Ligament tear may not need surgery

People who tear the main ligament that is responsible for stabilising the knee do not necessarily need surgery to rebuild it. People who injure the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) lose stability in the knee, and develop a high risk of osteoarthritis. Good muscle function is important to prevent osteoarthritis, but the role of reconstructive surgery in restoring muscle function is unclear. To study muscle strength and functional performance in patients with anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury with or without surgical reconstruction 2 to 5 years after injury, researchers from Sweden identified 121 patients with ACL. The patients randomly underwent reconstructive surgery or physical therapy. The researchers tested muscle function and strength in the participants through knee extension, knee-flexion, leg press, vertical jump, one-leg hop and side hop.No significant difference was found between the two groups on any of the muscle function or muscle strength test. Over all, two-thirds of the patients performed normally in the single test of muscle function, while just half showed normal performance on the series of tests.The above findings indicate that reconstruction of the ACL, which is quite common, is not a prerequisite for restoring muscle function.

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