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Frequently Asked Questions

What is an ACL tear?

FAQ Knee - Howard J Luks,MD
The ACL is the Anterior Cruciate Ligament. There are more than 4 major ligaments that essentially hold the knee together. Without one of more of these ligaments the knee would be loose and you would perceive that the knee was giving way or buckling. The ACL is the most commonly torn knee ligament. The ACL is usually torn as the result of a non-contact twisting injury. You will usually feel or hear a pop, the knee will buckle and within a short period of time, significant swelling will occur.
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Sports Medicine, Therapy, Rehabilitation and Surgery- Mass G...
The most common mechanism is a combination of a sudden stopping motion on the leg while quickly twisting at the knee. The planted foot remains stationary while the body rotates toward the opposite side of the body. This can happen in a sport such as basketball, when a player lands on the leg when coming down from a rebound or is running down the court and makes an abrupt stop to pivot. In football, soccer, or lacrosse, cleats prevent the foot from slipping during this motion.
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What are the symptoms of ACL tear?

Frequently Asked Questions
Patients with ACL insufficiency can walk in a straight line. But when they attempt to change the direction suddenly while walking or running they may feel the knee joint giving away. Additional symptoms like Pain and repeated joint swellings may be present due to additional injuries to meniscus and cartilage.
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Is it a must to have reconstruction surgery for ACL tear?

Frequently Asked Questions
ACL tears do not have the capacity to heal by themselves. This is because of the poor blood supply and the presence of joint fluid. Similarly the torn edges of the ligament cannot be sutured together, as this procedure has very high failure rates and has been given up. The ideal way to get back the function of ACL is to have reconstrucion of ACL. Even though patient can manage activities like walking climbing stairs, without ACL.
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Will the reconstructed ACL be of adequate strength? Will the reconstructed ACL tear again?

Frequently Asked Questions
The reconstructed ACL has adequate strength and full return to previous level of activity and sports is possible. However, excessive violence resulting from cutting and pivoting movements in sports pose a risk. But this is a risk, which sportspersons cannot avoid. The operated patients receive a physiotherapy protocol and specific advice from sports physiotherapist. By improving the muscular strength, flexibility and agility many injuries can be avoided.
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Can I manage my ACL tear without surgery, by means of medicine or massage or exercises?

Frequently Asked Questions
ACL healing cannot be achieved by any internal medicine or external oil massage. Similar attempts to compensate the ACL deficiency by exercising the muscles have also been futile. The dynamic stability offered by the muscle cannot compensate the static stability afforded by the ACL.
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I haven't had an ACL tear. What can I do to avoid it?

ACL injuries in BJJ, submission grappling and MMA
Warm-up properly before training. Raise the body heat by light jogging around the mat, sports-specific drills, etc. The only thing more stupid than people who only train the top half of their body are people who only train the front half of their body. Every skeletal muscle has an opposing muscle. Together they move the attached bone(s) by contracting and expanding, (such as the bicep and tricep, guadricep and hamstring, etc.).
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How will my doctor diagnose an ACL tear?

Frequently Asked Questions: Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL)...
There are several steps to making the diagnosis. First is your story, the what, when and how of your injury and what symptoms you are having. Second is a physical exam that includes both looking at and feeling the knee, and putting it through some non-painful moves to check for looseness and clunks. Third, an MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) may occasionally be done to look for an ACL tear. While very good, these methods aren’t perfect.
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Scott, How badly did you tear your ACL and how long did it take to heal?

Possibly Torn ACL!!! - IronOnline Weight Training Forum
the tears were not big enough to mess with surgially, there were 5 small ones on the back side of the ligament. They cleaned up the frays while they were removing the meniscus. I'm trying to guage the damage to mine. Just curious as to how painful the ACL tears were? How affected was your range of motion in your knee and how long before the pain went away. Prior to them cleaning it up I mean. The ACL itself feels no pain. The associated swelling can cause intense pain.
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What Are The Signs Of An ACL Tear?

