This past Friday, December 2, my Fundamentals in Biomedical Sciences (II) class was visited again by Dr. Slauterbeck, Chief of Orthopedic Surgery at the University of South Alabama Hospital, for an interesting conclusion to our trauma week activities.
Yesterday, the physical therapist, Elizabeth Boone, acknowledged suspicion of an ACL tear after performing an Anterior Lachman Test. Dr. Slauterbeck confirmed this injury. The anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) connects the femur to the tibia and is essential to overall knee joint function. ACL injuries occur most commonly in sports related incidents. The ACL is a ligament, meaning it attaches bone to bone. Most athletes who suffer from an ACL injury develop effusion, swelling in the knee joint. On average the force required to tear an ACL is greater than 2,000 newtons. Some people have an increased risk of ACL injury, though. Those of a larger build, with family history of ACL tears, who play a single-sport year round, and, generally speaking, females all are at an increased risk of tearing their ACL.
Every time an athlete competes at full capacity, they are at risk for this injury. The risk of ACL injury can be thought of like a BINGO ball dispenser. Everytime an athlete competes, they take out a bingo ball. Athletes typically have around 1,000 bingo balls (exposures) in this analogy. Most balls are blank, but drawing one particular ball can change the entire outcome of an athlete's career. Adequate rest can allow athletes to put some balls back in, but year round play demolishes this possibility.
An ACL surgery entails a reconstruction of the ligament with the use of a graft (a replacement tendon from another part of the body or deceased donor) as the ACL itself cannot be repaired after a tear. Recovery is an incredibly long process after this surgery and will often take around a year. Dr. Slauterbeck recalls a time in which he watched a women’s basketball game where the entire starting 5 had suffered from an ACL tear and had undergone surgery by himself. This is frustrating to Dr. Slauterbeck who has dedicated much of his life to the study of and prevention of ACL injuries. He has worked with doctors all over the globe on this issue.
I am incredibly thankful for Dr. Slauterbeck’s contribution to the 2022 Trauma Week, and I hope that he will continue to come speak with us here at St. Luke’s!
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