Six-time world boxing champion MC Mary Kom was recently forced to withdraw from the Birmingham Commonwealth Games selection trials after she sustained an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury. The iconic Indian boxer was just minutes into her semi-final bout in the 48 kg category against Haryana’s Nitu when she twisted her left knee. Doctors conducted a scan of Mary Kom’s injury and revealed that she had suffered a complete tear of ACL.
Following this, she was suggested a reconstruction surgery by the doctor and was prescribed medication including painkillers.
What is an ACL injury?
ACL or anterior cruciate ligament is one of the four ligaments in the knee joint that connects the femur (bottom of the thighbone) to the tibia (top of the shinbone). Ligaments are flexible and tough bands of tissue whose main job is to hold the cartilage and the bone together.
ACL tears are one of the most common knee injuries that are mostly experienced by sportspersons. People who tear their ACL usually feel pain and sometimes a ‘pop’ in their knee. The knee tends to get swollen after the injury and the patient might feel unstable to walk.
When does it happen?
An ACL tear is witnessed mostly by persons who indulge in sports like basketball, football, skiing, soccer, boxing and tennis, among others. It has also been seen that women are more likely to suffer an ACL tear than men due to their different muscular strength, physical conditioning, and neuromuscular control.
Treatment
After the injury, the doctor usually conducts an X-ray examination or an MRI scan to assess the injury and look for any possible fractures. While there are non-surgical methods to treat ACL tear that involve physical therapy and rehabilitation, some patients like Mary Com are advised a reconstruction surgery.
In a reconstruction surgery, a piece of tissue or graft is used to rebuild the torn ACL. The graft can be a tendon and is taken from wither the patient’s own body or someone else’s. Recovery from an ACL surgery can take from 6 to 12 months and patients are usually required to use crutches and leg brace to walk after
