Ayurvedic Treatment for Anterior Cruciate Ligament Tear (ACL Tear)

Abstract

Anterior cruciate ligament or ACL is the most vulnerable part of the knee that gets injured and torn easily. It is considered as the most common knee injury. People involved in sports are more prone to suffer ACL tear. Female who are into sports or can say are athletes are prone to this tear as compare to the male players this might be due to difference in physical build and muscular strength. Also there is difference in male and female pelvis and high level of estrogen in females make the ligament more friable and prone to beak easily.

Introduction

First of all it is important to know some about the anatomy of the ligament to understand the nature of the injury and its treatment. The knee joint is formed from three bones i.e. Femur, tibia and patella and connected by four ligaments, namely medial and lateral Collateral ligament, and anterior and posterior Cruciate ligament. They four covers the knee wholly and provides support to the bones. Usually the ligament which gets affected in ACL tear is anterior cruciate ligament. Sprain is the term for this sort of injury and there are various grades of these sprains depending upon the severity of the injury. These tears are usually complete and in very rare cases there occurs partial tears. As discussed above ACL tear usually occurs to the people who are involved with the sports specially the one involving sudden change in direction or stopping suddenly like basketball, soccer, football and skiing. The various grades of these sprain can be understood by below description:

1. Grade 1– The ligament is slightly stretched and damaged but still able to hold up the knee joint stably.
2. Grade 2– This comes under partial tear of the ligament and it is stretched to the level to become loose.
3. Grade 3– This is the most severe one in which there occurs complete tear of the ligament. It tears into pieces and cannot hold the knee joint anymore.

Causes

There can be various causes of ACL tear, some of them are mentioned below :

• Suddenly stopping
• If the direction is changed with a very fast pace
• Slowing down suddenly while running fast
• Incorrectly landing from a jump
• Direct injury like collision with a football

Signs and Symptoms

• Popping sound on suddenly stopping or changing the direction rapidly while running
• Knee may feel towards outer side then the previous inner one
• Swelling and pain, the most common sign of inflammation or injury. However, even if this not treated may go away on its own gradually but on returning back to sports activity you might not be able to play in the same way and also may cause further damage to the ligament
• Full range of motion cannot be attained
• Joint line feels tender
• Walking causes a constant discomfort
• Instable feeling while bearing weight on the knee

Risk Factotrs

Numerous factors can increase your chances of having ACL tear. Some of the major factors are listed below :

• Female factor– As already discussed above there are certain factors like hormonal, anatomical and strength which makes them more prone to ACL tear
• Getting involved in certain types of sports or activities like football, soccer, basketball, skiing and gymnastic
• Wearing improperly fitting footwear
• Playing sports on artificial surfaces
• Slippery surface where the one is playing

Diagnosis

Usually the diagnosis is made on the basis of physical examination in which your doctor will assess the damage by looking at the swelling, asking you to make movement in different directions to see the range of motion and checking overall function of the injured joint. However, in some cases to rule out other possibilities few tests may be required like X ray, MRI, and Ultrasound.

Treatment

The treatment of ACL tear may vary depending upon the grade of injury. First of all the first aid should be given in the form of ice packs, rest, compression and elevation. Secondly in conservative system of treatment the patient is usually suggested for surgery in order to restore the proper function of the ligament but usually the people hesitate for it. So here come the alternative modes of treatment. Ayurveda is one of these system of medicines that helps in managing and treating the condition naturally. In Ayurveda, treatment is done by the herbs, herbal products and other natural therapies.

Treatment By Planet Ayurveda

Planet Ayurveda is the established in the world of herbal medicine throughout the world. It is a herbal company that helps to manage and treat various disease conditions naturally. The herbal products manufactured here are prepared from purest and best quality herbs that do not contain any sort of chemicals, binders, fillers etc. These remedies are prepared under the strict supervision of MD Ayurveda doctors and as per the guidelines given in authentic Ayurveda literatures. Similarly, for the ACL tear the Planet Ayurveda offers the combination of herbal medicines that helps in managing it naturally.

1. Boswellia Curcumin

These herbal capsules are prepared from two herbs, i.e. Sallaki and Curcumin (Active compound of the turmeric). Both the herbs are used in standardized form and effectively helps in treating inflammation and pain owing to their anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties. It also possesses healing properties that helps in healing the injury gradually.

Dosage– Take 2 capsules twice daily after meals with plain water

2. Coral Calcium Complex

These polyherbal capsules possesses various pishti like Praval pishti, Akik pishti, Jawar mohra pishti, Kamdudha ras, Mukta pishti, and Guduchi. These capsules help in maintaining healthy calcium levels in the body, and maintain healthy bones.

Dosage– Take 1 capsule twice daily after meals with plain water

3. Joint Aid Plus

These amazing herbal capsules are prepared from herbs that are full of medicinal properties like Nirgundi, Shallaki, Guggul, Sonth and Ashwagandha. All of these herbs in a combination helps to maintain healthy joints and prevent injuries to them and adjoining ligaments.

Dosage– Take 1 capsule twice daily after meals with plain water.

4. Yograj Guggul

These are the polyherbal capsules that are composed of various herbs like Amla, Guggul, Bibhitaki, Haritaki, Long, Cinnamon, Sonth etc. These tablets possess anti-inflammatory, anti-tumor, analgesic etc. properties that helps in managing ACL tear effectively. It also provides strength to the bones.

Dosage– Take 2 tablets twice daily after meals with plain water

5. Orthovita Oil

This amazing herbal oil is prepared from mixture of some of the medicinally effective oils like Shul gajendra oil, Gandhapura oil, Turpentine oil etc. Applying locally this oil helps in relieving the inflammation and relives pain gradually.

Direction– Massage with very soft hand few drops of this oil on effected joint.

Conclusion

Opting for herbal treatment timely can help you to avoid surgery and manage the condition naturally without any invasive act. These herbal products also help to strengthen the joints and ligaments internally so that injury can be prevented.