ACL Injury
What is ACL Injury?
ACL stands for Anterior Cruciate Ligament. Any wear and tear to this ligament causes the knee to buckle and flex unnaturally and may cause severe pain.The ACL is one of the most commonly injured ligaments in the knee. Most common cause of ACL injuries is sports Injury. ACL tear usually occurs as the result of a quick deceleration, hyperextension, or rotational injury and does not involve contact
with another individual.
A normal ACL has a higher weight bearing capacity and strain potential. However, due to aggravated injuries this can change in many clients, which is where the role of physiotherapy becomes very important for any non-surgical treatment. Even post surgical treatment, ACL needs to be healed using extensive physiotherapy routines that are suggested by most doctors as a part of the treatment procedure to achieve a full ROM (Range of Motion), Strength, Endurance and Agility.
Conservative approach is the No.1 approach when you injured your knee- (ie. Client education, therapeutic examination and individualized intervention, activity modification, bracing etc). Best approach for ACL rehabilitation with almost no side effects.
What are the common symptoms?
- Popping sensation in the knee
- Severe pain and inability to continue activity
- Rapid swelling
- Loss of range of motion
- Instability or ‘giving way’ with weight bearing
What is the Rehabilitation Process?
The primary aim of ACL rehabilitation is to achieve a full range of motion and weight bearing without pain and limitation. Our expert physiotherapists are trained in a number of techniques that can speed up the rehabilitation process while strengthening the nearby muscles for extensive load bearing.Â
The following steps are considered while undergoing physiotherapy for ACL rehabilitation:Â
Pain and Effusion:
Pain and swelling are a common after effect of any ACL related injury and even post surgical rehabilitation. First step is to work on the joint with the help of the expert physiotherapy @alleviate Physiotherapy to rehabilitate the knee joint from the symptoms of pain and swelling. Our therapist will use various manual therapy and electrotherapy approaches to eradicate the pain and swelling in the knee joint which usually happen as a postoperative complication. Manual Therapy technique used post operatively helps to improve circulation, reduce inflammation and speed up the recovery process.
Motion Loss:
Usually, any ACL injury causes a severe loss of motion or disbalance in the knee joint. This needs to be approached with great caution in order to improve the overall posture of the client and get them back to their full mobility.Â
Our skilled physiotherapists help our clients recover faster using the following steps:
- Core strengthening exercises — including the hips, pelvis and lower abdomen — by giving your appropriate core exercises to improve and speed up the recovery process.
- Strengthening leg muscles – Graded progressive exercise program to increase strength, endurance and agility with focus on hamstring muscles to ensure overall balance,Strength and agility.
- Biomechanics of Knee Joint: Emphasizing proper technique and knee position when jumping and landing from jumps- also known as Joint Proprioception
- Working each step to improve the speed, agility, duration and landing mechanism while performing pivoting and turning movements
Loss of motion can be treated in many ways when it comes to an ACL injury and it is the expert guidance from a physiotherapist that can cater the treatment plan according to the individual need for each different client.Â
Recently suffered an ACL Injury? Get rehabilitated with guidance at every step.
Book a free 15 minute consultation with our therapist to discuss your rehabilitation plan and take the first step towards your success story.
Don’t Wait – Just Alleviate
Source
S. Brent Brotzman., and Kevin E. Wilk., (1996). Clinical Orthopaedic Rehabilitation: Second Edition. Mosby Publication.
