What is an ACL tear (knee)?

Anterior Cruciate Ligament is one of the most important ligaments in the knee. It keeps the knee bones stable by connecting the femur to the tibia. A tear of the ACL results in the tibia and femur moving away from each other, making your knee unstable (wobbly). ACL injuries occur when there is a sudden stop and twist, sometimes combined with a force applied to the back of the knee, which causes the ligament to snap.

What are the symptoms?

Immediate pain (severe) and swelling of the knee. With complete tears there is a lot of swelling within an hour of the injury. People are usually unable to walk due to the pain from this injury. Later after the swelling decreases, the knee will feel like it’s buckling when you walk.

What is the treatment?

Early treatment- PRICE (protection, rest, ice, compression, elevation). Since ACL tears do not heal by themselves, they require surgical repair.