The anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) is one of the key ligaments that provide stability to your knee and ensure it functions correctly. It is also the most commonly injured knee ligament.
Our team at The Woodlands Sports Medicine Centre specialize in treating ACL injuries for patients in The Woodlands and Conroe, Texas. If you've injured your ACL, here’s how to determine if surgery might be necessary.
The ACL is one of two crucial ligaments that cross at the center of your knee joint, working together to maintain knee stability and support normal bending movements. The ACL specifically prevents the lower leg bone from sliding too far forward.
Despite its strength, the ACL is susceptible to injury. Most ACL injuries occur from making a sharp or quick pivot, especially during running when changing directions. Landing awkwardly or falling on your knee can also damage the ACL.
There are two main types of ligament injuries: sprains and tears. A sprain involves stretching the ligament beyond its normal range without tearing it. Tears can be partial or complete. The type of injury you sustain will influence the treatment needed to restore knee function and alleviate pain.
Fortunately, many ACL injuries respond well to conservative, nonsurgical treatments, including most sprains and some partial tears. Our team often recommends treatments such as:
Your treatment plan will be customized to suit your specific injury, activity level, and other individual factors.
Complete ACL tears involve the ligament being fully severed into two parts. These injuries do not heal on their own and typically do not respond to conservative treatments. In such cases, our team is more likely to suggest surgery to repair the ligament.
Contrary to what you might expect, ACL surgery does not involve stitching the ligament's ends together. Instead, our team uses a graft—often a tendon from another part of your body—to replace the torn ligament entirely, restoring the knee’s stability and functionality.
Following ACL surgery, you will undergo physical therapy to strengthen and stabilize your knee, progressively returning to normal activities as your knee heals.
Prompt treatment of ACL injuries is crucial to avoid further damage to the knee joint. To learn more about ACL injuries and their treatment, call the office nearest you or request an appointment online with the expert team at The Woodlands Sports Medicine Centre.
