The cruciate ligament - stability for the knee joint

The cruciate ligaments are located in the knees and are important for stabilizing the knee joint. This applies not only to sporting activities, but also to normal everyday walking. If the cruciate ligament tears or suffers other damage, the knee will only have limited stability or no stability at all.

Functions of the cruciate ligament

Together with the medial and lateral collateral ligaments, the cruciate ligaments are not only important for stabilizing the knee joint , but also limit the extension of the tibia and restrict the rotation of the knee joints. The video shows the knee joint and its structures:

The cruciate ligaments are divided into an anterior and a posterior cruciate ligament, with the anterior cruciate ligament having to support greater loads. For this reason, injuries to the anterior cruciate ligament occur more frequently than to the posterior cruciate ligament during sporting activities. Stable cruciate ligaments are particularly important in competitive sports, such as soccer, as the load on the knees is particularly high here.

The functions of the cruciate ligament at a glance:

• Limiting the extension of the tibia
• Stabilization of the knee joints
• Restriction of rotation

Which cruciate ligament disorders are possible?

Cruciate ligament rupture

Cruciate ligament ruptures are particularly feared by athletes. Even with optimal medical treatment, as is the case in professional sport, many athletes have to refrain from competitive sport for several months after a cruciate ligament rupture. This injury can often be explained by an unnatural twisting of the knee joint. In this case, the cruciate ligaments are no longer able to cushion the corresponding movement. In this case, it is mainly the anterior cruciate ligament that tears, while the posterior cruciate ligament is rarely affected.

A cruciate ligament rupture can be treated both conservatively and surgically. Conservative treatment options include physiotherapy, pain therapy and cold therapy.

If the cruciate ligament rupture is treated surgically, this is done with the help of a so-called cruciate ligament plastic surgery. In this case, the torn cruciate ligament is replaced with an intact tendon from the patient as a transplant. The video shows the procedure for this arthroscopic operation:

Adequate treatment is important for the patient, as an untreated cruciate ligament rupture is not only associated with great pain, but can also cause long-term degenerative damage to the knee, necessitating the implantation of a knee prosthesis.

Further damage

Bony tears can also occur if the cruciate ligament is torn, although this is rather rare. It is much more common for a torn cruciate ligament to be accompanied by damage to the meniscus or the medial meniscus. The medial meniscus is fused with the medial ligament, which is why in some cases it is also affected by injuries to the medial and cruciate ligaments.

In other cases, damage to the cartilage can occur at the same time.

If an injury occurs, with a little luck the patient will only suffer from a torn cruciate ligament. In this case, the ligaments do not rupture completely, but only tear a little. However, surgery may also be necessary in this case, depending on the extent of the tear.

A tear or complete rupture of the cruciate ligament is the worst condition that can affect these ligaments. Less dramatic, on the other hand, are stretches of the cruciate ligament, which also require medical or physiotherapeutic treatment, but heal much faster.

The most common cruciate ligament injuries:

• Cruciate ligament strain,
• cruciate ligament rupture,
• cruciate ligament rupture,
• cruciate ligament rupture with additional damage to the meniscus and medial collateral ligament.

What are the causes of cruciate ligament disorders?

Damage to the cruciate ligament can generally be traced back to the application of force or great force to the knee joint . This occurs, for example, when the knee joint is twisted, stretched or bent excessively. In most cases, this occurs during sporting activities or in the context of traffic accidents.

A rupture of the anterior cruciate ligament is often classified as a sports injury. This can be explained by an abrupt change of direction when jumping or running or as a result of a sudden rotation of the leg. A rupture of the anterior cruciate ligament can also occur as a result of a fall on the knee, for example during sports such as skiing or soccer.

A posterior cruciate ligament tear, on the other hand, is often the result of external force. This results in a hyperextension of the knee joint, as can happen in the event of trauma from a traffic accident.