ACL Tear Greater Florissant, MO. ACL tears have a tremendous effect on your active and daily routine. 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 to work again. At Axes Physical Therapy in Florissant, MO, we have dedicated our practice to restoring our patients’ mobility and returning them to the activities they love. Our ACL tear rehabilitation specialists work in tandem with you as a team and design personalized, evidence-based treatment plans. If you’ve suffered an ACL tear, or any other injury, in Florissant, MO, contact us online or locate the most convenient Axes location for you. We dedicate ourselves to getting every patient great results and getting you back to what’s most important to you, whether that means breaking defender’s ankles on a Florissant, MO basketball court, or carrying your children on your shoulders without any pain.

The Anterior Cruciate Ligament | Florissant, MO Physical Therapy

Ligaments are bands found in joints made of durable, flexible connective tissue that connect two bones. The ligaments in the knee work to keep your knee stable by connecting your tibia (shinbone) to your femur (thigh bone). The ACL, or anterior cruciate ligament, runs down the center of your knee and forms an “X” with the posterior cruciate ligament (PCL). The ACL and PCL work together to control the front and back movement of your knee, and the ACL prevents the tibia from moving too far forward on the femur and provides stability when the knee rotates.

ACL tears can be either partial or complete. Depending on the grade of your ACL tear, your ability to put weight on your knee and range of motion will be reduced. Regardless of how severe your injury, trust in the Florissant, MO licensed physical therapists of Axes to help you fully heal.

Why an ACL Tear Happens | Florissant, MO Physical Therapy

There are as many as 250,000 ACL injuries nationwide every year, and it is one of the most frequent knee injuries and sports injuries. Athletes who play contact sports and/or sports where there is a lot of cutting and changing direction are the most likely to get ACL tears. According to the National Athletic Trainers’ Association, the vast majority of ACL tears happen in non-contact injuries, such as cutting rapidly, and the rest are because of direct blows to the knee. External and internal factors could both be at play when you sustain an ACL tear:

External Factors

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

• Landing on uneven ground or landing awkwardly
• Being hit by something or someone
• Suddenly decelerating or changing direction
• Spinning with a firmly planted foot
• Receiving a direct hit to the knee

Internal Factors

These concern the structure and anatomy of the knee and legs. Some examples are:

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

ACL tears don’t just transpire in sports, falls and work-related injuries can damage they ACL as well. 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 as a result of anatomical differences.

Symptoms of an ACL Tear | Florissant, MO Physical Therapy

Following an ACL tear, you’ll likely feel pain in the middle of the knee. An ACL tear does not always cause significant pain except if other parts of the knee were also injured. Some signals that you may have torn your ACL are:

• A “popping” sensation or sound in your knee
• Not being able to continue activity
• Rapid swelling
• Loss of range of motion
• Not being able to bear weight your knee

If you suspect you’ve sustained an ACL tear, it’s important to reach out to a doctor or a licensed physical therapist in Florissant, MO to confirm your injury and get you the treatment you need. We offer free, no strings attached injury screenings and know many excellent doctors in Florissant, MO that we can refer you to. Your Axes physical or occupational therapist, your doctor and medical providers, and you will join forces and work together to ensure your recovery is safe and efficient.

ACL Tear Treatments | Florissant, MO Physical Therapy

It is imperative to get prompt, effective, personalized treatment for your ACL tear. If you delay, or your treatment is ineffective, it can result in complications like obesity or osteoarthritis, which can greatly affect how you live your life.

Directly following your ACL tear, it’s best to use over-the-counter pain medication and the R.I.C.E. method to reduce pain and inflammation. In an examination, a doctor will assess your range of motion, and likely order an MRI or other tests to verify the ACL tear and judge the severity of the injury.

Because ligaments do not receive blood flow, a complete ACL tear will not be able to 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 the best option for younger people, athletes who need their knee reconstructed in order to play, patients with other serious injury to their knee, or those whose ACL tear causes their knee to buckle in basic, everyday activities. 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 likely 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 Florissant, MO to optimize your recovery and the success of your operation. Our ACL tear physical therapy experts will be by your side throughout your recovery process with a personalized treatment plan that has been proven to work. Our treatment methods will help to:

• Alleviate 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
• Do movement exercises and balance exercises to return range of motion
• Perform strength exercises to increase strength
• Potentially utilize electrical stimulation as a supplement to the exercises

You have the best chance for a full recovery by actively participating in it and trusting the professional Florissant, MO area physical therapists of Axes. Before you know it, we will get you back to dominating the local pickleball league, or just enjoying the ability to sit down and stand up without your knee buckling.

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

Unfortunately, second ACL tears are common and they can lead to life-long consequences. Included in your treatment program in Florissant, MO, our Certified Athletic Trainers will help you understand the best practices that help to avoid another ACL tear down the road. We recommend some of the following steps to prevent further injury:

• Having a strong core
• Strengthen your hip and leg muscles
• Practice proper form, for example bending at the knees and hips when turning
• Maintain flexibility
• Increase your balance
• Always warm up before sports or other physical activities
• Always wear appropriate footwear

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

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

• Back Pain Treatment
• 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

ACL Tear in Florissant, MO | Axes Physical Therapy

It is normal to be anxious 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 with you to implement a proven, personalized physical therapy plan to return you to the football field, bowling alley, or just back to your normal, pain-free daily activities. Contact us online or call the location are closest to you.