The anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) is one of 4 strong stabilising ligaments of the knee and acts to prevent excessive forward movement in the knee joint.
ACL tears most often occur when the foot is planted and the knee makes a sudden change of direction, or in a contact sport where the knee is hit while planted.
Symptoms
Symptoms experienced will depend on the degree of injury but include:
- A popping sound is often heard at the time of injury.
- Pain and swelling
- A feeling of instability or that the knee will give way with weight bearing.
- Inability to fully bend or straighten the knee.
Management
It is important to see a physio for diagnosis of an ACL tear. In the presence of significant damage or ambiguous test results, a referral to an orthopaedic surgeon is generally made.
As the research increases around ACL injury, it is becoming more and more common that the ACL is conservatively rehabbed. Whether it is managed conservatively or operatively, initially, rehab involves rest and gentle movement.
Following this, your physio will guide you through a progressive program of lower limb strength and control exercises as your ligament heals and your controls improves. In rehabbing your knee, it is imperative to follow a program guided by a physio to make sure you have adequately achieved each stage of strength and control required before progressing back to your normal activities or sport to minimize risk of re-injury and allow for a successful return to sport.
If you think you have torn your ACL, book in today to see one of our expert physios at In Balance to get a plan to get you back out there doing the activities or sport you love!
