Physiotherapy for Ligament Injuries
Physiotherapy is an effective treatment for ligament injuries. Ligaments are tough bands of tissues that connect to your body. They act as pullies between your bones as your body actively moves around. Most ligament injuries involve the shoulder, knee and ankle, as these are focal points on your body that are susceptible to significant wear and tear.
Signs and symptoms of Ligament injuries:
- With lower extremity injuries, trouble walking, change in gait, ex. limping
- Joint feels unstable
- Direct trauma to the joint
- Motor vehicle accident
- Any injury with the joint flexed
Common Ligament Injuries
- Ligaments of the Knee
- ACL, MCL, PCL
- Sprained ankle
- Plantar Fascia
- AC joint
Like many other injuries, with physiotherapy it is important to get the patient back to baseline status, with reducing pain, stabilizing the joint, and improving mobility.
Primary intervention involves protect, rest, ice, compress, and elevate the joint. After initial intervention, grading of the injury needs to be determined before physiotherapy action plan is instituted. In general, modalities for treatment include:
- Crutch support with greater weight bearing activities
- Moving your joint through range of motion
- Bracing and splinting
- Strengthening ancillary muscles around the joint
- Goal directed therapy for specific ligament injuries.
With the assistance of a trained physiotherapist, with simple injuries or others requiring surgery, physiotherapy is an imperative step in the journey to your improved health.