You Tore Your ACL, Now What?

You had the unimaginable happen; you tore your ACL. You probably felt it pop or knew exactly what happened when it happened. Your mind immediately started going 1000 miles per minute, thinking about the worst. “My season is over!” “Will I ever be able to play again?” “What happens next?” All these questions and more are likely swirling through your head, sending anxious thoughts through the roof. ACL tears are quite common in the sports injury world; anywhere from 100,000-200,000 people tear their ACL in a given year. While you may be worried now, this blog will outline steps to help inform your decisions moving forward and determine what will be best for your situation.

You will most likely get an MRI to diagnose your ACL tear, usually by an orthopedic surgeon, who might recommend surgery. Research shows that about half of those who tear their ACL opt for getting surgical reconstruction. However, a select group of people are able to recover from this injury well without surgery.

Research shows good results with non-operative intervention and long-term studies showing favorable outcomes 20-30 years after the ACL tear., Still, early intervention with surgery does offer the benefit of protecting other interior knee structures from injury due to the lack of knee stability provided by an ACL.

There are many options, but you must choose what is right for you and what you think you can successfully do. Whichever option you choose, surgical or non-surgical, an essential part of your care will be working with a physical therapist and utilizing a progressive strength and conditioning program to help get your knee back in playing shape.

Tearing your ACL can be a scary life event, but there are options to help manage the issue. If you have the means, getting multiple opinions will help you decide. Whether or not you decide on surgery, working with a Physical Therapist at the start of your journey can help you on your path to a successful recovery. You can schedule a free assessment with your local Athletico to discuss your care with one of our movement experts, who can help determine the best treatment options for your goals.

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*Per federal guidelines, beneficiaries of plans such as Medicare, Medicaid, Tricare, VHA and other federally funded plans are not eligible for free assessments.

The Athletico blog is an educational resource written by Athletico employees. Athletico bloggers are licensed professionals who abide by the code of ethics outlined by their respective professional associations. The content published in blog posts represents the opinion of the individual author based on their expertise and experience. The content provided in this blog is for informational purposes only, does not constitute medical advice and should not be relied on for making personal health decisions.

References:
1. Evans S, Shaginaw J, Bartolozzi A. Acl reconstruction – it’s all about timing. Int J Sports Phys Ther. 2014;9(2):268-273.
2. de Jonge R, Máté M, Kovács N, et al. Nonoperative Treatment as an Option for Isolated Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injury: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. Orthop J Sports Med. 2024;12(4):23259671241239665. Published 2024 Apr 8. doi:10.1177/23259671241239665
3. Hunt ER, Parise CN, Butterfield TA. The Effectiveness of Nonoperative Treatment for Anterior Cruciate Ligament Rupture on Patient-Reported Outcomes and Muscular Strength: A Critically Appraised Topic. J Sport Rehabil. 2020;29(7):1032-1037. Published 2020 Apr 22. doi:10.1123/jsr.2019-0131
4. Hellberg C, Kostogiannis I, Stylianides A, Neuman P. Outcomes >30 Years After Initial Nonoperative Treatment of Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injuries. Am J Sports Med. 2024;52(2):320-329. doi:10.1177/03635465231214423
5. Filbay SR, Dowsett M, Chaker Jomaa M, et al. Healing of acute anterior cruciate ligament rupture on MRI and outcomes following non-surgical management with the Cross Bracing Protocol. Br J Sports Med. 2023;57(23):1490-1497. doi:10.1136/bjsports-2023-106931