What medicine is good for ligament injury?

Written by Wang Jing
Pediatric Orthopedics
Updated on September 11, 2024
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Ligament injuries first require assessment of whether the damage is acute or chronic before considering medications. For acute ligament injuries, there are key principles to follow. First, the injured area must rest and the joint should no longer be active. Second, immediately apply cold compresses. The temperature of the ice-water mixture touching the skin should be between 4℃ to 10℃. Apply the cold compress for about 10 to 15 minutes, generally not exceeding 20 minutes. If there is severe swelling, you can continue to apply cold compresses two hours later. Then, elevate the patient's limb and apply compression bandaging to the injured site, which forms the treatment principles for acute ligament injuries. For chronic ligament injuries, different situations require different approaches. For ligament injuries that do not affect joint stability, some topical medications can be used. This can include traditional Chinese medicines or anti-inflammatory and analgesic patches, which mainly improve local blood circulation and reduce local chronic inflammation. (Please use medications under the guidance of a doctor.)

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Written by Wang Jing
Pediatric Orthopedics
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How to operate on ligament damage

Ligament injuries that affect joint stability require surgery, and different locations necessitate different surgical methods. Generally, for ligaments within a joint, such as the anterior cruciate ligament or the posterior cruciate ligament of the knee, reconstruction is performed using either autografts, allografts, or synthetic tendons to replace the original damaged ligaments. For ligaments outside of a joint, such as the medial collateral ligament, lateral collateral ligament of the knee, or the anterior talofibular ligament of the ankle, if the joint stability is compromised, suturing is generally performed during the acute phase. For chronic, long-standing injuries that affect joint stability, reconstruction is usually necessary, also using autografts, allografts, or synthetic tendons to substitute their function.

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Written by Wang Jing
Pediatric Orthopedics
1min 13sec home-news-image

What medicine is good for ligament injury?

Ligament injuries first require assessment of whether the damage is acute or chronic before considering medications. For acute ligament injuries, there are key principles to follow. First, the injured area must rest and the joint should no longer be active. Second, immediately apply cold compresses. The temperature of the ice-water mixture touching the skin should be between 4℃ to 10℃. Apply the cold compress for about 10 to 15 minutes, generally not exceeding 20 minutes. If there is severe swelling, you can continue to apply cold compresses two hours later. Then, elevate the patient's limb and apply compression bandaging to the injured site, which forms the treatment principles for acute ligament injuries. For chronic ligament injuries, different situations require different approaches. For ligament injuries that do not affect joint stability, some topical medications can be used. This can include traditional Chinese medicines or anti-inflammatory and analgesic patches, which mainly improve local blood circulation and reduce local chronic inflammation. (Please use medications under the guidance of a doctor.)

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Written by Na Hong Wei
Orthopedics
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Post-symptoms of knee ligament injury

The knee joint has four crucial ligaments: the anterior and posterior cruciate ligaments, and the medial and lateral collateral ligaments. They act like four pillars, firmly anchoring the knee joint in a very stable and normal position. If any of these ligaments rupture, this balance is disrupted, causing the knee to move abnormally in a certain direction, leading to increased local wear and tear or compensatory wear in other parts. Therefore, if ligament damage is not repaired, and the balance is disrupted, it can lead to many complications or sequelae. The first is traumatic arthritis. The second is patellar chondromalacia. The third is meniscus damage. The fourth is damage to other ligaments, or even rupture. The fifth is knee arthritis, also known as OA, or degenerative changes. The sixth is knee effusion and synovitis. Thus, the sequelae of knee ligament injuries are numerous and troublesome.

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Written by Wang Jing
Pediatric Orthopedics
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Can ligament injuries heal by themselves?

Whether ligament injury can be healed depends on the severity of the injury. Generally, there are four types of ligament injuries. The mildest is a sprain, which is when some fibers of the ligament are torn. The second type is a partial tear of the ligament, the third type is a complete tear of the ligament, and the fourth type is a combined injury, which includes damage to other structures in addition to the ligament injury. If the ligament injury is just a sprain, it can generally heal within two to three weeks with immobilization. However, partial ligament tears that are more severe may require surgical intervention. If the partial ligament injury is not severe and does not affect stability, it can also heal with about three to six weeks of immobilization. However, complete ligament tears or combined injuries often require surgery for suturing or reconstruction in order to heal.

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Written by Zhang Ying Peng
Orthopedics
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What supplements are good for ligament injuries?

Patients with ligament injuries are advised to consume more foods containing high-quality protein, such as beef, eggs, and milk. However, it is not recommended to eat high-calorie, high-nutrient foods, such as sea cucumber and abalone. Ligaments are important structures that connect two bones at the joint. Once a ligament is injured, it can only recover under strict rest, which may involve immobilization with plaster casts and bed rest. After a ligament rupture, a great amount of energy is consumed during the healing process. It is crucial to balance meat and vegetables in the diet and maintain nutritional balance. It is suggested to appropriately increase the intake of high-quality protein foods, such as beef, eggs, and milk, but it is not advised to consume high-calorie, high-nutrient foods, like sea cucumber and abalone.