Your anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) is located in the middle of the knee joint, connecting the shin bone (tibia) to the thigh-bone (femur). It crosses over diagonally with the Posterior Cruciate Ligament (PCL) to control the backward and forward movement of the knee at the joint. It is one of four strong stabilising ligaments of the knee, along with the PCL and the medial and lateral collateral ligaments. The ACL works to stop the tibia from sliding forwards in front of the femur.
Injury to the ACL is a common knee injury, and often occurs alongside injury to other knee structures, such as the cartilage and the Collateral Ligaments. The different levels of severity of injury include a ligament sprain, a partial tear, or a complete rupture. ACL injuries are often sustained by athletes involved in high-impact sports that involve sudden changes in direction, such as basketball or soccer. ACL injuries are more common in females, which may be attributed to by muscle strength, control and conditioning. Typically, ACL injuries are caused by:
Depending on the severity of your injury, symptoms may include:
When the injury first occurs, it’s important to stop physical activity and avoid walking on the affected knee where possible. Following the PRICE principles (protection, rest, ice, compression and elevation) can help reduce the initial pain and swelling. If you have had a rupture or significant tear to your ACL, you may require surgery. It’s important that you have a diagnosis to confirm the extent of your injury, which may involve having an ultrasound, x-ray or MRI imaging. Your podiatrist can help you gradually rebuild the strength in your knee and surrounding muscles, and improve the range of motion in the joint, which will likely be restricted following your injury. Your podiatrist will make recommendations based on the cause of your injury to both help your recovery and reduce the risk of re-injury in the future. This may look at the use of Orthotics to control motion at the feet and legs, assessing the stability of your Footwear, teaching you how to strap your knee or recommending a Brace, and physical therapy.
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Otherwise known as radial pressure wave therapy, shockwave therapy is a device held by our podiatrists and positioned against your foot or leg at the site of your injury.
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Tingling or numbness in your feet and legs during or after exercise can be an odd sensation. If you’re prone to experiencing it, the most common reasons are related to pressure on nerves or problems with your circulation.
Does wearing high heels really come at a cost to our feet? If you’re wondering what effects - if any - high heels may be having on your feet, here’s the inside scoop from our podiatrists.
It’s important to not only use an evidence-based treatment plan to help you get the best outcomes for your foot and leg pain, but to help you see the best results in the shortest time. That’s the reason we’ve invested in shockwave.
Keeping your family on their feet and helping them to walk, run, play and exceed their goals is why we love getting up in the morning.
We're located inside the One Health medical centre at Building 122 Remuera Rd, Remuera, Auckland 1050, New Zealand
| MON - SAT | 8:30am – 6:00pm |
| SUN | Closed |
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