Getting Active Again After an ACL Tear

Football season is here, which means many news stories about athletes injuring their anterior cruciate ligaments (ACLs). That’s because ACL injuries are especially common among football players and other athletes who put a lot of strain on their legs — but they can definitely happen to non-athletes, too.

If you’ve injured your ACL, you’re probably wondering how soon you’ll be able to get back to the activities you enjoy. At Alpine Orthopedics and Sports Medicine, our team helps patients of all ages and activity levels recover from ACL injuries, relieving knee pain while helping patients return to their active lifestyles as quickly as possible.

What to know about ACL injuries

The ACL is one of four primary ligaments in the knee. It crosses in the middle of the knee, attaching to the shin and thigh bones. The ACL prevents the knee joint from sliding too far forward, keeps the knee stable, and supports rotational movements.

Many ACL injuries happen during pivoting movements, rapid changes of direction, or poor landing after a jump. Falls can also lead to ACL injuries when the knee experiences an excessive, abrupt impact that “jolts” the joint out of alignment.

ACL injuries are graded based on the severity of the injury. A grade 1 injury is the mildest type of injury, while grade 3 injuries are the most severe. Your treatment and recovery time will largely be determined by the grade of your injury, with most grade 3 injuries requiring surgery to repair.

The severity of your injury also has an impact on your symptoms, which can include:

• Knee pain
• Knee instability or weakness
• Inability to place weight on the leg
• Swelling

You may also hear or feel a popping or snapping sensation at the moment of injury.

Treatment and recovery

Your ACL is widely involved in all sorts of activities and movements, and recovery depends on sticking with your treatment plan to help your body heal as quickly — and as completely — as possible. It’s also important to note that your recovery plan and timeline will depend on the severity of your injury, whether any other injuries are involved, your age, your overall fitness, and other factors.

Typically, the first couple weeks after your injury will focus on relieving pain and inflammation in and around the joint. During this stage of healing, therapy will include exercises and therapies to support healing, along with RICE — rest, ice, compression, and elevation, all steps that promote natural healing. You’ll likely use a brace with or without crutches to avoid pressure on your knee.

After this initial phase, your therapy will focus on exercises and activities to help improve function and movement in the joint while strengthening the muscles that support your knee. These activities are introduced gradually to give your knee time to adapt.

As therapy progresses, we tailor your treatment to your lifestyle and specific activities. For relatively minor injuries, you can expect to regain regular function within a few weeks. For more severe injuries, it may be 6-12 months before you’re able to fully return to your active lifestyle.

Custom therapy to keep you active

ACL injuries change the way your knee functions, so it’s no surprise that recovering from an injury takes some time. The good news: By following your recovery plan closely, you can relieve discomfort, restore joint function, and get back to the activities you love. 

To learn how we can help you recover from your ACL injury or any type of sports injury, request an appointment online or over the phone with the Alpine Orthopedics and Sports Medicine team in Bozeman, Montana, today.