For young athletes, adults and seniors alike, an ACL injury can be a significant setback. Whether you train in a specific sport or simply navigate daily life, understanding how to recover from an ACL injury is so important.
This article will guide you through the recovery process.
What Is an ACL Injury?
The anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) is a key ligament which stabilizes your knee joint. Ligaments are pieces of strong, flexible tissue which connect bones to other bones.
In the case of the ACL, this ligament connects your femur or thigh bone to your tibia or shin bone. It also aligns and stabilizes your knee and leg as you walk, run, jump and do other complex movements.
ACL injuries, which involve overstretching and tearing, often occur during sports. Typically, these physical activities involve quick stops, rapid changes in direction or jumping and landing. Sports which lend themselves to ACL injuries are football, skiing, soccer and basketball.
Symptoms include:
- Knee pain
- Inflammation
- Instability of the joint
- Inability to fully bend or straighten the knee
- A popping sound
While any active person, regardless of age or gender, can experience an ACL injury, young female athletes seem especially prone. Doctors say this is due to the position of the ACL in relation to the wider female pelvis, the laxity of young women’s connective tissues and their lesser muscle mass as well.
Diagnosing an ACL Injury
Accurate diagnosis by an orthopedic surgeon trained in sports medicine is the first step toward recovery. Our comprehensive approach at the Joint Replacement Institute includes evaluating symptoms, X-rays, MRIs and hands-on manipulation of the affected leg.
Based on these assessments, ACL tears are graded as follows:
- Grade 1, a minor tear or stretching of the ligament.
- Grade 2, a moderate tear.
- Grade 3, a complete tear.
Effective Healing Strategies for ACL Injuries
Once diagnosed with an ACL tear, your treatment plan depends on the severity of the injury and also your ability and willingness to participate in your recovery. Here is how we approach treatment.
RICE
For minor tears, the RICE method (Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation) works well. It involves:
Rest
Avoid putting weight on your injured knee. Use crutches as needed, and stay off your feet whenever possible.
Ice
Apply ice packs to reduce swelling. Usually, 20 minutes on and 20 minutes off proves best.
Compression
Wear an elastic bandage on the knee to compress it and further reduce swelling. Compression also stabilizes the knee and relieves pain.
Elevation
Keep the knee elevated above the level of your heart to encourage fluid drainage and reduce uncomfortable swelling.
Physical and Occupational Therapy
Both therapies play a critical role in recovery. They include:
- Tailored exercises to improve strength and flexibility
- Assistance with daily activities, such as dressing and moving around comfortably
- Use of durable medical equipment, such as crutches, knee braces, and more, as needed
Surgical Intervention
For severe tears, arthroscopic – small incision – surgery may be the best treatment choice. This procedure involves using tiny instruments to repair the ligament, sometimes with a tendon graft taken from your own patellar (knee cap) tendon or other sources, such as your hamstrings or even a cadaver donor.
Rehabilitation After an ACL Injury
After surgery, rehabilitation focuses on restoring full function to your knee. Likely, you will return home the same day as your knee operation. Then, you will ambulate with a cane, crutches, or a walker.
You and your physical therapist will work on how to accomplish certain everyday movements, such as navigating stairs, exercising your hamstrings and quadriceps, and rebuilding coordination and balance.
So, rehabilitation is not just a matter of healing the operated areas. It also involves relearning the complexities of the movements you need for work, home and sports.
You will practice ways to improve your balance and coordination and regain proprioception in your knee. Proprioception is the ability to sense where your knee is without looking at it or your surroundings.
Knee Pain Relief in Naples, FL
At the Joint Replacement Institute in Naples, FL, we provide holistic care for ACL injuries. From the initial diagnosis to the development and execution of a personalized treatment plan, our goal is a swift and complete recovery for all our patients.
Dr. Brian Wallace is a seasoned sports medicine doctor committed to helping patients return to their active lifestyles. Under his expertise, we offer a wide range of services, including arthroscopic and rehabilitation programs, tailored to individual needs and goals.
If you suspect an ACL injury, don’t delay seeking professional help. Contact us at (239) 261-2663 or fill out our appointment request form today to schedule an in-office consultation. We look forward to seeing you soon.
