Duration | Anterior cruciate ligament rupture in a child

Duration

Depending on the type of therapy, i.e. either conservative or surgical, the complete healing of a cruciate ligament rupture takes 3 weeks to 2 months. In exceptional cases, the healing process can also take several months. If conservative therapy is used, the complete swelling must be awaited, which can take up to two months.

After an operation, the foot should only be partially loaded (up to 20 kg) for 2-3 weeks. It is helpful to place the affected leg on the scale and increase the load until it shows about 20 kg. If necessary, the procedure can be repeated more often to get a feeling of when 20 kg load is reached.

A knee brace should be worn until about 6 weeks after the operation to ensure good stability. Light training or increased physiotherapy should be done after the movement splint has been taken off after about 6-8 weeks. Sports that require sudden movements and changes of direction should not be practiced for 6-8 months after the torn ligament, as this can quickly lead to secondary injuries or even a new torn cruciate ligament. For children, this period can seem endlessly long, as they may not be able to pursue their hobby and may not have sufficient exercise. Despite possible nagging and imbalance of the little ones, the medically prescribed rest periods should be strictly adhered to in order to ensure a healing without consequences.

Prognosis

If a conservative therapy is successful, the healing process takes considerably longer and the risk of the affected ligament not growing together properly and thus tearing again more quickly increases. If conservative therapy causes the femur and tibia to rub against each other due to premature loading or careless movements, arthrosis can develop as a long-term consequence. This often requires lengthy treatment and can be very painful.

Surgical therapies, in contrast, have the advantage that healing is quicker and consequential damage is less severe. The majority of patients tolerate the tendon implant well. Only rarely does the implant tear or permanent instability occur.In the past, children were often reluctant to undergo surgery for torn cruciate ligaments.

Today, however, the opinion is held that children in particular should be operated on. This statement is justified among other things with the activity of the little ones. Children are more impatient, more active than adults and have a greater urge to move.

After a surgical treatment, they can usually resume this urge earlier and without risk than after a conservative treatment. It is very difficult to really prevent a torn cruciate ligament. When doing sports, it helps to warm up and stretch sufficiently before training.

Children should be taught as early as possible how to warm up properly so that no injuries occur. In order to maintain the fun factor in sports, there are also a lot of games or playful exercises that can be used to do this. For example, instead of running laps to warm up, you can also play catch.

If winter sports such as snowboarding or skiing are learned and practiced, a sufficient warm-up training is of course necessary. Before the ski vacation one can already begin at home with ski gymnastics. These are special exercises that address exactly those muscle groups that are particularly stressed when skiing.

However, the most important factor in winter sports is concentration. Especially on the last day’s descent, falls and injuries occur due to carelessness or tiredness. So if you notice beforehand that the children become tired or unfocused or start to overestimate themselves, it is advisable to take an additional break.

In everyday life, cruciate ligament ruptures in children can hardly be prevented, but here they occur only sporadically. A rupture of the anterior cruciate ligament in children is therefore not uncommon, but can usually be treated well and without permanent damage.