ACL Tears and Rehabilitation for

AthletesBy: Lauren Gregg

Tech and Assess

Anterior Crucial Ligament

One of four ligaments in the knee that basically holds the knee together

Provides stability

The ACL

ACL injuries typically occur to athletes 80% are non contact More common in females because of

different hip structure Most prevalent in soccer, football,

basketball, skiing, and rugby

Injury to the ACL

Most tears occur in athletics

Other tears can occur in motor vehicle collisions, falls, and work related injuries

Most come from pivoting or landing from a jump

The knee gives out from under the athlete when it is torn

How ACL tears occur

ACL Tear (Sports Injury)

ACL Tear Video

Necessary to be sure that the ligament is torn and to see how bad the tear is

Helps decide what type of surgery is needed and on which ligaments

MRI

Important to do exercises before surgery to regain muscle strength and ROM

Hamstring and quadriceps exercises Full range of motion: biking, straightening

and bending knee all the way, etc.

Pre Surgery

Done several weeks after injury occurs

Reconstructed using a cadaver or other ligaments in body◦ Patellar tendon,

hamstring, etc

ACL Surgery

Knee joint loses flexibility Little to no range of motion Muscles around knee and thigh atrophy

Post Surgery

Most important part of the surgery process

Very lengthy time period (usually 6-8 months until full recovery)

required to regain pre-surgery strength and use

Rehabilitation

Phase One: early rehab phase; reduce pain and swelling

Phase Two: weeks 3 and 4; joint protection

Phase Three: weeks 4-6; more difficult exercises to increase ROM

Six Phases of Rehab

Phase Four: weeks 6-8; moderate protection, try to gain full ROM

Phase Five: weeks 8-10; light activity phase

Phase Six: week 10 until recovery; full activity

(cont.)

Hamstring stretches

Quadriceps stretches

Stretching/ROM Exercises

Stationary Bike◦ Increases strength and range of motion◦ It is non weight bearing, which is good for the

joints◦ Improves stability◦ Builds up quadriceps muscles

Range of Motion

Wall slide

Straight leg raises

Hamstring Curl

Step ups

Strength Training

Knee Strengthening/Rehab Exercises

YouTube Video

All athletes need functioning ACLs

Those who do not play sports can get through their daily lives without an ACL

Athletes have high demands for cutting, pivoting, jumping, planting, and turning

Sports and ACL Tears

Here are some athletes who have torn their ACLs and are still extremely successful

The Athletes

wider hips; ligament laxity at certain stages of the menstrual cycle

the smaller size of the notch the ligament connects to the femur in the upper leg

a tendency to land straight-legged and knock-kneed;

core instability; a greater imbalance than men in the strength of the hamstring to the quadriceps, or thigh muscle

Caroline Doty (below) plays for University of Connecticut and tore her ACL for the THIRD time last season

Female Athletes more at Risk

Warm up Stretching Strengthening Plyometrics Agilities Cool down

ACL Prevention