ACL Surgery DC and Knee Replacement Surgery

Your knee is the joint where the tibia and femur meet.  It is a vulnerable joint and can become damaged due to an injury or normal wear and tear.  When the damage is severe, it may need a surgical treatment such as ACL surgery DC or knee replacement surgery.

Injury can lead to ACL surgery Washington DC

There are four main ligaments in the knee, and the one that is most often injured is the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL).  Injuries that may need ACL surgery Washington DC usually include a sudden twisting motion or a blow to the knee.  Although it can be a very serious injury, sometimes there is no pain when the injury occurs.  Indications that you have sustained an injury that may require ACL repair surgery DC can include a popping sound and the knee buckling.  Overtime, it may swell and become painful.

ACL surgery DC

A minor injury to the ACL may not need ACL repair surgery Washington DC.  Instead, the injury may heal with time and rest.  If the tear is complete, you may need ACL surgery Washington DC to either repair or replace the ACL.  During ACL replacement surgery Washington DC, a tendon is grafted from another part of your body (usually the hamstring) and is used to replace the damaged ligament.  During ACL repair surgery Washington DC, the damaged ligament is sutured back together and a braided brace is placed alongside the repair to reinforce it.

Knee replacement surgery

The bones of your knee joint have a layer of cartilage to allow them to move smoothly.  If the cartilage wears down, the bones may grind painfully.  The most common causes of knee joint cartilage wearing out are normal wear and tear and osteoarthritis.  The pain may be treated with medicine and by limiting activities, but if that does not provide relief you may need a knee surgery called knee replacement surgery.  During this procedure, the top of the tibia and the bottom if the femur are replaced with artificial parts.  The bottom surface of the knee cap is also replaced.  These artificial parts are made to move smoothly like a natural knee joint.  You can learn more about ACL surgery Washington DC and knee replacement surgery by visiting http://www.medstarwashington.org.