If I asked you what your favorite day of the week is, my guess is that it would it fall between Friday and Sunday. For many of us, the weekends are the only time we can devote to ourselves and our hobbies – whether it’s a Saturday night volleyball league or going to the gym you haven’t stepped foot in all week. However, weekends can quickly turn into your not-so-favorite time of the week if you get injured during them.

“Most of us live a weekend warrior lifestyle because we don’t have time during a busy workweek to be active,” says Theodore Suchy, MD, an orthopedic surgeon with Adventist GlenOaks Hospital. “But too much activity can quickly lead to injury, especially in the knees.”

Acute and chronic knee injuries
Some knee injuries can happen suddenly, like when you twist your knee (an acute injury), while others can result from extended use (a chronic injury). Two of the most common acute injuries are:

Torn meniscus – can occur when a person forcefully twists or turns their knee, such as an aggressive turn during a tackle in football. The meniscus is the cartilage between the bones in the knee and when it is torn, a person will feel a sudden popping sensation accompanied by swelling and pain. “If you can’t put any weight on your injured knee, see your physician right away for an X-ray and physical examination,” Dr. Suchy says.

After using an MRI to confirm a diagnosis, surgeons use arthroscopy to repair a torn meniscus. “At Adventist Midwest Health, we use the latest techniques in diagnosis and treatment,” Dr. Suchy says. “Arthroscopy is the most common orthopedic procedure done today and it is 100 percent accurate in diagnosing and treating a problem.”

During this procedure, surgeons make a few small incisions and insert a camera (arthroscope), which helps them repair the damage. Before arthroscopy was available, surgeons made a six-inch incision to repair the meniscus. Because of advancements in technology, they’ve reduced the size to one-fourth of an inch. After arthroscopy, patients are back to full activity in two to six weeks.

Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) tears – can occur during sports and fitness activities. Ligaments are bands of tissue that connect two bones together; your ACL is in the middle of your knee and helps stabilize the joint. However, if you pivot, twist or overextend your knee during activity, this ligament can tear. Like a torn meniscus, those with an ACL tear will also hear a pop and the area will be swollen and painful.

For both meniscus and ACL tears, physicians will start with more conservative treatments, such as rest, ice, anti-inflammatory medications and physical therapy. However, if these treatments aren’t effective and the knee is still unstable, surgery may be the next step.

To repair a torn ACL, specialists at Adventist GlenOaks Hospital are performing a procedure called an allograft. Instead of taking a piece of tendon from another part of your leg to reconstruct the ACL (autograft), surgeons use a tendon from a cadaver. Because the patient doesn’t need to harvest their own tissue, surgeons make smaller incisions, which lessens post-operative pain. Patients can get back to full activity in three to six months.

To help make sure your weekend isn’t hampered by knee injuries, Dr. Suchy recommends starting slow. “Don’t do too much too soon,” he says. “With any activity, build up slowly and take time to rest.”

For more information, or to find a physician, call us at 866-533-7968.