{"id":7216,"date":"2019-07-05T22:21:19","date_gmt":"2019-07-05T22:21:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/simplyhealth.io\/?p=7216"},"modified":"2021-06-12T16:33:42","modified_gmt":"2021-06-12T16:33:42","slug":"14-signs-you-have-acl-tear","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/simplyhealth.io\/14-signs-you-have-acl-tear\/","title":{"rendered":"14 Signs You Have ACL Tear"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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There are more than 200,000 cases in the United States each year concerning an ACL tear. An ACL tear also called an anterior cruciate ligament is a ligament in the knee. An ACL tear usually occurs when playing sports. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

When playing sports, you have to jump and make sudden stops or change directions. Some sports that this occurs in are basketball, football, and soccer. When an ACL tear occurs, you will either feel or hear a popping in the knee. The knee will become swollen, unstable, and unable to bear weight on it because it\u2019ll be too painful. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

An ACL tear can be treated by a medical professional who may prescribe chiropractic care and rest to help strengthen and regain stability in the knee. If the ACL tear is in bad shape, then surgery will be needed. In order to avoid ACL tears, athletes need to be taught the proper way to play their sport to prevent future injuries.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. A loud popping sensation will be felt and heard in the knee when you have an ACL tear. <\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

It will be so painful that you won\u2019t be able to bear weight on it. When playing sports and a player hurts his or her knee, it\u2019ll make them fall because it\u2019ll be so painful. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

They may be able to get up with assistance, but they won\u2019t be able to play any sports for a while. It is not a good idea to practice while suffering from an ACL tear. It takes about eight weeks to recover from an injury. It may even take longer if surgery <\/a>is needed. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

It is a good idea to give the knee time to heal before trying to work out on it. If you try to work on an ACL that hasn\u2019t healed all the way, then it\u2019ll take longer to heal and you\u2019ll continue to be in pain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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2. Severe pain will be felt when you have an ACL tear. <\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The pain is so intense that you won\u2019t be able to continue playing your chosen activity. The pain may get you right in the middle of a game and you have to be carried off of the field because the pain will hit you so quickly. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

As soon as you leave the game, you\u2019ll need to go to the emergency room because the only way to relieve yourself of the pain is by getting pain medication. Tylenol <\/a>and Ibuprofen aren\u2019t going to help. You\u2019ll need pain medication administered by the hospital. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the hospital, they will take X-rays and blood samples to see what is going on. Once they diagnose you will an ACL tear, you will have to take steps to get better even if surgery is necessary. Surgery is usually the last resort, but it\u2019s an option.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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3. The swelling of the knee will happen with an ACL tear. <\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The swelling <\/a>will come up quickly. Placing ice on the knee will help reduce the pain and swelling until you\u2019re able to seek medical attention. Keep the ice on the knee until you get to the doctor. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Once you get to the doctor, the doctor will be able to give you some medicine to make the swelling go down. Before the doctor will administer any medicine, he or she will examine the knee. It will painful since the doctor has to press all around the swollen area. X-rays will be done to see why you have a swollen knee. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The doctor will be able to tell you if the ACL tear is serious or not. It is serious, but rehabilitation and rest may be the only things that are needed to heal the ACL. The athlete can take steps to get back in the game.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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4. The knee will give away when you have an ACL tear. <\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

You won\u2019t be able to put too much weight on the knee. Every time you walk, it will be painful. The only way you could walk with crutches or by putting more weight <\/a>on the opposite leg by leaning on the wall for support. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

That\u2019s the reason why you\u2019ll need assistance when an ACL tear occurs because you won\u2019t be able to walk. You can hop, but since you\u2019ll be in so much pain, you\u2019ll want someone to assist you. When you go into the emergency room or doctor\u2019s office, someone will need to be with you because you won\u2019t be able to walk by yourself. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

