Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries are one of the most common knee injuries among all ages and physical conditions. However, it is especially common among young athletes. Sprains or tears usually occur when doing physical activity that involves changing of direction, jumping, running on uneven surfaces, etc. These actions can result in twisting or bending of the knee. Some injuries are caused by direct contact to the knee with a person or object, but most tears are caused by more of these non-contact movements.
Before tearing my ACL, I knew very little about the injury and the journey to full recovery. I knew people that had torn their ACL, but I had no clue what an injury like that would entail. I did my research and I was fairly positive I knew what to expect. I was wrong. Nothing could have prepared me for what I was getting into. Only people that have experienced an ACL tear, surgery and recovery can fully understand what you are going through.
The pain of tearing the ACL is excruciating, usually causing the individual to fall down with the unexpected stinging and throbbing. Each person has a different experience with his or her knee after tearing the ACL. Some feel perfectly fine within minutes of the tear. Others will have more pain and swelling associated with the injury. No matter the tear, eventually swelling will go down and the knee will be able to bear weight. This can be a dangerous time if you are unsure if the ACL is actually torn or not. It feels as if the knee can function normally, when that is not the case. It is important to be very careful with an injury like this. While the knee may feel fine, continuing excessive physical activity can result in more damage.
In order for surgery to be performed, all swelling in the knee must be gone. You then have a few options when it comes to ACL reconstruction. The surgery is designed to replace the old ACL with a new graft. Some of the most popular options for grafts include using the patellar tendon, quadriceps tendon, hamstring tendon, and tissue from a cadaver. With the constant change in the medicine world, there are new ideas often as to what is the best method. Each of these ACL reconstruction possibilities comes with pros and cons. Ultimately, the different graft choices all show positive results.
When waking up from surgery, you are never quite prepared for what you will find. Even if you know what you are getting into, it all becomes very real when you open your eyes and find that your whole leg is wrapped in gauze, ace bandages, an ice machine pad and a huge knee brace. Patients are expected to use an ice machine to reduce swelling and discomfort. After surgery, physical therapy begins within the next few days. The goal during this time is to get full range back in the knee, focusing on straightening and bending. Physical therapy sessions will occur two or three times per week. You will be given exercises that must be performed at home about two or three times per day. Technically, full recovery from ACL reconstruction is about six months. That being said, the injury will affect you for the rest of your life.
After total recovery, the repaired knee will randomly ache and might cause discomfort from time to time. Cartilage or scar tissue may move around and catch on other parts of the knee. There is more of a chance of developing arthritis with age given what the knee has been through. Individuals are required to wear a knee brace when performing physical activity post-surgery recovery. It is also likely that you will have more serious problems down the road with both knees. Oftentimes athletes are never able to fully recover and perform to the standards they were pre-injury. As a result, some people are forced to give up sports or hobbies they are passionate about. On the plus side, some people are able to predict changing weather due to their achy knee(s). If your knee randomly starts hurting one day, it wouldn’t hurt to grab an umbrella on your way out of the house just in case.
After tearing and repairing the ACL, patients can have a different outlook on life. In my personal experience, I have had four knee surgeries all ACL related. Although the long process was extremely difficult, I wouldn’t go back and change things if I could. My injuries have made me the person I am today. I am much stronger than I was before. I have learned how to make the best of a bad situation. My scars remind me what I have been through and what I can accomplish. Tearing your ACL is not fun by any means and I do not wish it on anybody, but with a positive attitude, hard work, and a lot of dedication, recovery is doable and inner strength is accessible. I know it is nothing life-threatening, but I feel like a survivor.
