Sam Smith has suffered an anterior cruciate ligament injury; understanding the case

Sam Smith refused to undergo surgery to correct damage to his anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) after a skiing accident

Sam Smith suffered a skiing accident in January of this year, as he revealed in a recent interview on the podcast “Sidtracked With Aniie and Nick.” The incident resulted in a torn anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in his knee.

“I went on the black run on the second day and the worst thing happened,” Sam shared. “The ligament completely tore and I decided not to have surgery, but I basically couldn’t walk on that leg for a month.”

During the interview, Smith said that the fall left permanent consequences on his knee and, therefore, he needed a recovery period to walk again. Despite this, the singer behind the hit “Unholy” decided not to undergo surgery.

Sam Smith is currently on an international tour and will perform in Germany on Friday (26).

Does an anterior cruciate ligament injury require surgery?

According to orthopedist Isaías Chaves, the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) is essential for stabilizing the knee, especially in sports that require rapid changes of direction, such as skiing, soccer, volleyball, tennis, and basketball.

“The ACL prevents the knee from moving out of position. When a patient has a complete tear, they may feel their knee giving way and experience instability. This can overload and damage other structures, such as the cartilage and meniscus,” explains the doctor.

For active people who have suffered an ACL injury, ligament reconstruction is often necessary to return to safe sports. “If the patient is active and wants to return to sports, he or she needs to reconstruct the ligament. After rehabilitation, he or she can return to normal activity,” the doctor advises.

However, for older or sedentary patients, physical therapy and muscle strengthening may be sufficient to stabilize the knee without the need for surgery.

The expert also points out that ACL injuries are common in skiers. “It is common to sustain an injury while skiing. After reconstruction and a period of rehabilitation, the patient can return to normal skiing,” the orthopedist concludes.

Source: Terra

Ben

Ben Stock is a lifestyle journalist and author at Gossipify. He writes about topics such as health, wellness, travel, food and home decor. He provides practical advice and inspiration to improve well-being, keeps readers up to date with latest lifestyle news and trends, known for his engaging writing style, in-depth analysis and unique perspectives.