ACL Tear Greater Byrnes Mill, MO. ACL tears can suddenly obstruct your active routine and daily life. You go from having a blast in a sport or playing with your kids, to suddenly wondering whether you’ll get to play or even go back to your job again. At Axes Physical Therapy in Byrnes Mill, MO, we have committed our practice to helping our patients regain their strength and mobility, and getting them back to the activities they love. Our ACL tear rehabilitation specialists work in tandem with you as a team and put in place tailored, evidence-based treatment plans. If you’ve suffered an ACL tear, or any other injury, in Byrnes Mill, MO, contact us online or check out the most convenient Axes location for you. Our priority is getting every patient great results and getting you back to the things that matter most to you, whether that means dominating your local Byrnes Mill, MO pickleball league, or carrying your children on your shoulders without any pain.

What is the ACL? | Byrnes Mill, MO Physical Therapy

Ligaments are bands found in joints made of durable, flexible fibrous tissue that affix two bones. The ligaments in the knee work to keep your knee stable by attaching your tibia (shinbone) to your femur (thigh bone). The ACL, or anterior cruciate ligament, is in the center of your knee and crosses the posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) so they make an “x”. The ACL and PCL work in tandem to control the forward and backward motion of your knee, and the ACL shields the tibia from gliding too far forward on the femur and provides rotational stability.

ACL tears can be either partial or complete. Depending on the grade of your ACL tear, your ability to bear weight and range of motion will be impacted. However severe your injury, trust in the Byrnes Mill, MO licensed physical therapists of Axes to help you fully heal.

Causes of an ACL Tear | Byrnes Mill, MO Physical Therapy

There are as many as 250,000 ACL injuries nationwide each year, and it is one of the most common knee injuries and sports injuries. Athletes who play contact sports and/or sports where there is a lot of cutting and changing direction are at high risk for ACL tears. According to data from the National Athletic Trainers’ Association, almost three-quarters of ACL tears happen in non-contact injuries, such as changing direction rapidly, and the rest are due to direct blows to the knee. External and internal factors could both contribute to an ACL tear:

External Factors

These are when your coordination is disrupted immediately before the injury. Some examples are:

• Landing on uneven footing or landing with improper form
• Something or someone bumping into you
• Instantly decelerating or switching direction
• Swiveling with a firmly planted foot
• Receiving a direct blow to the knee

Internal Factors

These have to do with the structure and anatomy of the body. Some examples are:

• The anatomical differences between men and women
• Flexibility of the hamstring
• Differences in genetics

While many ACL tears occur in sports, they are also common in falls and work-related injuries. They can become more common as we age and our bodies weaken. Women are 4-6 times more likely to suffer an ACL tear, likely owing to anatomical differences.

Symptoms of an ACL Tear | Byrnes Mill, MO Physical Therapy

After an ACL tear, you’ll likely feel pain in the middle of the knee. You might not necessarily feel sever pain after an ACL tear unless other parts of the knee were also injured. Some signs that you may have suffered an ACL tear are:

• Feeling or hearing a pop in your knee
• Having to stop activity
• Your knee becoming inflamed quickly
• Reduction of range of motion
• Not being able to bear weight your knee

If you think you’ve sustained an ACL tear, it’s critical to reach out to a doctor or a licensed physical therapist in Byrnes Mill, MO to verify your injury and get you the treatment you need. We offer complimentary, no-obligation injury screenings and work with many excellent physicians in Byrnes Mill, MO that we can connect you with. Your Axes physical or occupational therapist is an indispensable part of your recovery team, working closely with you and your doctors and medical providers to collaborate on your safe and efficient recovery.

ACL Tear Treatments | Byrnes Mill, MO Physical Therapy

It is important to get prompt, effective, personalized treatment for your ACL tear. If your injury does not heal properly, it can result in problems such as obesity or osteoarthritis, which can greatly affect how you live your life.

In the minutes after your ACL tear, it’s best to use over-the-counter pain medication and the R.I.C.E. method to alleviate pain and inflammation. A doctor will then examine you, evaluate your range of motion, and likely order an MRI or other tests to verify the ACL tear and gauge the completeness and grade of your tear.

As there is no blood flow to the ligament, a complete ACL tear cannot heal on its own. That is why the aid of a licensed professional physical therapist is necessary to get back to the activities you love. Surgery is the only means available to completely heal an ACL tear. So, surgery is often necessary for younger people, athletes who need their knee reconstructed in order to play, patients whose ACL tears were accompanied by other significant damage to their knee, or those whose ACL tear causes their knee to buckle in basic, everyday tasks. ACL surgery is typically done by taking a graft from another tendon — either one of yours or a deceased donor’s — and then using small incisions to attach the graft to the femur and tibia.

Once the new ligament is in place, you still have a long way to go before you’ll feel fully back to normal. After surgery, you’ll probably need crutches to move around, as your quadriceps muscles will have weakened. Axes Physical Therapy offers both pre- and post-surgical rehabilitation for ACL tears in Byrnes Mill, MO to get you a positive outcome for both your physical rehabilitation and your operation. Our ACL tear physical therapy experts will guide you through your recovery process with proven, customized physical therapy. Our treatment methods will help to:

• Reduce pain and swelling
• Educate you on your injury and the rehab process
• Gradually and effectively allow you to put weight on your knee again
• Fit you for a brace and teach you how to safely use it
• Perform movement exercises and balance exercises to return range of motion
• Perform strength exercises to increase strength
• Possibly utilize electrical stimulation to return strength and flexibility

When you work with the knowledgeable Byrnes Mill, MO area physical therapists of Axes and take an active role in your recovery, you have the greatest chance of a complete and quick recovery. Before you know it, we will get you back to tearing up the local pick-up league, or just enjoying being able to to climb stairs without any pain.

How to Prevent an ACL Tear | Byrnes Mill, MO Physical Therapy

Unfortunately, second ACL tears are common and they can lead to permanent consequences. Included in your treatment program in Byrnes Mill, MO, our Certified Athletic Trainers will help you understand the best practices that help to avoid another ACL tear later on. Some of the preventive methods you can take in order to prevent further injury are:

• Having a strong core
• Strengthen your hip and leg muscles
• Practice correct technique, for instance always landing with your feet directly over your knee
• Maintain flexibility
• Perform balance exercises
• Perform warm-up exercises before sports or other physical activities
• Make sure you are using appropriate footwear

Our physical therapists committed themselves not only to retuning you to the things you love to do, but doing everything possible to make sure that you stay off the sidelines.

Some of the other services we offer in Byrnes Mill, MO are:

• Neck Pain Treatment
• Physical Therapy Clinic
• Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Treatment
• Sciatica Treatment
• Sports Medicine
• Hand Pain Physical Therapy
• Foot & Ankle Pain Treatment
• Hip Pain Treatment
• Plantar Fasciitis Treatment
• Stroke Rehabilitation

ACL Tear in Byrnes Mill, MO | Axes Physical Therapy

It is normal to be nervous about your what your life will look like in the future after suffering a severe injury. If you’ve sustained an ACL tear, you probably want to get back to your normal, active lifestyle as quickly as possible. Trust in the experienced professionals of Axes Physical Therapy to work with you to design a proven, personalized physical therapy plan to get you back to the basketball court, bowling alley, or just back to your normal, pain-free daily activities. Contact us online or call the location are closest to you.