ACL Tears

What are ACL tears?

An ACL tear is short for anterior cruciate ligament tear and is one of the most common knee injuries out there today. Sports-enthusiasts taking part in basketball, soccer, football, or other contact sports are more likely to end up with this particular injury. There are typically three levels of ACL tears or sprains:

  • Level 1 – At this stage, knee stability is not yet compromised and the ligament is only slightly injured.
  • Level 2 – At this point, the ligament injury is more intense and it has begun to loosen, which has a more direct and negative impact on the knee.
  • Level 3 – By this time, the ligament is full torn, typically broken in two, which causes the knee joint to lose all stability.

What are the symptoms of an ACL tear?

Symptoms of an ACL tear typically include a noisy popping sounds, swelling in the affected area, sharp pain, numbness, and a lack of mobility.

How do we treat an ACL tear?

We start by identifying the severity of your tear and will work with you to alleviate some of the stress on your knee joint to relieve your pain and improve your mobility. We also work to strengthen your knee so that you heal the correct way.