Soccer-related injuries often require the attention of a knee specialist

Much to the dismay of soccer or "football" fans around the world, their favorite sport is often plagued with injuries that can bench their favorite players for an entire season. Collisions, running accidents, and repetitive kicking motions often leave players with injuries that can only be fixed by a skilled knee specialist.

One particularly gruesome and painful soccer-related knee injury is a dislocated kneecap. This condition can occur for a number of reasons, but is common in the soccer world because of collisions between players and the powerful kicking motions involved in the game. Such an injury is extremely painful, and requires immediate medical attention. The kneecap, medically referred to as the patella, can end up as far as the side of the knee.

It is possible for the kneecap to pop back into place on its own, but it will probably have to be repositioned by a knee specialist. A dislocated kneecap is treated much the same way as a broken bone. The piece is put back in place, and then placed in either a cast or immobilizing brace so that it can settle into its proper place and heal naturally.

Another category of injuries with which sports fans have become familiar are injuries to the ACL, PCL, MCL, and LCL. These are injuries that occur in the four ligaments located in the knee. Rough physical activity causes tears or ruptures in these ligaments. Injuries to the ACL and PCL, the anterior and posterior ligaments, are more severe injuries that often require surgery and up to a year of physical therapy. Surgery involves reconstructing the ligament by grafting similar tissue from other body parts because the ligament cannot merely be stitched together.

Many people argue that ligament tears and ruptures do not really require surgery. This may be true for the average person, but for someone who plays soccer on a professional, college, or even high school level, surgery is the only way to ensure the injury will not get worse when the player steps back onto the field.

MCL and LCL injuries involve the side ligaments of the knee. They are less common and less severe than ACL and PCL injuries, and do not usually require surgery. Treatment for this type of injury only involves icing the area and treating it with anti-inflammatory drugs to reduce the swelling, followed by physical therapy to regain strength and mobility in the ligaments.

It is important to find a knee specialist qualified in sports medicine. The main criteria to look for when choosing a doctor for any surgery is how many similar cases the doctor have dealt with before. You would not want to go under the knife for a kidney transplant by a doctor that specializes in liposuction. That may be an extreme example, but the same rule applies. A sports medicine doctor or surgeon will be not only very familiar with your particular injury, but also experienced in the necessary follow-up care that will allow you to get back out on the field as soon and as safely as possible.