Knee Knocker

Could I get the same injury as Tiger by playing golf ?

What is the ACL?
The ACL is one of four major ligaments of the knee joint, providing almost 90% of it’s stability. It helps to stop the tibia (shin bone) from sliding too far forward relative to the femur (thigh bone), and also helps to limit rotational movements of the knee.
The ACL is the most commonly injured knee ligament, and it is most commonly injured by a sudden twisting movement while the foot is planted, such as when quickly changing direction in sports like basketball or football. It can also be injured by hyper-extending the knee, or by a direct blow to the front or side of the knee. Very often other structures of the knee are injured at the same time, such as the menisci (cartilaginous shock absorbers) or other ligaments. The knee may become painful or swollen with an ACL injury, and may feel like it “gives out” or buckles, depending on the extent of the injury. The ligament can only be partially torn, or in more severe cases, completely ruptured, which is part of the reason why not all ACL injuries require surgery (the individual’s level of activity and occupation are other important factors).
Sustaining an ACL injury while jogging is really quite unusual. It is possible Tiger had a pre- existing weakness in his knee because of prior surgeries, or that the repetitive super human forces he produces during swing have proven too much for his knee to handle. This leads to the second part of my initial question: is golf bad for the knees?

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Written by Heidi Reyes

Click here to see the published article.

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