Surgery for knee hyperextension may be necessary when an athlete has damaged one of the major ligaments in the knee. One of the more common examples of this is an athlete tearing their anterior cruciate ligament, or ACL. Fortunately, more than 80 percent of athletes whose hyperextension causes this sort of injury return to athletic activity1ZAFFAGNINI S, GRASSI A, SERRA M, MARCACCI M. Return to sport after ACL reconstruction: how, when and why? A narrative review of current evidence. Joints. 2015; 3(1):25-30.. For individuals requiring surgery, common procedures include
Arthroscopic knee surgery involves the repair or reconstruction of damaged ligaments through small incisions.
In This Article:
- Understanding Knee Hyperextension
- Symptoms of Knee Hyperextension
- Diagnosing Knee Hyperextension
- Treatment of Knee Hyperextension
- Surgery for Knee Hyperextension
- Arthroscopy. Arthroscopic surgery involves inserting a small, remotely controlled endoscopic camera into an incision to provide a physician with a clearer view of an affected area. Some knee damage can be repaired through this process as well.
Reconstruction. Reconstructive surgery may be performed upon damaged tissue resulting from knee hyperextension. ACL reconstruction is one common form of this surgery. The nature of this surgery will depend greatly upon the specific injury and level of athletic competition engaged in by the athlete.
In the event that surgery does become necessary, recovery will vary on a case by case basis. Immobilizing the joint, a reduced workload, physical therapy and training will likely encompass a part of most recovery plans.
- 1 ZAFFAGNINI S, GRASSI A, SERRA M, MARCACCI M. Return to sport after ACL reconstruction: how, when and why? A narrative review of current evidence. Joints. 2015; 3(1):25-30.
