What is a Torn ACL? Answers from Advanced Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine of Houston
A torn ACL (anterior cruciate ligament) is a knee injury that is especially common among athletes but that can also affect individuals of all ages and activity levels. The ACL is one of four main ligaments in the knee. It runs diagonally across the knee, connecting the femur (the leg bone) to the tibia (the shin bone) and providing stability when the knee rotates.
Being bent or twisted in the wrong direction can cause the ACL to tear; so can being subjected to a sudden impact. It’s common for a torn ACL to be accompanied by other ligament damage, such as a torn MCL or PCL.
What does a torn ACL feel like?
If you tear your ACL, you’ll likely feel (and possibly hear) a sharp popping sensation in your knee. Pain and swelling are common and can occur immediately after the injury. Other torn ACL symptoms include:
- A feeling of instability in the knee or an inability to place weight on it
- Tenderness in the joint
- A loss of range of motion
ACL injuries typically require immediate medical treatment. Attempting physical activity on a torn ACL can make the damage worse and complicate the healing process.
How do you treat a torn ACL?
If the ACL is only partially torn, it’s possible to treat it through conservative therapies, such as bracing, medication and physical therapy. In some instances, complete tears can also be rehabilitated without surgery, although surgical reconstruction is often necessary to restore full stability to the knee.
At Advanced Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine of Houston, Texas, we provide a comprehensive range of torn ACL treatments. Our knee injury specialists can evaluate your injury and help you determine the least invasive, most effective treatment options for your specific situation. We have a team of orthopedic physicians who exclusively treat knee injuries, such as torn ACLs, who can provide you with individualized recommendations. To learn more, contact us today.
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1Professional Building II At North Cypress Medical Center
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2North Cypress Professional Building At Lakewood Crossing
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3North Cypress Professional Building At Towne Lake
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4Advanced Orthopaedics Memorial
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This Hospital/clinic is the best that will take care of your pain and ailments. I will never trust any one else but Dr. Alain Elbaz to heal my body. The staff is awesome, polite, respectful and as professional as the team that works with Dr. Elbaz. I recommend him and all the doctors in the clinic because of their experience and honesty.
I have been fighting chronic knee pain for ten years following a knee replacement, a bone infection, and subsequent knee revision surgery. After a number of failed solutions to pain relief, Dr. Patel introduced me to RF nerve ablation procedure which has been very effective in improving my quality of life. Dr. Patel’s professionalism and proficiency are sincerely appreciated.
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Yes, I would certainly recommend Advanced Orthopedics & Sports Medicine to family & friends. My wife and I both have been going to see Dr. Mills for the past year, and both of us have had hand surgery performed by same. He is always very polite, and will discuss all options with you, and will not cut you short of time. He listens, he’s very professional, and bottom line is he is a great doctor. Plus all the staff that we have had contact with are very polite, and professional. Dr. Mills assistant Ms. Alexia Wilburn gets an AA ++
She has been very professional & helpful getting us through our surgeries. Thanks goes out to everyone at Advanced Orthopedics & Sports Medicine for taking care of both of us
Dr mills is exceptional. I would recommend him to anyone
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Always treated promptly and kindly at AOSM. Thanks to Dr Mack and his team.
Dr. Bacon is hands-down the best doctor I have ever had (skills, knowledge, bedside manner, and more,) Garrett is an intelligent P. A. who is very approachable and answers any and all questions promptly, and Jose is warm, incredibly compassionate and genuinely shows great concern for the patients. He represents the practice very well. There are so many more positives to say about them, but not enough room! I highly recommend Team Bacon!
Doctor Brooks is the best. His advice to get lubricant injected into my knees has made my life so much better. Kudos!
They are very professional and attentive. I was having shoulder pain. The wait was short and staff very kind.Dr. Fehsenfeld examined gave me a shot in shoulder, and it is much improved.