The Dreaded ACL Tear
By Desirea D. Caucci, PT, DPT
An ACL tear in a professional athlete requires surgical reconstruction of the damaged ligament. Injuries to the
ACL, anterior cruciate ligament, of the knee are common among all athletes because it tears when the knee is
hyperextended or when the foot remains planted, but the body continues to move. Both of these positions occur
quite often in running sports, especially in contact sports like football.
The ACL is an important stabilizer for the knee joint. If a tear of the ACL is left untreated in an athlete, another
injury to the knee is eminent due to the instability caused by the nonfunctional ACL. On the other hand, it is
possible for non-athletes to successfully rehabilitate the knee after an ACL tear by completing a course of
physical therapy. By building up the muscular support surrounding the knee, a non-athlete can return to
unlimited activities of daily living without the need for surgery. In all cases, it is a joint decision between the
treating surgeon and the patient whether or not to pursue surgical reconstruction. Either way, physical therapy
is recommended to rehabilitate the knee and entire lower extremities in preparation for return to sport-related
or work-related activities.
A decision will have to be made about which biological tissue will be used to reconstruct the ACL. The choice is
either a graft from his own body (typically from the kneecap tendon or hamstring tendon), a graft from a
cadaver or a graft from a non-human. Most commonly, the patient uses a graft from his or her own knee, but
once again, the decision making process is guided by the surgeon’s preference in conjunction with the patients’
in weighing the pros and cons of each scenario.
Following an accelerated approach to treatment, the surgical reconstruction will be performed as soon as
possible. Physical therapy will then begin within days of the surgery to focus on range of motion, swelling and
pain control, and to begin to re-learn how to contract the knee muscles effectively. As healing continues,
physical therapy will get progressively more intense as strength, endurance, flexibility, coordination and balance
return.
As mentioned before, it is a common injury for athletes and non-athletes alike-- I hope you have no need to
learn more about ACL injuries and treatment!
By Desirea D. Caucci, PT, DPT
An ACL tear in a professional athlete requires surgical reconstruction of the damaged ligament. Injuries to the
ACL, anterior cruciate ligament, of the knee are common among all athletes because it tears when the knee is
hyperextended or when the foot remains planted, but the body continues to move. Both of these positions occur
quite often in running sports, especially in contact sports like football.
The ACL is an important stabilizer for the knee joint. If a tear of the ACL is left untreated in an athlete, another
injury to the knee is eminent due to the instability caused by the nonfunctional ACL. On the other hand, it is
possible for non-athletes to successfully rehabilitate the knee after an ACL tear by completing a course of
physical therapy. By building up the muscular support surrounding the knee, a non-athlete can return to
unlimited activities of daily living without the need for surgery. In all cases, it is a joint decision between the
treating surgeon and the patient whether or not to pursue surgical reconstruction. Either way, physical therapy
is recommended to rehabilitate the knee and entire lower extremities in preparation for return to sport-related
or work-related activities.
A decision will have to be made about which biological tissue will be used to reconstruct the ACL. The choice is
either a graft from his own body (typically from the kneecap tendon or hamstring tendon), a graft from a
cadaver or a graft from a non-human. Most commonly, the patient uses a graft from his or her own knee, but
once again, the decision making process is guided by the surgeon’s preference in conjunction with the patients’
in weighing the pros and cons of each scenario.
Following an accelerated approach to treatment, the surgical reconstruction will be performed as soon as
possible. Physical therapy will then begin within days of the surgery to focus on range of motion, swelling and
pain control, and to begin to re-learn how to contract the knee muscles effectively. As healing continues,
physical therapy will get progressively more intense as strength, endurance, flexibility, coordination and balance
return.
As mentioned before, it is a common injury for athletes and non-athletes alike-- I hope you have no need to
learn more about ACL injuries and treatment!
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