ACL Tear Greater Mackenzie, MO. ACL tears can suddenly upset your active and daily routine. One moment you’re running down the field, playing your favorite sport or having fun with your kids, and the next instant you’re thinking about whether you’ll get to play or even go to work again. At Axes Physical Therapy in Mackenzie, 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 sustained an ACL tear, or any other injury, in Mackenzie, MO, contact us online or find the most convenient Axes location for you. We focus on getting every patient great results and getting you back to the things that matter most to you, whether that means running the bases in your local Mackenzie, MO league, or picking up your grandchildren without any pain.

The Anterior Cruciate Ligament | Mackenzie, MO Physical Therapy

Ligaments are bands found in joints made of durable, flexible connective tissue that attach two bones. The ligaments in the knee help 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 concert to stabilize the forward and backward motion of your knee, and the ACL stops the tibia from sliding 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 ability to put weight on your knee and range of motion will be impacted. However severe your injury, trust in the Mackenzie, MO licensed physical therapists of Axes to help you fully recover.

Why an ACL Tear Happens | Mackenzie, MO Physical Therapy

There are as many as 250,000 ACL injuries in the United States annually, and it is one of the most common knee injuries and sports injuries. They are common in contact sports that entail frequent and fast cutting and switching directions, such as football, baseball, soccer, and basketball. According to data from the National Athletic Trainers’ Association, the vast majority of ACL tears happen in non-contact injuries, such as changing direction quickly, and the rest are because of 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 ground or landing with improper form
• Something or someone bumping into you
• Suddenly decelerating or switching direction
• Swiveling with a firmly planted foot
• Suffering 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

While many ACL tears happen 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 suffer an ACL tear, likely owing to anatomical differences.

Symptoms of an ACL Tear | Mackenzie, MO Physical Therapy

Following an ACL tear, the pain will likely be at the center of the knee. You might not necessarily feel considerable pain after an ACL tear except if other parts of the knee were also injured. Some signs that you may have torn your ACL are:

• A “popping” sensation 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 think you’ve suffered an ACL tear, it’s critical to reach out to a physician or a licensed physical therapist in Mackenzie, MO to diagnose your injury and start the treatment you need to recover. We offer no-cost, no-obligation injury screenings and work with many trusted physicians in Mackenzie, 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 | Mackenzie, MO Physical Therapy

It is imperative to get effective and personalized treatment soon after your ACL tear. If you don’t, it can cause health conditions like obesity or osteoarthritis, which can significantly impact you for the remainder of your life.

Immediately after your ACL tear, you should use over-the-counter pain medication and the R.I.C.E. method to manage pain and swelling. In an examination, a doctor will evaluate your mobility, and likely order an MRI or other tests to verify the ACL tear and judge the completeness and grade of your tear.

Because ligaments do not receive blood flow, a complete ACL tear cannot regenerate by itself. 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 advisable for younger people, athletes who need a fully functioning ACL in order to play, patients whose ACL tears were accompanied by other significant injury to their knee, or those whose ACL tear causes pain or weakness when carrying out 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 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 weaken from disuse. Axes Physical Therapy offers both pre- and post-surgical rehabilitation for ACL tears in Mackenzie, MO to get you a positive outcome for both your physical rehabilitation and your operation. Our ACL tear physical therapy professionals will guide you through your recovery process with a personalized treatment plan that has been proven to work. Our treatment methods will help to:

• Reduce pain and swelling
• Educate you on your injury and the rehab process
• Gradually and successfully get you back to bearing weight
• Provide you with 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 return you to full strength
• Possibly employ electrical stimulation to return strength and flexibility

When you work with the knowledgeable Mackenzie, MO area physical therapists of Axes and take an active role in your rehabilitation, you have the best chance of a complete and timely recovery. Before you know it, we will get you back to tearing up the local pickleball league, or just enjoying being able to to climb stairs without your knee buckling.

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

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

• Having a strong core
• Having strong hip and leg muscles
• Practice proper technique, for instance keeping knees shoulder width apart while landing
• Maintain flexibility
• Perform balance exercises
• Always warm up before sports or other physical activities
• Make sure you are using appropriate footwear

Our physical therapists dedicate themselves not only to getting you back to the activities you love, but doing what we can to make sure that you can carry on doing them without being disrupted by another injury.

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

It is normal to be anxious about your your 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 experienced professionals of Axes Physical Therapy to work alongside you to implement a proven, customized rehabilitation plan to return you 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.