ACL Tear Greater Ethlyn, MO. ACL tears can unexpectedly obstruct your active routine and daily life. One instant you’re running down the field, playing your favorite sport or playing with your children, and the next instant you’re thinking about whether you’ll get to play or even go back to your job again. At Axes Physical Therapy in Ethlyn, MO, we have devoted 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 concert with you as a team and create personalized, evidence-based treatment plans. If you’ve sustained an ACL tear, or any other injury, in Ethlyn, MO, contact us online or find the most convenient Axes location for you. Our priority is getting every patient positive results and getting you back to the things that matter most to you, whether that means burning corners in your local Ethlyn, MO flag football league, or picking up your grandchildren without any pain.

The Anterior Cruciate Ligament | Ethlyn, MO Physical Therapy

Ligaments are bands found in joints made of durable, pliable connective tissue that affix two bones. The ligaments in the knee work to maintain stability in your knee by affixing 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 prevents the tibia from slipping too far forward on the femur and supplies stability when the joint rotates.

Most ACL tears are partial, but they can be completely torn as well. Depending on the grade of your ACL tear, your capacity to put weight on your knee and your movement will be affected. No Matter how serious your injury, trust in the Ethlyn, MO licensed physical therapists of Axes to help you achieve a complete recovery.

Why an ACL Tear Happens | Ethlyn, MO Physical Therapy

There are as many as 250,000 ACL injuries nationwide every year, and it is one of the most common knee injuries and sports injuries. They are common in contact sports that demand frequent and fast cutting and changing directions, such as football, baseball, soccer, and basketball. According to reporting from the National Athletic Trainers’ Association, almost three-quarters of ACL tears occur in non-contact injuries, such as cutting quickly, 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 movement is obstructed just before the injury. Some examples are:

• Landing on uneven footing or landing with improper form
• Colliding with something or someone
• Suddenly decelerating or switching direction
• Spinning with a firmly planted foot
• Suffering a direct hit to the knee

Internal Factors

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

• The differences in anatomy between men and women
• How flexible the hamstring and other surrounding muscles are
• Genetic differences

While many ACL tears transpire in sports, they are also common in falls and work-related injuries. The elderly are also at high risk, as our bodies degenerate as we age. Women are 4-6 times more likely to sustain an ACL tear, likely owing to anatomical differences.

Symptoms of an ACL Tear | Ethlyn, MO Physical Therapy

Following an ACL tear, the pain will likely be at the center of the knee. An ACL tear does not always cause significant pain except if other constructive damage was done to the knee. Some indicators that you may have suffered an ACL tear include:

• A “popping” sensation in your knee
• Inability to continue activity
• Your knee becoming inflamed quickly
• Loss of range of motion
• Instability when putting weight on your knee

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

How to Treat an ACL Tear | Ethlyn, MO Physical Therapy

It is important to get effective and personalized treatment soon after your ACL tear. If you don’t, it can cause problems like obesity or osteoarthritis, which can significantly impact how you live your life.

Immediately after your ACL tear, you should use over-the-counter pain medication and the R.I.C.E. method to reduce pain and swelling. In an examination, a doctor will assess your range of motion, and likely order an MRI to confirm the ACL tear and assess the completeness and grade of your tear.

Because ligaments do not receive blood flow, a complete ACL tear cannot regenerate on its own. That is why the aid of a licensed professional physical therapist is necessary to return to the activities you love. Surgery is the only means available to completely heal an ACL tear. So, surgery is often recommended for younger people, athletes who need their knee reconstructed in order to play, patients with other serious injury to other parts of their knee, or those whose ACL tear causes pain or weakness when carrying out basic, everyday activities. In an ACL surgery, a surgeon will remove the injured ACL, take a graft from another one of your or a donors tendons, and use small incisions to attach it to the bones.

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 likely be given crutches so you can get around for the next few weeks, as your quadriceps muscles will have weakened. Axes Physical Therapy offers both pre- and post-surgical rehabilitation for ACL tears in Ethlyn, MO to optimize your recovery and the success of your surgery. Our ACL tear physical therapy specialists will lead you through your recovery process with proven, customized physical therapy. As part of your treatment plan, we will:

• Reduce pain and swelling
• Educate you on your injury and the rehab process
• Gradually and successfully get you back to bearing weight
• Fit you for a brace and teach you how to safely use it
• Do movement exercises and balance exercises to return mobility
• Do strength exercises to increase strength
• Potentially implement electrical stimulation to return strength and flexibility

When you work with the experienced Ethlyn, MO area physical therapists of Axes and take an active role in your recovery, you have the greatest chance of a complete and timely recovery. Before you know it, we will return you to tearing up the local softball league, or just enjoying being able to to sit down and stand up without feeling any instability in your knee.

How to Prevent an ACL Tear | Ethlyn, MO Physical Therapy

Unfortunately, many people sustain a second ACL tear and they can lead to permanent consequences. Included in your treatment program in Ethlyn, MO, our Certified Athletic Trainers will help you understand the best practices that help to avoid another ACL tear down the line. We recommend some of the following steps to prevent further injury:

• Having a strong core
• Having strong hip and leg muscles
• Practice correct technique, for instance landing evenly on both feet
• Maintain flexibility
• Perform balance exercises
• Always warm up before sports or other physical activities
• Always wear appropriate footwear

Our physical therapists dedicate themselves not only to retuning you to the activities you love, but doing everything possible to ensure that you stay off the sidelines.

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

• 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
• Hip Replacement Physical Therapy

ACL Tear in Ethlyn, MO | Axes Physical Therapy

It is normal to be apprehensive about your what your life will look like in the future after being seriously injured. 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 alongside you to produce a proven, tailor-made physical therapy plan to return you to the football field, bowling alley, or just back to your normal, pain-free life. Contact us online or call the location are closest to you.