How serious is an ACL tear?

As one of the four main ligaments that stabilise the knee, the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) is commonly torn during activities that involve tackling, jumping, stopping suddenly or quickly changing direction. Of course, this makes athletes who play high-demand sports like tennis, basketball and soccer very susceptible to this type of injury.

When the ACL is torn, you’ll likely hear a “popping” noise, and experience pain, swelling and tenderness along the joint line. You may even feel like your knee is “giving way” and have limited range of motion.

It’s important to seek medical advice from an orthopaedic surgeon who will examine your knee thoroughly and send you for an MRI scan. This will show the degree of damage to the knee and pick up any other associated injuries to structures such as the meniscus; these associated injuries are quite common with ACL tears.

While a torn ACL will not heal without surgery, treatment for a tear will vary depending on the patient’s individual needs. The less active, usually older, individual may be able to return to a quieter lifestyle without surgery, whereas a young athlete involved in agility and competitive sports will most likely require surgery to safely return to sports.

An ACL reconstruction can be performed to restore function and stability to the knee. This is commonly done with keyhole surgery, which has a reduced risk of bleeding and infection, requires less downtime and allows for quicker recovery than traditional reconstruction surgery. A thorough discussion with your orthopaedic surgeon can determine the treatment option that’s most suitable for your needs.

Additionally, rehabilitation plays a vital role in getting you back to your daily activities and is recommended whether you undergo surgery or not.