The ACL, which stands for the anterior cruciate ligament, is one of four ligaments in the knee. This ligament provides the knee with stability and support; however, one of the most common sports injuries that we treat is an ACL tear. Instability, pain, swelling and loss of function in the knee can set in quickly after a tear, and it’s important to see an orthopedist to find out how to repair the damaged ACL.
Does an ACL tear require surgery?
Surgery is usually the most obvious choice when it comes to repairing a torn ACL, particularly for serious athletes, because the ACL will not heal on its own. Those who want to participate in sports that add stress and strain on the knee are going to need surgery and extensive physical therapy in order to fully recover from an ACL tear.
Of course, if you aren’t participating in any serious weight-bearing sports that impact the knees then you may wish to talk to our orthopedists about ways to avoid surgery and whether you could benefit from simply undergoing physical therapy and rehabilitation.
What does an ACL reconstruction entail?
While any kind of surgery, especially to the knee, may seem invasive and involved, you’ll be relieved to hear that here at Samimi Orthopaedic Group, we provide arthroscopic surgical techniques.
Arthroscopic ACL surgery is minimally invasive, requiring only two small incisions and offering a much shorter recovery time from traditional surgical techniques (making it an attractive option for many of our active patients). During surgery, the damaged ACL is removed and the graft is sutured to both the shinbone and thighbone to provide these areas of the knee with ample support and stabilization.
You will return home the very same day as your surgery. After surgery, our orthopedists will let you know whether you could go through physical therapy and rehabilitation to strengthen the muscles and ligaments around the knee. Physical therapy may begin a few days after surgery to help speed up the recovery process.
If you are dealing with a knee pain that you think could be caused by an ACL injury, it’s important to get answers as soon as possible.
Call Samimi Orthopaedic Group at (310) 606-2156 or (626) 338-7391.
