An ACL Tear Isn’t the End of a Sports Career

The anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) is one of the four major ligaments between your femur and your tibia. It provides knee stability while permitting motion and is one of the most commonly injured ligaments of the knee. An injury to your ACL may require surgery, but in many cases, nonoperative treatment can be effective as well.

Nonoperative treatment may include bracing or participating in a physical therapy, rehabilitation, or exercise program. If you have suffered a partial ACL tear, these nonsurgical treatment methods can restore your knee to its pre-injured state.

However, if your ACL tear has created significant instability within your knee joint, your surgeon may recommend surgery.

"During ACL reconstruction surgery, the damaged ligament is removed and replaced with a substitute graft," explains Dr. Steven T. Thaxter, knee surgeon at Sierra Pacific Orthopedics. "This surgery method is very successful in restoring knee function and preventing future instability within the knee."

Dr. Thaxter says that the timeline for returning to sports and physical activity varies for each patient. In general, patients may return to normal activity when there is no longer pain or swelling in the knee, when they have achieved full range of motion, and when they have restored muscle strength within their leg. For many patients, this occurs 9-12 months following surgery.

To learn more about treatment options for ACL injuries, please call (877) 666-6080 or click here to schedule an appointment with one of the knee doctors at Sierra Pacific Orthopedics.