Question 1

what can worsen a torn acl?

Accepted Answer

Certain activities: An acl tear that has been treated nonoperatively can lead to instability with certain movements such as cutting or lateral movement.  Performing these activities can lead to cartilage injuries or arthritis.

Question 2

how do you fix a torn acl?

Accepted Answer

Reconstruction: An acl tear is not able to repair itself because the body seals off both ends of the tear. In some cases, the torn acl can scar into and heal to surrounding structures, but the function is never the same. A reconstruction involves creating tunnels in the original acl position, and placing a substitute graft into the tunnels, and fixing it in place.

Question 3

how to care for a torn acl?

Accepted Answer

Avoid pivoting: Without an acl, your knee is unable to resist rotation that occurs when you plant your foot and turn the other way (such as during cutting sports like basketball and soccer). Running straight does not typically need a functioning acl. If you have decided to modify your activities to avoid those motions, you may not want to undergo an acl reconstruction. Otherwise, the shifting causes damage.

Question 4

how can i strengthen a torn acl?

Accepted Answer

You can't: All you can do is strengthen the muscles supporting the knee but it will never replace the function of the ACL and your knee will suffer.

Question 5

is it ok to snorkel with torn acl?

Accepted Answer

ACL tear: Check with your orthopedic surgeon. Questions to ask:  giving way?  Locking? Instability? Full thickness tears? Acute vs chronic? Other joint pathology? Do i need a brace, acl recon, or pt?

Question 6

what should i do with my torn acl?

Accepted Answer

See an orthopedist: Acl tears should be individualized to each patient. There is no one way to treat an acl tear. Depending on your activity level, age, and overall conditioning, a surgeon may recommend nonsurgical management, surgery with your own tendon, or surgery with a donor tendon. Some cases require additional procedures to fix the overall problem.

Question 7

what are the symptoms of a torn acl?

Accepted Answer

Torn acl: With acute injury, u hear a loud pop then develop intense pain in the knee, then the knee begins to swell within few hours.

Question 8

how long can you go with a torn acl?

Accepted Answer

Varies: Depending on your activity level, your ability to rehab the knee, and also whether you play cutting sports (like tennis, basketball), it's actually possible to live with a torn acl.  Here's a recent study on this subject:  http://www.Nejm.Org/doi/full/10.1056/nejmoa0907797?Siteid=nejm;keytype=ref;ijkey=g71wpxzkhwyf2;.

Question 9

would icy hot work well on a torn acl?

Accepted Answer

Not really: Cold packs may limit the swelling in the knee for the first 48-72 hours after an ACL injury.  But other than that, will not have much of an effect.  Complete tears of the ACL rarely heal and that is why so many athletes have to undergo surgery for ACL tears.

Question 10

how can i tell that i have a torn acl?

Accepted Answer

Knee instability: The classic signs of acl tear are knee joint instability, swelling, pain.  This only occurs after a traumatic injury.  The swelling is often worse 6 hours after injury and lasts a few days.  Immediate field assessment can determine the knee instability.  Exam can become limited the next day due to pain and stiffness.  X-rays and MRI are usually necessary to confirm the findings.

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