Need to Know: ACL Knee Injury: Part 2 Treatments

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Once most people have sustained a knee injury, they will head to the doctor. If you are an athlete, you are probably dreading the words, “You have torn your ACL.” No one wants that diagnosis, but an ACL tear or partial tears no longer have to mean an end to your athletic career or your exercise routine. The key to getting through an ACL injury is to have a good doctor, follow the rehabilitation plan and return to activity when you are fully healed.

When you are at the doctor’s office or having an initial evaluation by an athletic trainer, they may perform a Lachman test, which can indicate the soundness of the ACL. If a tear is suspected, an MRI may be necessary to determine the severity of the tear.

Not all people who have an ACL injury need surgery. People who do not participate in high demand sports, who have a sedentary or low impact lifestyle, or who do not show signs of instability, can often recover from the injury with physical therapy. Many of these patients will need to wear some type of supportive brace during physical activity. The other caution is that secondary knee injuries could occur because of the unrepaired damage to the ACL.

If you do need surgery, there are surgical options to consider. First, you want to have a doctor that has the same goals and vision that you do for your recovery. Second, you will need to set a time frame with your surgeon regarding the surgery date and recovery time. Third, as instructed by the doctor, you should be in the best pre-surgery shape you can be in.  

Finally, you need to decide what type of surgical repair procedure you want done for your ACL. Surgeons may use the patellar tendon, hamstring tendon, quadriceps tendon, or allograph (cadaver tendons) to repair the ACL. Each one of these options has its pros and cons in terms of recovery and long-term stability. When you are working with your orthopedic surgeon, he or she may have a technique that they prefer over another. Do your own research so you know your options and can have an educated conversation with the doctor about what would be right for you.

There are some risks associated with having surgery. These possible medical complications should be discussed prior to your surgery and you should be aware of warning signs for infection and blood clots before leaving the medial facility.

Having an ACL injury can be a traumatic event and certainly a major disruption in your life. However, there are great options for surgery and for physical therapy that can get you back to your sport and maintain the lifestyle you are used to.