A wheelchair or crutches can be used as well, but once you leave the facility, you\u2019ll need someone to assist you when you go home, rehabilitation, or to the pharmacy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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5. Limping is a sign of having an ACL tear. <\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The reason you\u2019re limping is that you\u2019re unable to walk properly. Some players will try to continue to play when they have a limp, but that\u2019s not a good idea. Pain will still be felt while limping. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some athletes try to play through the pain and it can cause them to permanently damage their ACL. It\u2019ll cause them to not to be able to play their chosen activity ever again. Limping is a cause for you to seek medical treatment right away, especially if you haven\u2019t been limping before. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

X-rays and blood tests will be done to see what could be causing the limping. If an ACL tear is diagnosed, then treatment, such as rehabilitation will be given first. If that doesn\u2019t work, then surgery <\/a>is the next option. After surgery, rehabilitation will be given again to strengthen the knee.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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6. The range of motion is lost when you have an ACL tear. <\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

You won\u2019t be able to walk on the side that your knee is injured. If you are able to move on the injured side you will be limited. There is no such thing as playing your chosen sport when you are having this symptom <\/a>because you will slow your other teammates down. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

You won\u2019t be able to play anyways with an ACL tear, but if you could you would be limited in what you could do. Rehabilitation is one way to strengthen your knee so that you can gain your range of motion back. You may need to ice the area a few times a day as well. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Since your range of motion is limited, when you do try to walk it\u2019ll be painful because you\u2019ll be putting pressure on your knee. Your knee needs to rest as much as possible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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7. Bruising is one of the signs that you have an ACL tear. <\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

There will be a bruise <\/a>on your knee. It may not be apparent at first, but once you start having pain in your knee, you\u2019ll notice the bruise. Even if you have noticed the bruise and didn\u2019t pay attention to the pain, you more than likely have an ACL tear. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

When there is bruising, putting an ice pack can reduce it. Bruising can indicate that the blood isn\u2019t circulating properly and there is a clot. For an ACL tear, the bruise is tender and when touched there will be a pain. The bruise will start to fade once the pain goes away. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The bruise will change color once it starts to heal. The colors it could change to are lime, green, or yellow. While you have a bruise, it is important to ice it often. It can be iced a few times a day. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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8. Stiffness is another sign to look out for when you have an ACL tear. <\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

It will feel as if you have arthritis<\/a>. It will be so painful when you move it. if you try to stretch it out, the pain will become more intense. It is a good idea to not try and stretch. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The more you stretch, you could be making more tears in your ACL. You can rub topical analgesic cream on the knee until you\u2019re able to get to the doctor. You\u2019ll need to see your doctor as soon as possible because you don\u2019t want to try to fix the problem yourself. Your knee needs to be checked out to see what is going on. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Once an ACL tear is diagnosed, steps can be taken to heal it. For instance, in rehabilitation you will be doing exercises to strengthen your knees. It will be painful, but it will help.
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9. Tearing of Multiple Ligaments<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

An ACL tear is the most common form of ligament damage induced by injury to the knee. However, during a traumatic injury, the forces responsible may cause damage to multiple ligaments, as well as the meniscus.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After sustaining an injury, the patient should receive a minor check-up from the doctor to check on the condition of the knee. At this stage, the doctor will prescribe anti-inflammatories and painkillers <\/a>to bring down the swelling. Your doctor may suggest that the patient makes an appointment with an orthopedic surgeon to check on the damage a few weeks later.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You will need to wait for the swelling and inflammation in the joint to subside before you visit your orthopedic surgeon for evaluation. It’s essential to wait for the inflammation to decrease because the doctor will not be able to make an accurate assessment of the injury, and an MRI scan will not pick up damage to the ligaments torn meniscus.
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10. Damage to the Meniscus<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Damage to the anterior cruciate ligament may also occur alongside injuries to the meniscus<\/a>. The shearing forces involved with trauma to the knee joint may cause tearing of the cartilage. At the moment of the accident or trauma, the athlete will notice a popping sound followed by intense pain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This pain occurs due to both the injury to the ACL, and the tearing of the meniscus. The patient should visit their doctor immediately for an assessment of their condition, and book up an appointment with an orthopedic surgeon a few weeks later for an MRI scan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The meniscus is a thin band of cartilage on top of the tibia and femur bones, which allows for the smooth movement of the joint and prevents wear of the bones surface. Damage to the meniscus may result in floating bodies in the joint, which may result in locking symptoms in the future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

