Don't immobilize a torn ligament.

Do you have a torn ligament?

Too often, a person injures a ligament and their healthcare provider tells them to wear a brace, or wraps the area to immobilize it. Research shows that “immobilization causes ligament physiology to progressively change from anabolic to a more catabolic state.” This means that the ligament tissue breaks down and is much weaker when it is immobilized. On the other hand, when the tissue is exercised, research shows that there is a direct correlation between the number of collagen fibrils, their arrangement, and their average thickness with the ligament. “In a systematic review, early mobilization was found to decrease pain, swelling and stiffness, to preserve more of the ligament’s range of motion, and to result in a quicker return to work.” This means that with movement, the ligament tissue heals faster and stronger. In the case of a major ligament rupture, surgery along with casting may be necessary in the beginning stages, but a guided exercise routine will be necessary to ensure adequate healing as time progresses. 

Learn more in our latest article.

An Ann Arbor Chiropractor Can Help You Recover

Along with physical rehabilitation, your Ann Arbor chiropractor can work in collaboration with your other doctors to be part of a treatment plan for ligament injuries. Depending on the severity of the injury, adjustments to improve stability, mobility, reduce pain, and improved healing can be an important part of ligament damage recovery.

To get started or ask a question, call (734) 221-0362 or submit a contact form here.

Source: Hauser, R., Dolan, E., Phillips, H., Newlin, A., R., & Woldin, B. (2013). Ligament Injury and Healing: A Review of Current Clinical Diagnostics and Therapeutics [Abstract]. The Open Rehabilitation Journal, 6(1), 20th ser. doi:10.2174/1874943701306010001

Did I tear a ligament, or is it just a pulled muscle?

Unsure if the pain is a torn ligament or pulled muscle?

A trained chiropractor or medical provider can assess if an injury resulted in a pulled muscle or sprain/tear of a ligament. This is determined through a comprehensive evaluation of the injured area. Generally, when a ligament is damaged, you will notice pain, swelling, and sometimes bruising. If the ligament is torn or ruptured, in addition to extreme pain, it may also feel loose or weak, like the joint will give out. Depending on the severity of the injury, a proper course of treatment is essential to ensuring adequate healing.

Most minor ligament sprains will heal on their own if they’re taken care of properly. In the case of a ruptured or torn ligament, surgery may be required to fix the damage along with physical therapy to regain strength and range of motion.

If a ligament injury is minor then there are a few things you can do on your own to ensure proper healing. Check them out in our latest article.

An Ann Arbor Chiropractor Can Help You Recover

Along with physical rehabilitation, your Ann Arbor chiropractor can work in collaboration with your other doctors to be part of a treatment plan for ligament injuries. Depending on the severity of the injury, adjustments to improve stability, mobility, reduce pain, and improved healing can be an important part of ligament damage recovery.

To get started or ask a question, call (734) 221-0362 or submit a contact form here.

Source: Hauser, R., Dolan, E., Phillips, H., Newlin, A., R., & Woldin, B. (2013). Ligament Injury and Healing: A Review of Current Clinical Diagnostics and Therapeutics [Abstract]. The Open Rehabilitation Journal, 6(1), 20th ser. doi:10.2174/1874943701306010001

Chiropractic Care Can Speed Ligament Healing

Most minor ligament sprains will heal on their own if they’re taken care of properly. In the case of a ruptured or torn ligament, surgery may be required to fix the damage along with physical therapy to regain strength and range of motion.

If a ligament injury is minor, there are a few things you can do on your own to ensure proper healing. Read the full article on our website to learn more!

If you’ve recently had a ligament injury or have decreased mobility and chronic pain due to an older injury, chiropractic care can help.

Pivotal Chiropractic is a great option for treating an injury, especially during the COVID-19 era when it’s harder to see our regular doctors or go to urgent care for help. Your chiropractor can work in collaboration with your team of doctors to make sure your injury heals properly.

For a free consultation to get more information, contact Dr. Gessert today!

How do Ligament Injuries Heal?

What you should do after the injury? More importantly, how do you know if you have a ligament injury?

Did you tear a ligament or is it just a pulled muscle?

A trained chiropractor or medical provider can assess if an injury resulted in a pulled muscle, or sprain or tear of a ligament. This is determined through a comprehensive evaluation of the injured area. Generally, when a ligament is damaged, you will notice pain, swelling, and sometimes bruising. If the ligament is torn or ruptured, in addition to extreme pain, it may feel loose or weak, like the joint will give out. Depending on the severity of the injury, the proper course of treatment is essential to ensuring adequate healing.

Read more on our website!

3 Phases of Ligament Healing

Healing within an injured ligament is a complex dance of cellular processes, which “cause alterations in the biology and biomechanics of the injured ligament, leading to inadequate healing and tissue formation that is inferior to the tissue it has replaced” according to the Open Rehabilitation Journal. 

“The incomplete healing and lower integrity of the new ligament tissue results in ligament laxity, predisposing the joint to further injury.  The cycle of injury and laxity causes joint instability which, leads to chronic pain, diminished function, and ultimately, to osteoarthritis (OA) of the affected joint.”

Ligaments take a long time to fully heal, and this occurs in three phases: acute inflammatory, proliferative or regenerative repair, and remodeling.

Read more on our website! 

How Can Chiropractic Care Help with Ligament Injuries?

Along with physical rehabilitation, your chiropractor can work in collaboration with your other doctors to be part of a treatment plan for ligament injuries. Depending on the severity of the injury, adjustments to improve stability, mobility, reduce pain, and improved healing can be an important part of ligament damage recovery.

Contact Dr. Gessert at Pivotal Chiropractic today to get started!

 

How Chiropractic Care Can Help with Ligament Injuries

According to a study published in the Open Rehabilitation Journal: “Ligaments are composed primarily of water, collagen and various amino acids. Of the total ligament mass, approximately two-thirds is comprised of water and one-third, of solids.”

Just like muscles, ligaments can stretch, however, they’re not as forgiving as muscles. When you stretch a muscle, it’s like stretching a pair of yoga pants - they expand then contract back to their normal size. Ligaments, on the other hand, are like a pair of denim jeans - it takes much more force to stretch them, but when it does happen, you notice tears or fraying in the fibers.

When a ligament is stretched past its physical limitations, the fibers will tear. If the trauma is severe enough, the ligament can rupture all the way through. Damage to the ligament causes a permanent change in the ligamentous fibers.

How Can Chiropractic Care Help with Ligament Injuries?

Along with physical rehabilitation, your chiropractor can work in collaboration with your other doctors to be part of a treatment plan for ligament injuries. Depending on the severity of the injury, adjustments to improve stability, mobility, reduce pain, and improved healing can be an important part of ligament damage recovery.

Contact Dr. Gessert at Pivotal Chiropractic today to get started!

Whiplash What You Must Know

Statistically, there is a strong likelihood that you or someone you know will be involved in a car accident.  The average driver will be in a car crash once every 18 years translating into 4 accidents over the course of a lifetime.  Though the risk of death is very low, the odds are that one of these accidents will result in bodily injury (whiplash) and/ or property damage, is high.  Even a minor fender bender can result in an injury, which can cause problems.  If you’ve ever been in one you know what I’m talking about.  Typically the first course of action is treating your pain with painkillers and rest.  Once you feel better, you may think that you’re in the clear, but what if your symptoms linger?  Or in some cases if you have no symptoms, can a car crash come back to hurt you later in life?      

Learn More