The anterior cruciate ligament of the knee is one of four principal knee ligaments. However, it seems to be the most important ligament in terms of a sense of well-being and stability of the knee. When torn, it is now routinely rebuilt utilizing a portion of the patellar tendon or hamstrings tendons as a donor source. I utilize an arthroscopically aided approach in my cruciate reconstructions, and find that with proper postoperative rehabilitation, the prognosis is quite good for returning to competitive sports.
Arthritis is a gradual wearing down of the smooth gliding surfaces of the knee joint.
When this occurs, raw bone becomes exposed within the knee joint which becomes painful with activity. There is a gradation of treatments available to today's well trained orthopedic surgeon, and treatment protocols should be tailored to the specific conditions, age, and demands of the patient. A torn cartilage is the most common condition of the knee which ends up requiring surgical intervention. This is an outpatient arthroscopic surgical procedure and patients almost always go home the same day. Patients are usually allowed to walk on the leg as soon as it feels comfortable, and a short course of physical therapy is of benefit.