Advanced Orthopedic Care When You Need It
An ACL injury is a tear or sprain of the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in your knee. Your ACL is a strong band of tissue that helps connect your thighbone to your shinbone at the knee. ACL injuries are common and usually happen while playing sports.
If you have an ACL injury, you want prompt, expert care. That’s what you can expect at St. Luke’s . Our orthopedic experts provide comprehensive care to help you get back to a pain-free, active life. If you do need surgery to repair an ACL tear, our minimally invasive options can get you back on your feet and back in the game faster with less recovery time.
How We Diagnose ACL Injury
Your doctor can diagnose an ACL injury after a physical exam and some imaging tests. They’ll look at your knee to see how your range of motion is and where you’re feeling pain or tenderness. Tell your doctor what you were doing when you got hurt or started feeling symptoms. Your orthopedic surgeon may order one or a combination of tests to get a better look at your ligaments and rule out other conditions. These imaging tests can include:
- Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI): Your doctor can use MRI to see how severe your ACL injury is and if any other parts of your knee are damaged. This test uses a strong magnetic field and radio waves to create images of soft and hard tissues in your body.
- Ultrasound: During an ultrasound, your doctor can get a better look at your ligaments, muscles and tendons to look for signs of injury.
- X-ray: Your doctor may recommend an x-ray if they want to rule out a bone fracture. X-rays don’t show ligaments and tendons, so they aren’t used to diagnose soft tissue injuries like ACL tears.
How We Treat ACL Injuries
Your doctor will recommend a treatment plan based on the severity of your ACL injury, damage to other areas in or around your knee and your personal goals. ACL tears can’t heal on their own, but some people can live with them. If your ACL injury is mild and you don’t do very active athletic activities, you may be able to heal your knee with rest and physical therapy. However, if your tear is more severe or you’re an athlete who’d like to return to your old activity level, your doctor will recommend surgery.
RICE Method
As soon as you’re injured or start noticing symptoms, follow the RICE method to manage your pain and help with swelling:
- Rest: Avoid the activity that caused your knee injury and avoid overusing your knee while it heels. Your doctor may also recommend avoiding putting weight on your knee.
- Ice: Apply ice packs wrapped in a towel or cold compresses to your knee for 15 minutes at a time, several times a day to reduce swelling and help with pain.
- Compression: You can wrap your knee with a bandage to provide support and reduce swelling.
- Elevation: Prop your leg up above your heart to drain fluid around your knee and reduce swelling.
ACL Repair Surgery and Physical Therapy
Surgery to repair a tear in your ACL is also called a knee arthroscopy. Your doctor will use this minimally invasive technique to repair your knee. ACL surgery is often an outpatient procedure, so you can return home the same day.
Physical therapy can help you if you regain your knee’s full range of motion, strengthen your muscles and reduce swelling and pain in your knee. Your physical therapist will teach you exercises you can do with them and at home. You can benefit from physical therapy in addition to surgery or as your only form of treatment.
Symptoms and Risk Factors of ACL Injury
The most common symptoms of ACL tears include:
- Hearing or feeling a loud popping sensation
- Inability to move your knee or continue your activity
- Pain
- Swelling
- Weakness or instability when putting weight on your knee
If there’s too much force on your knee or you move in a way that twists your ligament in an unnatural way, your ACL can tear. Anyone can experience an ACL injury. People who do sports or fitness activities that involve sudden changing direction, stops or twists are more likely to injure their ACL. In addition to playing sports, you can also tear your ACL during a car accident or a fall.