ACL Injuries: The Full Rundown on Sprains and Tears
ACL injuries are some of the most common but serious traumas that athletes can suffer to their knees. ACL sprains and tears often take a long time to heal, and can keep you sidelined for weeks, if not months. If you’re looking for a better understanding of these injuries or think you may have sustained one yourself, you’ve come to the right place. This post will provide a complete breakdown of the ACL injury and what to do if you have one, all the way from diagnosis to recovery.
What’s an ACL?
The ACL, short for anterior cruciate ligament, is one of four ligaments that connect the bones in your leg to form the knee joint. The others are the PCL (posterior cruciate ligament, (lateral collateral ligament) and the MCL (medial collateral ligament).
The ACL and PCL connect at the center of the bones in the knee with the ACL in the front and PCL in the back. The ACL provides rotational stability and keeps the tibia in line with the femur, allowing fluid motion of the leg.
ACL Sprains and Tears
Injuries to the ACL are all referred to as sprains, even if the ligament itself has completely torn. The sprains are measured in three different stages, or grades, that qualify the extent of the injury.
Grade 1 Sprain: Grade 1 is the least serious of the three grades. It is characterized by stretched fibers of the ligament, but no actual tear. Patients will usually experience swelling and tenderness in the knee, but not a significant loss of stability or range of motion.
Grade 2 Sprain: This grade is characterized by partially torn or significantly stretched fibers of the ligament. Patients will experience more significant swelling and may lose stability of the knee.
Grade 3 Sprain: A grade 3 sprain is a complete tear of the ACL. The ligament has ruptured and is completely separated, resulting in total loss of control in the knee. This is accompanied by swelling and a lack of mobility, which may result in the knee giving out under pressure.
Causes and Symptoms
So how do you know if you’ve injured your ACL? Causes are unique to the individual, but some of the most common include:
- Landing awkwardly after a fall
- Rapidly changing direction or stopping while running
- Direct impacts to the knee or leg area while the foot is planted
ACL injuries are common among contact sports like football, but widely affect athletes of other demanding sports like soccer and basketball as well.
Athletes who’ve suffered a torn ACL sometimes hear a popping sound and will experience pain and a giving out of the knee. Doctors and trainers administer a knee stability test on the spot to assess the extent of the injury, but an MRI is usually needed to confirm any suspected ACL trauma.
Course of Action
If you think you’ve suffered an ACL sprain, orthopaedic specialists are great consultants to meet with to determine an effective course of action. Your specialist may call for an MRI to determine an accurate diagnosis and then prescribe a treatment. Complete tears require arthroscopic surgery to repair, but partial tears or lighter sprains may heal over time with the right treatment and recovery. This is dependent on the individual and can range from rest to physical therapy to bracing of the knee.
To seek further help, check out our knee center page to watch helpful videos, learn more about our doctors or schedule an appointment.
ACL injuries are some of the most common but serious traumas that athletes can suffer to their knees. ACL sprains and tears often take a long time to heal, and can keep you sidelined for weeks, if not months. If you’re looking for a better understanding of these injuries or think you may have sustained one yourself, you’ve come to the right place. This post will provide a complete breakdown of the ACL injury and what to do if you have one, all the way from diagnosis to recovery.
