What is an ACL Injury?
The anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) is one of the key ligaments that helps stabilize your knee joint. It runs diagonally in the middle of the knee, preventing the tibia (shin bone) from sliding out in front of the femur (thigh bone). An ACL injury is a sprain or tear of this ligament.
Common Causes and Risk Factors
ACL injuries most commonly occur during sports and fitness activities that can put stress on the knee. Causes include:
- Suddenly slowing down and changing direction (cutting).
- Pivoting with your foot firmly planted.
- Landing awkwardly from a jump.
- A direct blow to the knee, such as during a football tackle.
- Women are at a higher risk for ACL injuries, possibly due to differences in anatomy, muscle strength, and hormonal influences.
Symptoms of an ACL Injury
When you injure your ACL, you might hear or feel a "pop" in the knee. Other common symptoms include:
- Severe pain and inability to continue activity.
- Rapid swelling of the knee joint.
- Loss of range of motion.
- A feeling of instability or "giving way" when you try to put weight on it.
Our Treatment Approach
Treatment depends on the patient's individual needs. A young athlete will likely require a different approach than a less active, older individual. After a thorough diagnosis, Dr. Behrens will discuss your goals and help you choose the best path forward.
Non-Surgical Treatments
For partial tears or in patients with low activity demands, non-surgical treatment may be sufficient. This involves extensive physical therapy to strengthen the muscles around the knee (especially the hamstrings) to compensate for the torn ligament. A knee brace may also be used.
Surgical Treatments
For most complete tears, especially in active patients, surgical reconstruction is the gold standard. Dr. Behrens is highly skilled in this procedure:
- ACL Reconstruction: The torn ligament is removed and replaced with a piece of tendon (a "graft") from another part of your knee (like the patellar tendon or hamstring) or from a donor. This is performed arthroscopically through small incisions, followed by a structured rehabilitation program to restore strength and stability.