ACL Tear Greater Hawk Point, MO. ACL tears have an enormous effect on 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 Hawk Point, 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 create tailored treatments plans that have been empirically proven to be effective. If you’ve suffered an ACL tear, or any other injury, in Hawk Point, MO, contact us online or locate the most convenient Axes location for you. Our mission is 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 Hawk Point, MO basketball court, or picking up your grandchildren without any pain.

The Anterior Cruciate Ligament | Hawk Point, MO Physical Therapy

Ligaments are bands found in joints made of tough, flexible fibrous tissue that attach two bones. The ligaments in the knee work to maintain stability in your knee by connecting 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 together to stabilize the front and back movement of your knee, and the ACL prevents the tibia from moving too far forward on the femur and supplies rotational stability.

Most ACL tears are partial, but they can be completely torn as well. Depending on the grade of your ACL tear, your ability to put weight on your knee and your movement will be affected. Regardless of how severe your injury, trust in the Hawk Point, MO licensed physical therapists of Axes to help you fully recover.

Causes of an ACL Tear | Hawk Point, MO Physical Therapy

There are as many as 250,000 ACL injuries nationwide each year, and it is one of the most frequent knee injuries and sports injuries. They are common in contact sports that call for frequent and fast cutting and changing directions, such as football, baseball, soccer, and basketball. According to the National Athletic Trainers’ Association, the vast majority of ACL tears occur in non-contact injuries, such as cutting quickly, and the rest are the result of direct blunt force trauma. External and internal factors could both contribute to an ACL tear:

External Factors

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

• Landing on uneven footing or landing awkwardly
• Something or someone bumping into you
• A sudden reduction in speed or changing direction
• Pivoting with a firmly planted foot
• Receiving a direct hit to the knee

Internal Factors

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

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

ACL tears don’t just occur in sports, falls and work-related injuries can harm they ACL too. 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 | Hawk Point, 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 considerable pain except if other constructive damage was done to the knee. Some indicators that you might have torn your ACL are:

• A “popping” sensation in your knee
• Having to cease activity
• Your knee becoming inflamed quickly
• Reduction of range of motion
• Instability when putting weight on your knee

If you suspect you’ve sustained an ACL tear, it’s important to see a doctor or a licensed physical therapist in Hawk Point, MO to verify your injury and start the treatment you need to recover. We offer complimentary, no strings attached injury screenings and work with many excellent doctors in Hawk Point, MO that we can refer you to. 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.

How to Treat an ACL Tear | Hawk Point, MO Physical Therapy

It is imperative to get effective and personalized treatment soon after your ACL tear. If you delay, or your treatment is ineffective, it can result in health conditions such as obesity or osteoarthritis, which can greatly affect how you live your life.

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

Because blood does not flow to ligaments, a complete ACL tear cannot heal by itself. This means that you will need the help of licensed professional physical therapists in order 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 perform, patients whose ACL tears were accompanied by other significant damage to other parts of their knee, or those whose ACL tear causes pain or weakness when carrying out basic, everyday tasks. ACL surgery is usually 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 attached, your journey back to normalcy and the activities you love is still a long way from over. 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 Hawk Point, MO to get you a positive outcome for both your recovery and your operation. Our ACL tear physical therapy professionals will lead you through your recovery process with proven, customized physical therapy. 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
• 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

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

How to Prevent an ACL Tear | Hawk Point, MO Physical Therapy

Unfortunately, many people sustain a second ACL tear and they can lead to life-long repercussions. Included in your treatment program in Hawk Point, MO, our Certified Athletic Trainers will educate you on how 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 proper form, for example always landing with your feet directly over your knee
• Stretch consistently
• Perform balance exercises
• Always warm up 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 activities you love, but doing everything possible to make sure that you stay off the sidelines.

Some of the other services we offer in Hawk Point, 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 Hawk Point, MO | Axes Physical Therapy

It is normal to be nervous about your what your life will look like in the future after being seriously injured. If you’ve sustained an ACL tear, you might be impatient to return to your active lifestyle and physical activities you value. Trust in the knowledgeable professionals of Axes Physical Therapy to work alongside you to design a proven, customized rehabilitation plan to get you back 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.