Ligament and Tendon tears

Ligament and tendon tears or ruptures are injuries to the soft tissues that connect muscles and joints. Common symptoms of tendon and ligament tears are pain and swelling. You may also hear or feel a pop when you tear the tissue.

Tears or ruptures to tendons and ligaments can:

• Cause extreme pain.
• Happen at any time.
• Limit or prohibit proper joint function.

Tendon and ligament tears are common injuries. For example, the most common knee ligament injury is tearing the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL). About one in 3,500 people will injure their ACL.

Types of Ligament and tendon tears

Tendon and ligament tears and ruptures can affect many joints, but our knees often bear the brunt of these injuries.

Two well-known knee tears or injuries are:

• Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tears. The ACL is one of the major ligaments controlling how knee motion occurs.
• Meniscus tears. Our knees each have two menisci. This tough cartilage cushions the joint so the femur and tibia can glide against each other without damaging the bone.

Causes of Ligament and tendon tears

The main cause of torn tendons and ligaments is traumatic injury, such as:

• A sudden impact to the joint.
• Quickly stopping or starting.
• An abrupt movement to the joint.

Football and basketball players tend to have a higher risk for ACL tears, but anyone can have one at any time.

Meniscus tears have two common causes — a traumatic injury to the knee or the process of degeneration. They often occur from twisting a bent knee joint.

Treatment

Doctors at  Shreya Hospital in Ghaziabad have their unique ways to treat ligament and tendon injuries. Less severe ones may recover on their own with rest. Many people also need bracing and medicine to help recover. Some people need surgery to repair a torn or ruptured tendon or ligament.