Question 1

what could cause anterior cruciate ligament (acl) injury ?

Accepted Answer

Knee hyperextension: The ACL may tear when certain movements of the knee place a great strain on the acl.     Hyperextension of the knee, that is, if the knee is straightened more than 10 degrees beyond its normal fully straightened position, is a very common cause of an torn acl. This position of the knee forces the lower leg excessively forward in relation to the upper leg.
    Pivoting injuries of the knee with exc.

Question 2

what does  anterior cruciate ligament acl injury feel like?

Accepted Answer

Giving way: Classically people describe a buckling, twisting, or giving way episode in the knee, with a popping feeling. Sometimes the pop is audible.  Commonly there is swelling, limited ability to walk, and then associated stiffness+pain;  as swelling goes down, pain will go away, but instability (wobbly/buckling) feeling with quick changes of direction persists; some people have minimal pain/swelling.

Question 3

how severe is a torn anterior cruciate ligament (acl) injury?

Accepted Answer

Bad: For most active patients, acl injuries are fairly disabling. Most active patients will experience persistent instability episodes and pain that limit their pursuits of their activities. Therefore, most patients elect to have surgery. Return to all activities after surgery will take at least 6 months. Those patients who are not particularly active may not require surgery.

Question 4

what are the common symptoms of anterior cruciate ligament (acl) injury ?

Accepted Answer

Pain & Instability: Acl tears typically are painful, cause knee swelling, and cause the sensation of instability in the knee.

Question 5

what are the causes of the pain in an anterior cruciate ligament (acl) injury?

Accepted Answer

Swelling/bone bruise: Initial pain after tearing your acl is due to 3 main reasons. 1) bleeding from the tear fills the knee exerting pressure on the capsule which is very sensitive to pressure. 2) the forces that cause the tear cause the femur and tibia to smack together leaving characteristic bone bruises in the femur and tibia.  3) additional injuries, most commonly meniscus tears can add to the pain of acl injury.

Question 6

what is the treatment for anterior cruciate ligament (acl) injury?

Accepted Answer

Mostly surgery: Most patients will elect to have surgery to "fix" their acl while some people will try physical therapy and bracing first. Surgery involves reconstructing the ligament with a graft. Sewing the ligament back together does not work. Bone tunnels are made and the graft in strung through the tunnels to mimic the original acl. Over time, the graft heals in. There are many graft options.

Question 7

how can you prevent anterior cruciate ligament (acl) injury ?

Accepted Answer

Neuromuscular traini: Research has shown that the incidence of non-contact ACL injury can be reduced anywhere from 20% to 80% by engaging in regular neuromuscular training that is designed to enhance proprioception, balance, proper movement patterns and muscle strength.

Question 8

how long does it take to recover from a anterior cruciate ligament (acl) injury and to be able to play sports?

Accepted Answer

Depends: There are many variables that will effect the time necessary to recover enough to return to sports including the graft used, fixation techniques and the biases of the surgeon.  Because some studies suggest return to sports prior to 9 months post surgery may increase the risk of reinjury, I prefer to have my patients wait 9 months.  Some athletes may return sooner with successful rehabilitation.

Question 9

i think my child may have anterior cruciate ligament injury. what would that mean?

Accepted Answer

Needs to be evaluate: Cruciate injuries in children though rare do occur.Would need to know a lot more before giving specific advice. Growth plate injuries are more likely in kids and sometimes injuries to the tibial spine can mimic acl injuriy.

Question 10

what are the symptoms of anterior cruciate ligament injury i should be looking for?

Accepted Answer

Instability: The hallmark of an acl deficient knee is instability or giving way of the knee with higher level activities involving cutting, jumping, pivoting, etc.  Some individuals may experience this with routine day to day activities.  The initial injury is often described as feeling a "pop" in the knee and followed by development of considerable swelling and variable pain.

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Anterior cruciate ligament injury recovery time

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What could cause anterior cruciate ligament (acl) injury ?

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What does anterior cruciate ligament acl injury feel like?

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How severe is a torn anterior cruciate ligament (acl) injury?

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What are the common symptoms of anterior cruciate ligament (acl) injury ?

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What are the causes of the pain in an anterior cruciate ligament (acl) injury?

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What is the treatment for anterior cruciate ligament (acl) injury?

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How can you prevent anterior cruciate ligament (acl) injury ?

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How long does it take to recover from a anterior cruciate ligament (acl) injury and to be able to play sports?

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I think my child may have anterior cruciate ligament injury. what would that mean?

A member asked:

What are the symptoms of anterior cruciate ligament injury i should be looking for?

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