The anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) is one of the four major ligaments in the knee. It bears an important responsibility of providing stability for the knee and helping to keep it from twisting too far in the wrong direction.
A sudden twisting motion to the knee while it’s bearing weight can cause the ACL to tear, which is painful and limits the function of your knee. Without the ACL intact, you lose stability in the knee that can affect your ability to enjoy physical activities or competitive sports.
Physical therapists are instrumental in treating ACL tears. They provide treatments that can help treat a torn ACL in the event that you don’t need surgery and they can help when surgery is necessary too.
Physical therapy for ACL without surgery
Not everyone who tears their ACL needs surgery. If you’re not an athlete or someone who needs full use of their knee for physically demanding activities, you can get by without surgery. You can regain the ability to walk and even run and jump using your injured knee, but you won’t be able to cut back and forth or make quick turns on it.
If you don’t need surgery to restore total stability to the knee, physical therapy alone may be enough. Physical therapists can help improve the strength and flexibility of your muscles and tissue around the joint to help it recover to its maximum potential without surgery.
Physical therapy for ACL with surgery
If you do want to regain total use of your knee, you will need surgery. Surgeons perform ACL reconstruction surgery to insert new tissue into the knee to replace the torn ACL. After you’ve fully recovered from the surgery, you should be able to resume your usual physical activities.
- Physical therapy before surgery — Physical therapists can help you prepare your knee for surgery. They can help reduce swelling and improve your range of motion so it’s easier for the surgeon to access the torn ACL and so that your recovery afterward goes smoothly.
- Physical therapy after surgery — After your surgery, physical therapists will help you exercise and stretch your knee to reduce pain and regain use of the joint.
Visit Border Therapy Services in El Paso, TX, for torn ACL treatment
Have you recently torn your ACL and need help from a physical therapist with recovery? Our team at Border Therapy Services in El Paso, Texas, can help you. Contact us today to talk to our team about torn ACL treatment or to schedule an initial appointment.