Cruciate Ligament Tear
The cruciate ligaments are the anterior and posterior ligaments that cross inside the knee.
The anterior cruciate ligament connects the shinbone to the thighbone and stops the shinbone sliding forward; the posterior ligament stops it sliding back. Sudden twisting or impact can damage or tear them. Treatment depends on the extent of the tear, so seeing a specialist early matters.
Common causes
01
Direct contact or trauma
02
Sudden change of direction, landing or stopping
03
Frequent sports activity
04
Often torn with a 'pop' when landing from a jump
Signs to watch for
- Pain and swelling in the knee after an injury
- A popping sound or tearing feeling
- In severe cases, the knee wobbles forward and back
How we diagnose
X-ray
The basic first test. Further tests may be added for a definite diagnosis.
MRI
Shows soft tissue that X-ray cannot, such as muscles, ligaments, discs, cartilage, nerves and blood vessels.
Arthroscopy
Magnifies the inside of the joint on a monitor, so conditions missed by imaging can be diagnosed accurately.
How we treat it
Partial tears are treated without surgery. We treat step by step, using conservative care if the tear is not severe.
Extracorporeal shockwave therapy
Used across orthopedics, physical therapy and sports medicine, shockwave therapy aids recovery without surgery or painkillers and suits many conditions that cause acute or chronic pain.
Manual & exercise therapy
A specialist physical therapist uses hands-on techniques based on anatomy, such as relaxation methods and joint mobilization, to reduce pain and improve function.
Arthroscopy
Through a minimal incision under about 5 mm, an arthroscope with a tiny camera and special instruments is inserted into the joint. It shows areas that are hard to see on X-ray, allowing accurate diagnosis and treatment at the same time.
When surgery is consideredSmall tears are repaired with sutures. Large tears are treated by removing the torn ligament and grafting your own tendon (autograft) or a donor tendon (allograft). This is done arthroscopically, so it is safe and places little strain on the body, even for older patients or those with chronic conditions.