What is an ACL tear?

An ACL tear occurs when the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in the knee receives sudden kinetic force, thus tearing the ligament. As one might expect, this can cause agonizing pain and a significant reduction in mobility.

What does an ACL tear feel like?

Often a loud popping noise accompanies an ACL tear. There will usually be a severe physical sensation, but this depends on the type of the tear and the movement that causes it.

Immediate pain and swelling typically set in shortly after a tear due to the damage to the ligament and surrounding area. An inability to walk on the injured leg is expected due to knee joint damage. The knee often feels like it would “give way” when putting weight on it because of the instability caused by the tear. 

After the injury, it is best to follow the standard “RICE” procedure: Rest, Ice, Compression, and Elevation, to help your body begin recovery and reduce inflammation.

How are ACL tears diagnosed?

Following the injury, you should receive an examination by someone with medical/orthopedic expertise. This might be your athletic trainer, a physical therapist, or an orthopedist. They would ask questions about how the injury occurred, whether there was a popping sound, if you had significant swelling, if you can put weight on it, etc.

Depending on the case, tests may be ordered, such as an MRI, to confirm the diagnosis and rule out other possible diagnoses.

How can physical therapy help?

Physical therapy for an ACL tear is essential, whether or not your injury requires surgery. If an ACL tear does require surgery, it can be helpful to consult a physical therapist before and after the procedure.

If you don’t have surgery, the physical therapist will assess your injury and when you can start exercises (and to what degree). After an ACL tear, you will need to work diligently with a physical therapist to restore your muscle strength, balance, and mobility.

Finding a physical therapist

Not all physical therapists are created equal, and you want to be sure that you find one who is well equipped to help you recover from your ACL tear. 

A physical therapist with an orthopedic specialty is helpful because their training is with musculoskeletal problems. Even better, a board-certified physical therapist will likely possess more sophisticated knowledge of the musculoskeletal system and can best help you through your recovery.

You can always look for recommendations from friends and family or healthcare providers to find a physical therapist that works for you. And when you find a clinic, it doesn’t hurt to ask about their experience with ACL tears.

Exercises

Exercises are essential to help recover your leg’s former strength and agility. 

Your first week will begin with simple movement exercises, gentle movements that you can do at home, sitting down, etc. The goal here is to reduce swelling by increasing blood flow, which also promotes healing.

Within four weeks following surgery (if that’s required), your physical therapist will introduce strengthening exercises, likely using a combination of both weight-bearing and non-weight-bearing movements. 

Another key area has to do with restoring your balance. At first, you will practice shifting your weight to the injured leg. With time, you will progress to putting all your weight on the surgery leg with certain challenges introduced to work on your balance.

Lastly, if you are an athlete, you will want to slowly introduce exercises specific to your sport.

Moving forward

No one ever wants to deal with a severe injury like an ACL tear, but, with the help of physical therapy, you can greatly restore your strength, balance, and mobility and get back to your old self.