Doing physical activity such as sports for at least 30 minutes every day is highly recommended by the Government as stated in the Healthy Living Community Movement (GERMAS) program. This activity can help in increasing endurance and body fitness. There are many types of activities in sports such as cycling, swimming, running, and others. Sport is useful for many things, such as: recreation, achievement, amateur, professional, business, work. Awareness of sports is growing, not a few professional athletes have emerged from the community, which at first were just regular sports.
What Is a Knee Injury?
One of the most common sports injuries is a knee injury. Knee injury is a condition of damage or tear that occurs in the anterior knee ligament. In general, sufferers who experience knee injuries will feel pain, bruising, or swelling in their knees. This usually happens some time after the patient has suffered a knee injury.
First aid in case of injury
With the aim of sport to improve fitness and body health, unfortunately it cannot be denied that this activity is not free from the threat of injury or sports injury. One of the most common injuries is a knee injury. This injury should be treated as early as possible so as not to cause more severe damage.
When you experience a knee injury during sports, you are advised to immediately do the RICE method, namely:
- REST , rest for 48 hours without doing any exercise.
- ICE , applying cold compresses to the injured area.
- COMPRESSION , the injured area is then bandaged and pressed.
- ELEVATION , the injured part is placed on a higher surface to reduce swelling.
Arthroscopy method to treat advanced injuries
After a series of RICE methods, you should immediately see an orthopedic specialist. Radiological examination can be done to detect damage to the inside of the injured area. If damage to the organs in the knee is found, discuss it with your orthopedic specialist for treatment.
After knowing with certainty the damage that has occurred, the next step is to repair the damage to the knee organ. The treatment method that is now highly recommended is arthroscopy or joint binoculars.
Arthroscopy only requires a very small cut of about 5 mm in 2 or 3 places made around the knee. The way arthroscopy works is to insert a fiber-optic camera into the knee and then display it on the monitor screen. Through this monitor screen, the orthopedic specialist is able to assess the damage that has occurred, such as a torn ligament or torn meniscus and then carry out corrective actions such as ACL/PCL reconstruction or meniscus suturing.
The advantages of the Arthroscopy method
Arthroscopy has many advantages such as:
- The wound is very small so that the damaged tissue becomes minimal (minimally invasive).
- Very minimal bleeding.
- Much faster treatment.
- Patients can mobilize quickly after the procedure.
- The possibility of the injured body part functioning again as before is very large.
- Minimize the emergence of postoperative complications
The way Arthroscopy works is that a fiber-optic camera will be inserted into the knee and displayed on the monitor so that the doctor will see it and evaluate it through the monitor. Abnormalities in the rupture of the ligament or tear of the meniscus will be monitored on the monitor and then corrective actions such as ACL / PCL reconstruction or meniscus suturing will be carried out.
Thus arthroscopy is very possible to do for patients who want to return to their activities and exercise without pain. To avoid recurring injuries, warm up before exercising and adjust the intensity of the exercise according to the condition of the body.
Article written by dr. Bobby Nelwan, Sp.OT (Orthopedic Surgeon at EMC Pulomas Hospital)