ACL Tears-Surgery or Not? - Bootcamp Buddies - Weight Watche...
In many cases, when the ACL is torn, you will feel the knee give way with an audible "pop". The injury is usually associated with a moderate amount of pain and continued activity is usually not possible. Over the next several hours, the knee becomes very swollen and walking becomes difficult. The swelling and pain usually are the worst for the first two days and then begin to subside.
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How Is An ACL Tear Diagnosed?

ACL Tears-Surgery or Not? - Bootcamp Buddies - Weight Watche...
ACL tears usually cause enough discomfort to cause the injured person to seek medical attention. The physician will examine the knee, and, in most cases, be able to identify which ligaments are injured. However, there may also be injuries to the joint surface that are more difficult to diagnose. In addition, swelling may sometimes make it difficult to diagnose a tear. Further evaluation with an MRI or arthroscope may be necessary to completely evaluate the injury.
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What are the signs and symptoms of a possible ACL tear?

Frequently Asked Questions: Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL)...
The famous "pop" is the most telling symptom of an ACL injury, although you may have a tear without ever experiencing the pop. The injury is usually followed by considerable pain and swelling within the first several hours. You may develop a feeling of instability in the knee or "giving way", making walking difficult.
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What is a torn ACL?

Phoenix Orthopedic Evaluation Arizona Treatment Consultation...
The ACL (Anterior Cruciate Ligament) is a ligament in the center of your knee. The ACL gets damaged when twisted too far, which makes it a common injury in relation to sports or other physical activity. ACL Reconstruction is performed using a combination of open surgery and arthroscopic surgery. Before ACL reconstruction process begins, your surgeon will examine your knee arthroscopically, and repair any additional damage to the knee, such as a torn meniscus, or worn articular cartilage.
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Also what's the deal with Deshaun Foster? He did'nt tear his ACL right?

VoyForums: David Grey's Fantasy Football Forum
Ok, so i dropped Blake and picked up Fiedler. We play two QBs, which two of Fielder, Bledsoe and Brady? (NT) -- Jim, 11:36:36 12/21/02 Sat Need (3) WR's Mason @ Jacksonville, Driver vs Buff; Taylor vs Clev; Muhammed vs Chic; Jackson vs St.L or Freeman @ Dal. Guys, I am in a combo league and need to play 1 QB, 2 Rb's, 2 WR's. Please help me, I am playing for the league title. Need some running back advice! -- Friar Tuck, 22:55:35 12/19/02 Thu (cache-rl07.proxy.aol.com/152.163.189.
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How do you get a tear in the labrum?

Frequently Asked Questions -- C. Thomas Vangsness, Jr., M.D....
The labrum is the fibrous rim of cartilage surrounding the perimeter of the shoulder socket. It can commonly become torn with excessive motions about the ball and socket (glenohumeral joint). Traumatic shifts of the ball in the socket or repetitive motions such as throwing can cause tears to this tough rim of tissue.
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What is the ACL?

FAQ - What is the ACL ?
There are two large ligaments inside your knee each about the size of your little finger that cross deep inside the joint. They are called the ACL (anterior cruciate ligament) and PCL (posterior cruciate ligament) and go from the femur (thigh bone) to the tibia (shin bone). They serve to stabilize the knee and allow it to glide through a smooth range of motion as you bend and straighten the leg. The ACL is the ligament in the front and the one most commonly injured.
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How common is ACL injury and the surgery for ACL tears?

Frequently Asked Questions
Anterior cruciate ligament is one of the commonest knee injuries in sports and day-to-day life. It is estimated that around 1,00,000 to 2,00,000 ACL injuries occur per year in United States and roughly around 70,000 ACL reconstructions are performed.
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What is a double-bundle ACL reconstruction?

Double Bundle Anterior Cruciate Ligament - What is a Double-...
The anterior cruciate ligament, or ACL, is one of four major ligaments in the knee that provide stability to the joint. When a patient sustains a tear to the ACL, a sensation of instability, or giving out, may develop in the injured knee. In order to restore stability to the knee, your doctor may recommend an ACL reconstruction to insert a new ligament in the place of the damaged ACL.
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What is an ACL "bundle"?

