What is ACL?

Anterior cruciate Ligament Short-form ACL is a ligament in the knee joint which connects the thigh bone (Femur) to the leg bone (tibia). A ligament is a specialized structure which connects one bone to another

How does ACL gets torn?

ACL is the most commonly injured ligament of the knee. ACL prevents forward displacement of the tibia & to some extent some excessive rotation. So any injury which leads to excessive forward displacement or sudden twisting will damage or break the ACL. This could be an accident, a fall from stairs, twisting the knee while running, an accident or any other knee injury. Usually, a strong force is needed to break the ACL

What are the symptoms of a torn ACL?

Immediately after the injury there will be swelling within the knee & pain for 7- 10 days if there is no other associated injury the pain will start subsiding around 2 weeks. There will be a wobbly feeling in the knee while walking especially on uneven surfaces & while coming down the stairs. The person will not be able to run because of the giving away sensation in the knee.

Can I run after injuring my ACL?

Isolated ACL injuries may not be disabling & after appropriate rehab one can try running or pursuing sports. People who have undergone extensive rehabilitation even then they are unable to run then they need surgery in the form of ACL reconstruction. If there is any other injury along with an ACL like a Meniscus tear etc then surgery is needed as they tend to worsen with time if untreated & these subgroup of people need to refrain from any strenuous activities like running etc as this will cause further damage to the knee joint

How is the ACL treated surgically?

ACL ligament when ruptured usually has poor residual tissue so it cannot be repaired back in most cases. In an isolated ACL injury (no other additional ligament injury) then usually the Hamstrings tendons from the inner aspect of the leg are harvested & converted into a ligament-like structure & inserted into the knee making bone tunnels ends of the new ligament are fixed with special titanium implants on both the ends

What is the recovery time Post ACL surgery?

There is a guided recovery phase after ACL surgery. For an isolated ACL surgery, the person is made to walk with a walker immediately the next day with the foot down as per comfort & gradually the walker is discarded at 2 weeks time. Usually regular day today walking takes around 6 weeks. Return to sport takes around 9 months after the surgery

It is very important to Consult a Knee Specialist if one is suspecting a serious Knee injury to avoid damaging the knee further