ACL Tears: Risk Factors & Treatments

ACL stands for Anterior Cruciate Ligament, one of the four knee ligaments that support the knee and prevent rotation of the Femur (thigh bone) on the Tibia (shin bone). This ligament is critical in giving stability to the knees, and any injury can cause serious damage to this ligament. Mostly, injuries are caused by sports, vehicle collisions, falls, and work-related incidents. 80% of ACL tear injuries are caused in sports, mostly in football and other sports where one athlete contact with another. The knee “gives out,” and it is a sign that the ACL is torn.

How ACL Tears Occur?

The irony of ACL tears is that only 30% of injuries occur due to a direct blow or contact, and 70% occur when the athlete does a wrong landing. So, there is a big question about how to reduce the risk of this type of injury when there is no direct contact.

Risk Factors of ACL Tears

Anatomic risk factors

The risk depends on the individual anatomical structure; for example, females are more prone to injury than males. There are anatomical structures such as:

• Women are more prone to ACL tears than men.
• Women have a different body anatomical structure, including a large “Q angle”, meaning the hips are wider than the width between the knees. This results in more stress on knee joints.
• Women have more mobility than men.
• The “notch” factor also affects ACL tears. The notch is a part of the femur where it joins the knee, so the ACL ligament connects in the notch. So, if the width of the notch is small, ligament flexibility is likely to be less.

Hormonal risk factors

The area is still in the research field of how hormones can affect the ACL. Some researchers claim that during the menstrual cycle, the ACL tends to be weakened.

Biomechanical factors

ACL tears can also happen due to neuromuscular control, meaning nerve control over muscles. This is an involuntary process that occurs in the body, and some researchers speculate that it can be a risk factor for ACL tears.

Signs of ACL Tears

Hearing a “Pop”

Most of the time when ACL tears happen, a surprisingly loud pop sound is heard. Even bystanders can hear the sound, it mostly happens in football or soccer games when athletes can understand injury has taken place. Sometimes you don’t hear the pop, but a sudden shift of the joint will be felt in the joint.

“Giving out” the Knee

Giving way is a common sign of ACL tears because when the ligament supports the knee joint and when an ACL tear happens, the knee joints tend to give out. This instability makes it difficult even to walk or perform simple movements.

Swelling and Pain

Swelling and sharp pain are the common signs with a large lump of swelling within a few minutes. The swelling is a sign of blood accumulation in the knee joint.

How Can a Physical Therapist Help with ACL Tears?

The shortcut method to recover from ACL tears is surgery, but you can also try to manage your recovery without surgery. A physical therapist can help to restore your muscle strength, endurance and coordination, though it will take time, more permanent and holistic. Physical therapy AZ helps to learn how to maintain the balance of the body, giving minimal stress to your knee.

Treatment without Surgery

Surgery is the primary necessary in ACL tears, but in some cases, patients do not need surgery to recover. Nevertheless, the patient needs special attention from a physical therapist for recovery. The physical therapist identifies the problems according to various parameters such as anatomical, age and others, and then designs a special program. The program also includes special electrical stimulation, cardiovascular strengthening, muscle training, etc.

Treatment After Surgery

After surgery, the patient also needs a physical therapist to recover strength in the muscles. There are many steps, such as:

Bearing weight: After surgery, a patient needs to walk on crutches. The physical therapist guides the rehabilitation program on how much weight you put on your legs and how long you should walk daily for recovery.

Icing and compression: After surgery, the swelling and pain give discomfort, so the physical therapist works on cold application and controls your pain.

Bracing: After surgery, patients need to wear a brace to limit knee movement. A physical therapist will teach how to use the brace.

Exercise regimen: A physical therapist will design the exercise regimen and focus on the movement of the knee.

The physical rehabilitation training will be:

• Flexibility exercises.
• Strengthening exercises.
• Endurance activities.
• Coordination and agility training (for competitive athletes).

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