sport science-injury to tendons and ligaments

Sports Science Injury to tendons and ligaments
Ligaments are structures made of similar material to tendons ( tough connective tissue) that tie bones together and maintain stability of joints. When participating in physical exercise we often experience forces beyond the levels our body was designed to cope with. In such instances injury may occur to the muscle, tendon or ligament. Injuries to the shoulder, knee and ankle are common in contact sports that require explosive acceleration and change of direction. The ankle is pictured on the right showing the Achilles tendon and the deltoid ligament.
The knee is particularly vulnerable in sports such as Football and Rugby. In such sports sudden impact can distort the knee joint and rupture ligaments. Many players face several months of recovery and may even require surgery.
We often take a keen interest in the injuries sustained by our favorite players. You may have heard, on many occasions, the mention of the anterior cruciate ligament and the severity of the damage sustained by this ligament. On the right is a diagram showing some of the ligaments associated with the knee joint.
A severe impact may distort the knee joint enough to rupture the lateral collateral ligament.
A more severe impact, from the side, may damage or even rupture more than one ligament as shown on the right. Damaged cruciate ligaments can sometimes be replaced with a graft from the patellar tendon.
A three dimensional view of the knee shows the lateral and medial collateral ligaments and the anterior and posterior cruciate ligaments. Damage to the collateral ligaments usually occur during contact sports like soccer. A knock to the outside of the knee while the foot is supporting the person's weight can push the knee inward tearing the medial collateral ligament. Whereas a knock to the inside of the knee that forces the lower leg to bend out can damage the lateral collateral ligament View the video on the right of a knee injury in Rugby. What ligaments do you think the player has damaged? Damage to the cruciate ligaments can often be repaired by using portions of the patella tendon. A portion of the tendon is taken that contains portions of the femur and tibia. This allows for a stronger graft. A hole is then drilled through the tibia and up through the femur. The graft is pulled through this hole and secured. What are the properties of tendons that make them useful as replacements for ligaments?

Continue