Double Bundle Anterior Cruciate Ligament - What is a Double-...
The anterior cruciate ligament is made of a tough, fibrous tissue that spans the knee joint, attaching to the femur (thigh bone) on top, and the tibia (shin bone) below. The ligament itself is made of thousands of individual fibers, that together form the ACL. Some of these fibers are organized into distinct bundles. The normal ACL has two primary bundles of fibers. These bundles are positioned closely together, in some patients with normal ACLs it can be difficult to discern distinct bundles.
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What is an ACL and how are these injuries treated?

Frequently Asked Questions -- Advanced Centers for Orthopaed...
ACL is an abbreviation for anterior cruciate ligament of the knee. The knee is the largest and most complex joint in the body. It depends on four ligaments and other muscles and tendons to function properly. There are two ligaments on the sides of the knee, the medial collateral ligament and the lateral collateral ligament and two cross ligaments in the center of the knee, the anterior cruciate ligament and the posterior cruciate ligament.
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Are there different techniques of reconstructing the ACL?

Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, ACL reconstruction is done using few types of grafts and also a variety of fixation methods to fix the graft to the bone. In our center we use all varieties of grafts and techniques. The choice of graft and fixation technique is decided based on the requirements of the patients.
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Is there is any synthetic replacement for ACL?

Frequently Asked Questions
Synthetic materials were tried to replicate the function of ACL, but now are largely given up because of undesirable side effects and complications.
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Do all ACL tears require surgery?

FAQ Knee - Howard J Luks,MD
No. Many ACL tears can be treated non-operatively. Many factors go into the decision making process. Some patients have ACL tears and no instability symptoms. Others are profoundly symptomatic, even with simple stair climbing, turning and twisting. We do not know why some people are more symptomatic than others, which is why surgery is not the right answer for everybody.
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How are ACL tears diagnosed?

injuryupdate.com.au - Australia's best information source fo...
Most ACL tears can be detected by experienced examiners as the knee joint will undergo abnormal movements when stressed. There is a variation in the normal range of these tests so the amount of movement is compared to the other knee. Sometimes these tests can be inconclusive immediately after an injury, due to excessive swelling.
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If my ACL is torn, should I have surgery to repair it?

injuryupdate.com.au - Australia's best information source fo...
a general rule, the body cannot repair a torn ACL if the tear is complete. Partial tears may sometimes heal but often will progress to becoming complete tears. If surgery is needed, the surgeon will not repair the ligament directly, as this has a low success rate, but will instead use a nearby tendon to reconstruct the original ligament. Your future demands in multi-directional sport.
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Can ACL tears or recurrences be prevented?

injuryupdate.com.au - Australia's best information source fo...
ACL injury is associated with multidirectional sport (football, basketball, netball and skiing particularly), so refraining from these sports is a way to prevent injury, but often not acceptable to athletes. The mechanism of injury is often getting the foot caught in the ground while the body moves in another direction. In football, wearing boots with shorter stops helps prevent the foot getting caught in the turf. In all sports, a stabilising knee brace may offer some protection.
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How invasive is ACL surgery?

Dr. Prodromos - Chicago (Glenview) orthopedic - knee shoulde...
Dr. Prodromos has developed a mini-incision, primarily arthroscopic technique that produces excellent results. The procedure takes roughly 90 minutes and patients go home on the day of surgery.
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How reliable is ACL reconstruction surgery?

Dr. Prodromos - Chicago (Glenview) orthopedic - knee shoulde...
Dr. Prodromos recently completed a long-term follow-up study of over 200 of his ACL reconstruction patients. There were no instances of graft failure in this study.
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What technique do you use to reconstruct the ACL?

Dr. Prodromos - Chicago (Glenview) orthopedic - knee shoulde...
At our clinic we have 17 years experience using the hamstring graft. It is the only technique we use. Both the hamstring graft and the patellar tendon graft can produce excellent results; however, we favor the hamstring graft because it is a thicker, stronger graft with an excellent safety record.
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