ACL stands for anterior cruciate ligament. Basically, ACL Tear is a type of knee injury that is one of the most common knee injuries.

Treatment for the ACL Tear varies from one individual to another. It may include rehabilitation exercises or rest which may help you to regain strength and stability or surgery to replace the torn ligament.

Are you confused in choosing the best treatment for an ACL Tear? Well, Kareline is here to help you to choose the best treatment for ACL Tear.

What is ACL?

The anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) is a ligament present in the knee joint. A flexible band of tough tissue that holds bones and cartilage together is known as a ligament.

The bottom of the thigh bone or femur and top of shinbone or tibia are connected with the help of ACL. It helps to keep the knees in stable condition.

One ACL will be present in each knee. An ‘X’ shape is formed inside the knee with your posterior cruciate ligament (PCL). ACL is seen to be in closer to the front of your knee whereas PCL is found to be in the back of your knee.

The ACL is visible like a strap which connects your bones and prevents the knee from twisting or rotating too much. Anything that puts enough force beyond its natural limit can injure or tear your ACL.

What Is an ACL Tear?

• Tears can happen in the ACL if an injury is stretched too much. This tear may be partial or complete.

• Most people can understand on their own when they tear their ACL. Sports Injuries and other traumas can tear your ACL.

• People would feel or hear a pop in their knee when they tear the ACL. The knee might feel weak or unstable.

• ACL Tears can be very painful but in the case of some people , they will only experience a little discomfort.

If anyone felt or heard a popping, they should visit a healthcare professional.

What Causes IT and How Common Is It?

Most ACL Tears occur during athletic activity. ACL is the most commonly occurring knee injury.

Most of it happens during sports that have pivotal movements , cutting and turning like skiing , soccer, basketball , football and tennis.Occurance of ACL is more common in girls than in men.

Types of ACL Injuries

Typically, healthcare providers grade ACL injuries and rips. These grades provide a fast method to describe the severity of your ailment. ACL injuries are graded from one (least severe) to three (most severe):

• Grade one: The injury stretched your ACL enough to damage it, but it remains intact and holds your knee bones together.

• Grade two: The injury sprained your ACL so much that it was partially ripped and loosened.

• Grade three: A total tear, with your ACL in two pieces.

Symptoms of ACL

Some of the common symptoms of ACL include:

• Sensation of a pop sound in knee

• Inflammation

• Experiencing pain especially when you feel any weight or lift anything.

• Fatigue or experiencing a unstable and weak knee

• Losing the motility of the knee.

What Are the Treatment Options for ACL?

• Rest, Ice, Compression, and Elevation: Using Rice regimen, as soon as possible after injuring your knee can aid in reducing the inflammation and pain.

Crutches can be used to keep weight off your knee or a knee brace can be used to protect the joint from instability for a couple of weeks.

You should also stay awake from the physical activity that aggravates the ACL Tear. In initial days , application of ice and elevation of your knee for 15 minutes can be very beneficial.

It can be done thrice in a day which will alleviate the pain and Discomfort. You can also use a compression bandage for instant relief.

• Joint Aspiration: Fluid from the knee may be removed quickly after the injury by your doctor in order to get instant relief and to reduce the swelling and also for mobility.

For this procedure, local anaesthetic is injected into the knee for numbing it.

A needle is inserted in the joint to withdraw fluid into the syringe.Ultrasound can be used by the doctor in order to guide the overall procedure, even though this is not always necessary. Your knee may be in a sore manner after a couple of days.

• Pain Relief Medications: Ibuprofen and Naproxen are some of the anti-inflammatory drugs which can be used for reducing the swelling and pain caused by ACL Tears. The short term usage of these non-steroidal drugs can be an option.

• Physical and Occupational Therapy: Physical and occupational therapy can create a personalised rehabilitation plan that reduces swelling and improves muscle strength around the knee joint.

Some of the suggested activities are riding a stationary bike which may help to reduce swelling and another one is stretching the knee, thigh, and lower leg which will help in improving range of motion.

Your therapist may focus on the exercise which strengthens the muscles around the knee to support it . Exercises such as body squats , Heel lifts and leg lifts can help in making the thighs stronger and lower leg muscles also in a strong manner.

Occupational Therapists can suggest techniques that help you to avoid future knee injuries, which will help you to withstand the pain even if your job requires manual labour or you need to be on your feet most of the day.

Depending on the severity of injury , your doctor or physical therapist may recommend a few weeks.

It can help improve strength , mobility and flexibility but it cannot heal a torn ACL. If you experience instability in the knee , despite receiving an appropriate course , your physician can opt for surgery.

• Surgery Method: Patellar Tendon is one of the methods. In this procedure , the knee cap is attached to the shin bone. It is the graft with the longest track record and this is regarded as ‘gold standard’ for ACL rebuilding.

In many cases, the graft is recommended for professional athletes and in many young active individuals.

In the majority of cases, surgeons don't repair a torn ACL immediately. According to many researchers, people have best results when the doctors delay surgery for a few weeks.

Delay in the surgery will help the knee to resolve any swelling and inflammation and also to regain normal range of motion.

The exact healing period for the surgery will differ from individual to individual based on the severity of surgery. On average , the wait period is about two weeks to two months.

FAQs

1. Does it go away on its own?

It will not heal on its own , but it is possible to live with it. If you are a sports person or athlete or want to return to physical activity , you will need surgery to repair.

2. How long does it take to recover from a torn ACL?

Usually it takes about six to nine months to recover from a torn ACL. Don’t return to playing sports until your healthcare professional says. If you resume activities before your ACL heals, it is more likely to get re-injured.

3. How Can I Prevent Another ACL Tear?

If you had an ACL tear, there's a higher chance it might happen again. Training programs may help you avoid another ACL tear. These focus on neuromuscular training (NMT). NMT teaches movement patterns that lower the risk of injury, especially while jumping, landing, and changing direction. NMT programs include stretching, plyometrics (jump training), and balance training.