Prevent early-onset knee arthritis from repeated ACL Injury from Skiing

Skiing is a fast-paced sport involving quick manoeuvres and side to side movement. These fast-lateral movement along with the slippery slopes and high speed of the skier can increase the chances of an injury.

Due to the nature of the sport, knee injuries account for up to one-third of all skiing injuries. Furthermore, data suggests that 80% of all knee injuries are ACL Injuries such as Grade 2 ACL tear or ACL rupture (1).

ACL Injury and Symptoms 

The ACL or anterior cruciate ligament of the knee joint is the ligament which connects the thigh bone to the shin bone on the anterior side.

A cruciate ligament tear (cruciate ligament rupture) occurs when one of these ligaments in the knee is either partially or completely torn. A clear popping or cracking sound can be heard when the cruciate ligament tears. Symptoms of ACL injuries vary depending on the severity of the sprain, which is classified into levels of mild (grade 1), partial tear (grade 2) and complete tear (grade 3). Mostly the symptoms include swelling of the knee joint and intense pain. The knee usually becomes unstable, making it harder for the person to walk and bend their knee.

ACL and Knee Arthritis

While some patients can continue to walk after an ACL tear, most patients suffer through instability and pain after an ACL injury. The instability in the knee joint from an ACL injury can further increase the chance of reinjury. The reinjury rate has been shown to be five times higher in women (2). 

ACL ligament ruptures usually involve surgical intervention such as ACL reconstruction surgery. More than 50% of patients undergoing ACL reconstruction are young teens and athletes, as they are at the highest risk of injury (3).

New research is now suggesting ACL injuries are more likely to develop knee arthritis within only 10 years of the injury. A 2017 study reported up to 75% of the people who underwent ACL reconstructive surgery, developed arthritis within 10-15-year time of the surgery (4). This means teens and young active adults are at a risk of developing arthritis in their 30s, a time when people rarely think of managing arthritis symptoms.

How to prevent it?

Since arthritis is not understood well, the best way to prevent early arthritis is to prevent ACL injuries and other knee injuries. Whether you’re a weekend skier, a seasoned athlete or taking your skiing vacation, knowing how to protect and stabilise your knees can help you prevent injuries and issues such as knee arthritis in the future. Here are some tips to prevent a knee injury during skiing.

-Stretch and train before the ski season.

– Know the snow safety rules.

– Wear protective gear and equipment.

– Know your limits and abilities.

– Prepare for injuries.

Knee braces for Injury Prevention and Treatment

To prevent or avoid knee injuries when skiing, we recommend wearing a knee brace or knee support which grips around your kneecap to stabilise your knee joint. The GenuTrain S knee brace is a good knee support to prevent skiing related injuries. The joint splints guide the knee, providing lateral movement support while keeping the area stable. This improves sensorimotor function for maximum movement control.

Since the knee joint can be unstable after an ACL reconstruction operation, wearing a medical brace can help stabilize the knee joint and aid in fast recovery. The medical-grade compression and massaging gel pads in Bauerfeind braces promotes blood flow which helps in reducing inflammation and pain. 

“At first, I couldn’t believe it’s another cruciate ligament tear! Being an athlete and watching from the sidelines and not being able to participate is awful. The Bauerfeind SecuTec Genu has helped me gain back my movement without any restriction right after I got out of the hospital after my ACL reconstruction surgery. The GenuTrain S has helped me through the rehabilitation process during my training and to get back into skiing” says ski champion Andrea Limbacher (5).

Research has also shown 3 times lower rates of reinjury in skiers with ACL injury wearing a brace compared to non-braced skiers, thus helping to prevent early-onset arthritis (6).

Contact Bauerfeind.com.au or phone 1300 668 466 to find out more.

References:

• https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5386612/
• https://www.sportsmed.org/AOSSMIMIS/members/downloads/SMU/2015JanFeb.pdf
• https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5501245/
• https://www.researchgate.net/publication/260916980_Increased_Risk_of_Osteoarthritis_After_ACL_Reconstruction_-_A_14-year_Follow-up_Study_of_a_Randomized_Controlled_Trial
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_3c22TylG80
• https://www.researchgate.net/publication/6915271_Effect_of_functional_bracing_on_knee_injury_in_skiers_with_anterior_cruciate_ligament_reconstruction_-_A_prospective_cohort_study

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