An orthopedic surgeon conducts a procedure on the patient to remove the floating bodies from the joint. They also clean up the surface of the meniscus to ensure smooth movement of the knee.
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11. Heat Emanating from the Affected Knee<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

After experiencing an ACL tear, the patient may notice the rapid onset of inflammation in the joint. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The knee will feel swollen and emanate heat, and it may take on a red appearance. The redness <\/a>and swelling in the joints occur due to bleeding. This internal bleeding occurs due to the Shearing forces of the trauma or accident, and the patient will require the use of anti-inflammatories to bring down the swelling.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The symptoms of redness, swelling, and heat will persist for two to three days after the initial injury before subsiding. However, the edema involved with the injury may stick around for up to three to four weeks, even with the use of medication.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In some cases, patients that are predisposed to internal bleeding may find that they develop severe symptoms of swelling and inflammation, as well as the heat emanating from the joint. In this case, the doctor may try to drain the fluid from the knee.
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12. Instability and a Loose Feeling in the Joint<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

After sustaining an ACL injury, the patient may find that they are unable to place their full weight on the affected leg. The damage to the ligament causes a loss of structural integrity in the knee, and the patient may find that it wants to pop out if they place pressure on the joint<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As a result, the patient will require consultation with an orthopedic surgeon to uncover the extent of the damage to the joint.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

An orthopedic surgeon will sit the patient down on a consultation bed, and ask them to draw their foot towards the buttocks. The surgeon will then sit on a patient’s foot and take a firm grasp of the knee. They then apply sideways force to the joint, in both directions, to determine the structural integrity of the ACL.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If the joint moves, then it is in a clear indication to the surgeon that the ligament has sustained severe damage. In such a case, the patient may require surgery to repair the ACL, and return structural integrity to the joint.
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13. Edema that Spreads to the Foot<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Edema is the medical term for swelling and inflammation. Edema typically occurs in joints throughout the body after sustaining a traumatic injury<\/a>. In the case of an ACL tear, the swelling and redness may migrate from the knee towards the foot.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As a result of the swelling, the patient may notice white discoloration if they press against the skin. This discoloration occurs due to the fluid below the surface of the skin, that protects the affected area of the joint.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Doctors treat edema using anti-inflammatory medications to bring down the swelling. However, in most cases, the edema may stick around for up to four weeks after the initial injury, even with the use of medication to help soothe symptoms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The formation of the edema is the body’s natural response to protect the joint from further injury. It’s important to note that edema may interfere with an MRI scan of the knee. It’s for this reason that, physicians recommend waiting for at least three weeks after sustaining the damage, before going for an MRI scan.
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14. Risk Factors<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

There is a specific set of risk factors<\/a> that make some people more prone to developing an ACL tear than others. Athletes, sportspeople, and those that compete in physical activities are high-risk individuals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

People who compete in sports that involve rapid changes in direction are also at higher risk of sustaining an ACL tear. Sports like ice hockey, football, tennis, and basketball, all include rapid changes in direction. Changes in direction provide shearing force towards the knee, especially if the athlete leaves their foot planted on the ground. As a result of the twisting motion, the ligament hyperextends, causing tearing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Seniors are also at higher risk of developing an ACL tear because they are experiencing diminished levels of protein synthesis. This lack of protein synthesis slowly degrades the strength of the ligaments. As a result, they may find that they sustain an ACL tear by slipping on the bathroom floor after getting out of the tub or shower.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

People who are obese or overweight are also at high risk of sustaining an ACL tear. The extra body weight carried by these individuals places force on the knee, which may result in tearing when the person gets out of a car or rises from a seated position.
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