Physical Therapy and ACL Tears

The Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) is a band of tissue that serves as the connector from the shin bone to the thigh bone. A tear in this ligament can occur in a variety of ways such as a direct contact to the knee, landing on your knee when it is stretched out, if you stop in the middle of running, and more. It is common to feel pain immediately after sustaining this injury as well as hear a loud snapping or popping sound. A condition that usually affects athletes, physical therapy can not only treat ACL tears, but help prevent them as well.

After receiving the diagnosis of an ACL tear, both your physical therapist and surgeon will determine if surgery is be the best course of action for your treatment. If you decide on surgery, there are benefits to receiving physical therapy before and after. One side-effect of sustaining an ACL tear is quadriceps lag. Quadriceps lag occur when your leg bends slightly and you are unable to control it when raising it straight up. By using physical therapy to treat this condition before surgery, research indicates that you knee will improve more after surgery as opposed to ignoring quadriceps lag.

After surgery, the main goal in physical therapy is to improve stability and movement in the knee. To achieve this, your physical therapist will have you walk on crutches to re-acclimate your knee to putting pressure on your foot. In addition to protecting the knee with icing and bracing, you will also perform exercises that focus on helping you move and regain your strength. If you do not require surgery, your physical therapist will design a routine tailored to your recovery using techniques such as balance training and electric stimulation to your quadriceps.

To start your Physical Therapy evaluation, call Park Physical Therapy at (516) 798-3789 today!