| Do I have an ACL tear? | | | | placed on the knee after the injury. Use every 2 |
| The Anterior Cruciate Ligament or ACL rupture is one | | | | hours. |
| of the injuries most dreaded by sports people. | | | | The ACL is situated deep inside the knee joint. It |
| Commonly injured in skiing accidents, rugby, football | | | | acts as the connective ligament between the thigh |
| and netball, it can signal the end of a promising | | | | and shin bones. The ACL's primary function is to stop |
| sporting career. ACL knee injuries usually occur due | | | | the shin moving too far forwards and to prevent the |
| to trauma or impact. It can occur during a severe | | | | knee excessively rotating. The ACL stabilizes the |
| impacts in rugby and football tackles, it can occur | | | | knee joint. |
| during a bad land in skiing or windsurfing. or it can | | | | The ligament cannot be repaired so it needs to be |
| occur in sudden stopping and twisting actions in | | | | reconstructed using another tendon or |
| games like hockey and netball. In serious incidents the | | | | ligament-typically this will be the patella tendon or the |
| Posterior Cruciate Ligament can also get ruptured. It | | | | hamstring tendon. Some people opt not to have |
| is not uncommon to rupture the ACL, the medial | | | | surgery. If the patient does not wish to return to |
| cartilage and the medial collateral ligament all in the | | | | sport, they can carry out day to day activities |
| same injury. | | | | without an ACL and avoid surgery. Several months of |
| Symptoms of an ACL injury | | | | rehab will still be required to build up the muscles |
| The patient usually describes an audible popping | | | | around the knee sufficient to stabilise the knee. Most |
| sound. This will be followed by intense knee pain and | | | | cases of ACL rupture however will require full |
| immediate, severe swelling. The patient will also | | | | reconstruction especially if the individual wishes to |
| describe a feeling of their knee giving way. These | | | | return to sport. |
| symptoms will be worse if the medial ligament and | | | | Rehab for ACL |
| medial cartilage have been torn as well. | | | | Every case of ACL rupture requires a comprehensive |
| Diagnosis of Anterior Cruciate Ligament Rupture | | | | and specialised rehabilitation program for full recovery |
| There are special stability tests that will be | | | | to happen. |
| performed by your doctor or physiotherapist which | | | | Rehabilitation will first concentrate on continuing to |
| are fairly accurate. If there is significant swelling the | | | | reduce swelling and regaining full range of movement |
| tests may not be accurate until this has gone down- | | | | into the joint. The next steps focus on gradual |
| you may have to wait a week or so for | | | | strengthening of the knee and surrounding muscles. |
| confirmation. They might also confirm your diagnosis | | | | Gait retraining, balance and proprioception are critical |
| and look for associated damage with MRI scan. | | | | elements to rehab following by sports specific |
| What is the best Treatment for ACL tear? | | | | training. |
| Because ACL rupture can be so devastating, there | | | | Typical rehab times range from 7 months to 1 year |
| has been a lot of research into best treatment | | | | before the patient is back playing sport, confident in |
| practices and as a result, recovery and outcomes are | | | | their knee. It can be vary depending on how diligent |
| much more positive than they used to be and sports | | | | the patient is with their programme. Overall ACL |
| people can often go back to sport at elite level if | | | | outcomes are very good- but it does require |
| managed well. In the first few days the goal is the | | | | significant work from both the therapist and the |
| minimise swelling. Ice packs should be immediately | | | | patient. |