee - may help to reduce the higher ACL injury risk in female athletes.

Gear

Wear footwear and padding that is appropriate for your sport to help prevent injury. If you downhill ski, make sure your ski bindings are adjusted correctly by a trained professional so that your skis will release appropriately if you fall.

Wearing a knee brace doesn't appear to prevent ACL injury or reduce the risk of recurring injury after surgery.

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Learn about this injury that affects one of the main ligaments in your knee and most commonly occurs during sports such as soccer and football.

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Incorrect landing from a high or long jump

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Incorrect landing from a high or long jump

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A common form of movement causing this injury is a particular landing with a significant amount of force from height and body weight.

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The anterior cruciate ligament is the main structure that is affected by this type of injury. Due to its importance of connecting your thigh bone also known as the femur to your tibia, the shinbone.

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-Suddenly slowing down and moving into another direction
-Landing awkwardly after a jump
-Stopping suddenly

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The Athlete/Athletic lifestyle is the easiest lifestyle to be vulnerable to ACL injuries.

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Basketball is the most common sports for ACL injuries in both men and women.

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The leading sport in which ACL occurs is soccer

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Tends to occur more during competition than compared to practice

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ACL Injuries are a trending issue in society. Especially in the athletics world.

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Title: How Long Does It Take an NFL Player to Recover From an ACL Tear?

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Specifically, women between the age of 22-27

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white female athletes are at the highest risk

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The Lachman's test is a clinical exam technique used to evaluate patients with a suspected ACL tear. It identifies the integrity of the knee by assessing "single and sagittal plane instability."

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Lachman's Test-On a patient with a COMPLETE ACL TEAR!

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Most of your recovery will require you to be accountable and continue exercises following an ACL injury. Many individuals may only engage in physical therapy with their specialist, but not engage in at home remedies. Recovery is ultimately up to you and it starts by having a positive mindset.

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The prolonged activation of the bodies attempts to heal itself doesn't work as efficiently in the immune system, there is decreased blood flow to the affected area and it negatively impact tissues and organs.

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When this occurs, it causes bleeding into the knee joint

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Injuries often associated with an ACL tear

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Injuries often associated with an ACL tear

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ACL injuries can be associated with ruptures to the MCL (medial collateral ligament) or the menisci. There could also be pressure to the lateral condyle with a bone bruise or a chrondral lesion.

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Understanding Female Hormones (menstrual cycle)

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Understanding Female Hormones (menstrual cycle)

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During the menstrual phase that females, go through there is a 40-50% decrease in collagen produced for the joints. Which increases the risk of injury by almost half for female athletes. The basal body temperature also fluctuates during this cycle. A preventative measure is for supporters such as coaches and athletic trainers who work with these athletes the closest to have awareness and basic knowledge about these hormone changes to look out for female athletes and prevent this injury.

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-This technology works to monitor and provide feedback on muscle activity. For ACL injuries, small electrodes are placed on the knee and are used to generate muscle contractions.

-Utilization of this technology can help individuals learn how to activate and control specific muscles more effectively. This is utilized specifically for treatment/recovery.

-In this case, EMG therapy can help individuals re-enhance knee extension/flexion.

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Here is a video describing the effects of mental health on athlete injury.

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How Injury Affects Mental Health | Athletes Connected

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Nonsurgical treatment such as a brace to protect from instability and physical therapy to strengthen the surrounding ligaments to provide greater stability.

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Note: The white areas on the right image is the inflammation within the knee joints. 

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Osteoarthritis: How does it Affect People with ACL Injuries?

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Osteoarthritis: How does it Affect People with ACL Injuries?

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Osteoarthritis is a chronic condition and a degenerative bone disease. It is due to wear and tear within the joints and ligaments of the knee. For ACL injuries this is a highly prominent condition "10 to 20 years after injury." It is also diagnosed to roughly 50% of all people who have had an ACL injury.

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BEAR (Bridge-enhanced Anterior Cruciate Ligament Repair)

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BEAR (Bridge-enhanced Anterior Cruciate Ligament Repair)

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-The BEAR implant is a new medical advancement designed for ACL healing.

-BEAR Implants are made out of collagen and work with your own blood to heal the torn ends of your ACL back together. During the procedure, the ACL surgeon adds your own blood to the implant and inserts it between the torn ends of the ACL. This process allows for self healing of the ACL.