'I'm a surgeon and people make big mistake if they feel pop in knee'

'I'm a surgeon and people make big mistake if they feel pop in knee' Time is of the essence with this one This is the injury that could strike any sports enthusiast – and what you absolutely shouldn't do if you feel a popping sensation. ACL injuries rank among the most prevalent serious sporting injuries, affecting everyone from elite professional athletes to casual joggers and weekend footballers. Yet according to surgeon and joint preservation specialist Professor Paul Lee, one of the biggest mistakes people make is dismissing the warning signs following an injury and hoping the problem will simply disappear. A popping sensation in the knee during sport is one of the most significant red flags. One of the most common sporting injuries Professor Lee said: "ACL injuries are one of the most common serious sporting injuries we see. One of the biggest mistakes people make is feeling a pop in the knee, experiencing swelling or instability and then trying to carry on regardless." The anterior cruciate ligament, widely known as the ACL, is one of the crucial stabilising ligaments within the knee joint. It is frequently injured during activities that involve sudden changes of direction, twisting, pivoting or awkward landings. Football, rugby, skiing, basketball and tennis are among the sports most closely associated with ACL injuries, though they can occur during almost any physical activity. For decades, the standard treatment for a torn ACL has involved reconstructing the ligament using a tendon graft taken from another part of the body. However, advances in sports medicine are opening up new options for certain patients. Professor Lee explained: "For many years, reconstruction has been the gold standard, but there is growing interest in techniques that aim to preserve and repair the body's own ligament rather than replacing it." New way to treat ACL injuries One such technique is ACL-STARR Repair, which concentrates on restoring and maintaining the patient's natural ACL rather than removing it and inserting a graft. However, Professor Lee noted that the effectiveness of these newer methods frequently hinged on one vital factor: timing. He said: "Early diagnosis is absolutely critical. Some ACL tears that may be repairable within the first few weeks can become irreparable if treatment is delayed." This is why he strongly advised anyone who experiences a popping sensation, considerable swelling or a feeling that the knee is giving way to seek specialist assessment as swiftly as possible. He added: "The worst thing people can do is ignore it, keep playing and assume it will settle down on its own. By the time some patients finally seek help, opportunities to preserve the ligament may already have been lost." The future of sports medicine Professor Lee believes the future of sports medicine lies increasingly in preservation and regeneration rather than replacement. He said: "The future of sports medicine is preservation and regeneration. Whenever possible, we should be asking whether we can save and restore the body's own tissues rather than automatically replacing them." While reconstruction surgery remains an excellent option for many patients, he believes that preserving natural anatomy wherever possible is likely to become an increasingly important focus of treatment. He said: "This is not about replacing ACL reconstruction altogether. It is about recognising that for the right patient, treated at the right time, preserving the body's own ligament may sometimes be possible." With growing numbers of people participating in sport and exercise, Professor Lee said that recognising the early warning signs of ACL injuries could make a considerable difference to both recovery and long-term knee health. He continued: "The sooner an injury is properly assessed, the more options patients may have available to them."