ACL Injuries. All You Should Know.

What is an ACL Injury?

An ACL injury is a tear or sprain of the anterior crucial ligament. This ligament runs from the middle of the knee, connecting the thigh bone to the shinbone (femur to the tibia), and handles the rotation and forward movement below the knee.

Symptoms of an ACL injury include a popping sound and sensation in the knee, severe pain that makes you stop that activity, swelling and pain in the knee, as well as loss of range of motion.

Who is at risk?

Before today, you have probably heard someone say they have torn their ACL. While this common and serious injury often happens to athletes, everyone is at risk. Any activity that may keep your foot planted while your knee turns away increases the chance of an ACL injury. This can range from sports, exercising, roughhousing, car accidents, dancing, or any sudden movements.

How can physical therapy help?

Not only can physical therapy play an important role in preventing ACL injuries, but our physical therapists can develop a comprehensive and personal plan of care after an injury has occurred.

To reduce the chance of an ACL injury, we will teach you how to stretch and strengthen the muscles around your knee and hips. We’ll educate you on body mechanics for jumping, landing, and pivoting to reduce the risk of injuries.

When an injury has occurred, the treatment would depend on the severity of the injury. If surgery is not required, our physical therapists will help you regain strength, improve range of motion, lessen pain, and try to restore your level of function.

If surgery is required, our physical therapists will evaluate you and work with your care team to help reduce postoperative pain and increase mobility. Our physical therapist will begin addressing the strength and flexibility needed to restore the preoperative range of motion while paying close attention to protecting the surgical site.

 

Pre-OTorn ACL Symptoms, Recovery Times, Surgery, Women (medicinenet.com)p ACL Physical Therapy Exercises (verywellhealth.com)

Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) Injury or Tear | Johns Hopkins Medicine

Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury: MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia

Content Contributor: Andrea McMahon