SENECA, Pa. (EYT) – An anterior cruciate ligament tear is an injury to the knee commonly affecting athletes, such as soccer players, basketball players, skiers, and gymnasts.
Non-athletes can also experience an ACL tear due to injury or accident.
Approximately 200,000 ACL injuries are diagnosed in the United States each year. It is estimated that there are 95,000 ruptures of the ACL and 100,000 ACL reconstructions performed per year in the United States. Approximately 70% of ACL tears in sports are the result of non-contact injuries, and 30% are the result of direct contact (player-to-player, player-to-object). Women are more likely than men to experience an ACL tear.
Physical therapists are trained to help individuals with ACL tears reduce pain and swelling, regain strength and movement, and return to desired activities.
The physical therapists at West Park Rehab are movement experts. They improve quality of life through hands-on care, patient education, and prescribed movement. You can contact a physical therapist directly for an evaluation. West Park Rehab has been successfully treating anterior cruciate ligament tears for over 20 years. Help is available.
You can request an appointment using the following link: https://sites.webpt.com/1660/reactivation-offer.
Or – call our offices at Franklin: 814-437-6191 or Seneca: 814-493-8631.
What Is an ACL Tear?
The ACL is one of the major bands of tissue (ligaments) connecting the thigh bone (femur) to the shin bone (tibia) at the knee joint. It can tear if you:
· Twist your knee while keeping your foot planted on the ground.
· Stop suddenly while running.
· Suddenly shift your weight from one leg to the other.
· Jump and land on an extended (straightened) knee.
· Stretch the knee farther than its usual range of movement.
· Experience a direct hit to the knee.
How Does It Feel?
When you tear the ACL, you may feel a sharp, intense pain or hear a loud “pop” or snap. You might not be able to walk on the injured leg because you can’t support your weight through your knee joint. Usually, the knee will swell immediately (within minutes to a few hours), and you might feel that your knee “gives way” when you walk or put weight on it.
How Is It Diagnosed?
Immediately following an injury, you may be examined by a physical therapist, athletic trainer, or orthopedic surgeon. If you see your physical therapist first, your therapist will conduct a thorough evaluation that includes reviewing your health history. Your physical therapist will ask:
· What you were doing when the injury occurred.
· If you felt pain or heard a “pop” when the injury occurred.
· If you experienced swelling around the knee in the first two to three hours following the injury.
· If you felt your knee buckle or give out when you tried to get up from a chair, walk up or down stairs, or change direction while walking.
Your physical therapist may perform gentle “hands-on” tests to determine the likelihood that you have an ACL tear and may use additional tests to assess possible damage to other parts of your knee.
An orthopedic surgeon may order further tests, including magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), to confirm the diagnosis and rule out other possible damage to the knee.
Surgery
Most people who sustain an ACL tear will undergo surgery to repair the tear; however, some people may avoid surgery by modifying their physical activity to relieve stress on the knee. A select group can actually return to vigorous physical activity following rehabilitation without having surgery.
Your physical therapist, together with your surgeon, can help you determine if non-operative treatment (rehabilitation without surgery) is a reasonable option for you. If you elect to have surgery, your physical therapist will help you prepare both for surgery and to recover your strength and movement following surgery.
How Can a Physical Therapist Help?
Once an ACL tear has been diagnosed, you will work with your surgeon and physical therapist to decide if you should have surgery, or if you can recover without surgery. If you don’t have surgery, your physical therapist will work with you to restore your muscle strength, agility, and balance, so you can return to your regular activities. Your physical therapist may teach you ways to modify your physical activity in order to put less stress on your knee. If you decide to have surgery your physical therapist can help you before and after the procedure.
You can request an appointment using the following link: https://sites.webpt.com/1660/reactivation-offer.
Or – call our offices at Franklin: 814-437-6191 or Seneca: 814-493-8631.
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