What are the Signs One Has an ACL Injury?

An Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) tear represents a common source of knee injury, especially for athletes and those leading an active life. The ACL is a sturdy ligament, which connects the thigh bone (femur) with the shin bone (tibia) and through which the knee joint gets its stability.

Once you know what the symptoms of an ACL tear are, it can help prevent wider damage and also make the treatment more effective.

Most Frequent Signs of an ACL Tear

1. A Popping Sound Heard Instantly by the Injured Person

It is not uncommon for a person to report hearing or noticing a “pop” during the tearing of the ACL in the knee.

This is mostly seen when people:

• Make unexpected twisting movements
• Come down very physically from a jump in an awkward manner
• Change the direction very quickly
• Collision situations in a sports setting

2. A Lot of Pain in the Knee

The pain may be felt straight after the accident.

Depending on the person, the pain may be:

• Sharp
• Inability to move the knee
• Discomfort even when trying to stand

After sometimes, some may even feel the pain go away on its own, but the feeling of an unstable knee will continue.

3. Swelling that Develops Quickly

Usually, swelling appears within a few hours from the injury as a result of bleeding inside the joint.

Swelling is characterized by:

• Knee area becomes visibly larger
• Problem in moving the joint freely
• Discomfort caused by tightness of the joint

Ignoring continuous swelling is the last thing one should do.

4. “Giving Way” or No Control Over the Knee

Not being able to rely on the knee is the symptom that, together with others, is the clearest indication of an ACL rupture.

People who suffer from such damage usually say that their knee:

• Collapses on them (buckling)
• Feels very weak during walking
• Standing or walking with the leg firmly planted is scary because one can fall at any moment (loss of confidence)

It is most likely that the symptom will be the worst when one does exercising or sports.

5. Reduced Capability to Move the Knee

With a torn ACL, it is quite probable that a person will have inability in fully bending the knee or straightening it.

He/She will complain of:

• Getting the joints locking one after another
• The feeling of the muscles tightening coming to an end with the joint movement
• Time flow slows down due to movements getting harder and harder

6. Impaired Ability to Walk

This is the list of reasons why a person may have a problem with walking:

• Hurt
• Swollen
• Not stabilized

For some people, the leg they injured will get completely ignored and they will start limping.

What Causes an ACL Tear?

Some of the common causes of an ACL injury are:

• Quick shifting of directions
• Landing improperly from a jump
• Getting hit directly on the knee
• Engaging in sports like football, basketball, badminton, and cricket
• Slipping or falling

Who Is at Higher Risk of an ACL Tear?

Below are some people who have a greater chance of getting an ACL tear:

• Sportspersons
• Joggers
• Ballerinas
• Those playing high-impact sports
• One who has weak leg muscles

When Should You See a Doctor?

If you have any of these, you should see a doctor at once:

• Popping sound when the injury happened
• The knee suddenly became very swollen
• Very bad pain
• Finding it hard to walk
• The knee feels like it is going to give way
• No longer able to straighten your knee

Seeing a doctor at the earliest can stop the knees from getting badly damaged.

How Is an ACL Tear Diagnosed?

Some of the ways your doctor may figure out if you have an ACL tear:

• Doing a physical check-up
• Testing if the knee is stable
• Taking X-rays (to check if there is a bone break)
• Doing an MRI to see if there is a tear in the ligament

Can an ACL Tear Heal Without Surgery?

Actually, surgery is not the only option for healing an ACL tear.

First of all, it’s vital to consider:

• How old are you?
• What kind of physical activity you usually do
• How bad is your injury
• What your lifestyle requires

Physiotherapy, using knee brace, and strength training can help your knee recover from a minor injury.

For an active person, completely torn ACL may only be fixed by surgery reconstructing the ACL.

How to Reduce the Risk of ACL Injuries

If you want to prevent ACL injury, do the following:

• Warm-up well before starting a workout
• Make your leg muscles stronger
• Work on improving your balance and flexibility
• Choose the right shoes
• Get the help of an expert to master the proper techniques for jumping and landing

Why Choose Dr Shekhar Srivastav for ACL Treatment?

Dr Shekhar Srivastav has expertise in ACL diagnosis at an advanced level, ACL arthroscopic reconstruction, and patient-specific rehabilitation routines aimed at enabling patients to safely resume their active lifestyles.

Getting diagnosed early and receiving treatment from a professional greatly enhance one’s chances of a full recovery.