Top Rated Arthroscopic Surgeon Treating ACL Tears

The anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) is one of four ligaments that connect the tibia to the femur. Tears in the ACL are one of the most common knee injuries. When a tear occurs, the stability of the knee is compromised, making it more vulnerable to additional injuries.

Treating an ACL Tear

Often an ACL tear may occur with another type of injury to the knee, such as other torn ligaments or damage to the meniscus. Depending on the severity of the tear, surgery may be indicated while minor tears may heal without surgery with proper treatment.

An ACL tear can occur in any athlete or active person who participates in sports or activities where they may need to jump, make sudden stops or quickly change direction. ACL tears are common in sports such as:

Football
Basketball
Soccer
Tennis
Volleyball
Downhill skiing
Gymnastics

Most ACL injuries occur without there being any contact with another player, but some do occur because of direct contact with landing or running into an object or a player. When an ACL injury occurs, you may feel or hear a sudden pop in your knee. Your knee may give out and become too painful to stand on. The knee may begin to swell and you could experience a loss of range of motion.

Top Rated Arthroscopic Surgeon Treating ACL Tears

An ACL may only partially tear or there could be a complete rupture of the tendon. When treating ACL tears, top rated arthroscopic surgeon Dr. Howard Marans may first order X-rays to rule out any fractures. Tests known as Lachman’s Test and the Pivot Shift Test may also be performed to identify if an injury to the ACL has occurred. It is likely Dr. Marans will also order an MRI to determine the amount of damage done to your ACL and to identify any other knee injuries that may have occurred.

For partial ACL tears that do not cause any stability problems, the Doctor may recommend:

A program of physical therapy
Exercises to strengthen supporting muscles around the knee
Using a knee brace to stabilize your knee while participating in sports

However, if you are very involved in sports, and plan to remain that way, treating your ACL tear may require surgery. Those who experience an ACL injury and do not have it surgically repaired are at a higher risk of experiencing secondary injuries if their knee becomes unstable.

A complete tear or rupture of the ACL once meant having to give up playing sports. Using the latest techniques in arthroscopic surgery, Dr. Marans can restore stability and function to knees that have suffered an ACL tear.