When you’re facing a traumatic knee injury like an ACL tear, especially if you’re an elite athlete or someone who thrives on being physically active, it can be overwhelming and difficult. At The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center in Columbus, Ohio, our orthopedic knee surgeons and Sports Medicine team will get you back on the court or field as quickly and safely as possible. We’ll assess the severity of the damage, provide an individualized treatment plan and work with you to prevent future ACL injuries.
What is an ACL injury?
ACL sprains and tears are common knee injuries, especially for athletes who play sports with frequent stops, changes in direction, jumping or landing. These sports include soccer, football, basketball, rugby or lacrosse, but ACL injuries can be caused by any physical activity or traumatic accident.
Treatment will depend on the severity of ACL injury, presence of other injuries and your activity level. For certain injury patterns, lack of treatment can lead to further knee issues, such as meniscus tears, instability or arthritis. If you tear your ACL, you’ll most likely need surgery and can expect to make a full recovery in nine months to a year. An estimated 100,000 to 200,000 people experience this type of knee ligament tear in the United States every year.
What is the ACL?
The anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) is a strong band of tissue that attaches the shinbone to the thighbone. This knee ligament is closer to the front of the knee whereas the posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) is toward the back.
The modern state of ACL repair and how ACL tear treatment has progressed
Christopher Kaeding, MD, executive director of Ohio State Sports Medicine, explains how ACL tear rehabilitation and treatment has evolved.
What does an ACL tear feel like?
Symptoms of an ACL injury can vary, depending on severity. Some of the most common ACL tear symptoms include:
- Feeling or hearing a pop in your knee
- Swelling
- Pain, especially when trying to bear weight
- Weakness and feeling like your knee has given out, or buckled
- Reduced mobility and range of motion
How are ACL tears diagnosed?
Ohio State orthopedic knee surgeons are experts at diagnosing ACL injuries, no matter the severity. We’ll ask about your medical history, including current symptoms, and do a full physical examination, which may involve moving your knee in certain motions and assessing pain.
To diagnose an ACL tear, we also might recommend X-rays and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Not only will these tests help us determine an accurate diagnosis, but they’ll also allow us to customize a treatment plan that meets your athletic goals.
Treatment for an ACL injury
The treatment methods our orthopedic knee experts recommend for your ACL injury will depend on a variety of factors, including the diagnosed condition, concurring knee damage, your age and your activity level.
We’ll always use the least invasive therapies to get you back to enjoying life and sports. However, a complete ACL tear most often requires ACL reconstruction surgery or another type of surgery, followed by physical therapy.
ACL sprain
Treatments for an ACL sprain include:
- Regular application of ice
- Rest or immobilization
- Bracing or compression
- Physical therapy
Partial ACL tear
Treatment for a partial ACL tear is similar to treatment for an ACL sprain, but recovery may take longer, and physical therapy may be more intensive. Sometimes surgery may be required to repair the ligament, especially if you’re experiencing instability or you’re an athlete wanting to return to a certain level of fitness.
Complete ACL tear
The most common treatment for a complete ACL tear is ACL reconstruction surgery. This procedure, while usually done on an outpatient basis so you go home the same day, requires significant recovery time and rehabilitation.
How long does it take for an ACL tear to heal?
A complete ACL tear will not heal on its own. However, it’s possible to live with it, especially if it’s a low-grade tear and you don’t plan to play sports again.
When a tear does require surgery, most people return to normal activity within six months to a year following the reconstruction procedure. For athletes, recovery could be longer before they’re able to return fully to their sport. It’s important to listen to your doctors about when it’s safe to begin activity again, to lower your risk of reinjuring yourself.
Lower-Extremity Injury Prevention Program helps reduce risk of ACL injuries
Our physical therapists, who specialize in treating athletes and sports-related injuries, offer well-studied and evidence-based prevention strategies to help strengthen your lower extremity and keep you at peak performance.
Can you still play sports after tearing your ACL?
For most athletes, an ACL tear isn’t career-ending if they receive proper care and have plenty of time to rest and recover from the injury. Physical therapy and rehabilitation following ACL surgery are also key to an athlete being able to return to competing at a high level. Most athletes can expect to return to sports within nine months to a year after surgery.
Why choose Ohio State for ACL injury treatment
Our orthopedic and rehabilitation specialty programs are consistently ranked in the top 10% of all hospitals nationwide, as ranked by U.S. News & World Report. Our ACL injury care is unparalleled because:
- We’re a trusted partner of many athletes. Our Sports Medicine providers are the team physicians for Ohio State Athletics, including the football team, as well as various professional sports organizations. We make this elite care accessible to you.
- We are the ACL injury experts. Our knee surgeons perform hundreds of ACL surgeries annually, so you know you’ll be in good hands with leaders in this field.
- Our care approach is comprehensive and compassionate. ACL injury care at the Ohio State Wexner Medical Center is truly multidisciplinary, from our expert surgeons and orthopedic nurses to our physical medicine and rehabilitation team, which includes many providers who specialize in ACL tear recovery.
- We’re constantly innovating how we treat and prevent ACL injuries. As an academic medical center, we’re at the forefront of developing, researching and implementing new surgery techniques or physical therapy protocols to help you heal and return to sports faster.