Drake Recovers from Surgery after Re-injuring Knee

Rapper Drake is recovering from knee surgery Sunday after the singer re-injured his knee at the America’s Most Wanted tour on Friday night. The up and coming rapper/singer tore his ACL a few weeks ago but began touring last week. Drake said to MTV News: “I didn’t really get any approval from my doctor, but I made a personal decision 48 hours ago that I’d be letting a lot of people down if I didn’t show up and at least show them I’m there for them.” While performing with singer Lil Wayne, Drake slipped and fell, and had to assisted off the stage.

The knee is essentially a modified hinge joint located where theend of the thigh bone (femur) meets the top of the shin bone(tibia). Four main ligaments connect these two bones:

• Medial collateral ligament (MCL) — runs along the inner partof the knee and prevents the knee from bending inward.
• Lateral collateral ligament (LCL) — runs along the outer partof the knee and prevents the knee from bending outward.
• Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) — lies in the middle of theknee. It prevents the tibia from sliding out in front of the femur,and provides rotational stability to the knee.
• Posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) — works with the ACL. Itprevents the tibia from sliding backwards under the femur.

The ACL and PCL cross each other inside the knee, forming an “X.”

The ACL is the most commonly injured ligament in the knee. It can be torn when a twistingforce is applied to the knee while the foot is firmly plantedon the ground or upon landing, or from adirect blow to the knee, usually to the outside of the knee, as may occur during afootball tackle. The most common sports where ACL injuries occur are soccer, basketball, tennis, volleyball and skiing. ACL injuries are more common in women for a variety of reasons including anatomical difference and the effect of female hormones on the joints.
The symptoms of a torn ACL include:

• An audible pop or crack at the time of the injury
• Inability to stand of the leg with a feeling of joint instability
• Extreme pain and knee tenderness
• Knee swelling
• Decreased ability to move the knee

As with most such injuries, care immediately after the injury consists of RICE therapy-
Rest, Ice, Compression, and Elevation). Medical attention should be sought to thoroughly evaluate the injury. If the tear is mild and not completely through the entire ligament, conservative management including immobilization with a knee brace and physical therapy may surfice. If the ligament is completely torn, it can not be repaired, but must be replaced, usually during arthroscopic surgery.