ACL Tear Greater Portage Des Sioux, MO. ACL tears can suddenly upset 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 Portage Des Sioux, 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 create tailored, evidence-based treatment plans. If you’ve suffered an ACL tear, or any other injury, in Portage Des Sioux, MO, contact us online or locate the most convenient Axes location for you. Our mission is getting every patient a positive outcome and getting you back to the things that matter most to you, whether that means burning corners in your local Portage Des Sioux, MO flag football league, or carrying your children on your shoulders without any pain.

The Anterior Cruciate Ligament | Portage Des Sioux, MO Physical Therapy

Ligaments are bands found in joints made of durable, pliable fibrous tissue that affix two bones. The ligaments in the knee help maintain stability in your knee 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 in tandem to stabilize the front and back movement of your knee, and the ACL shields the tibia from gliding 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 capacity to bear weight and your motion will be affected. However severe your injury, trust in the Portage Des Sioux, MO licensed physical therapists of Axes to help you reach a complete recovery.

Causes of an ACL Tear | Portage Des Sioux, MO Physical Therapy

There are as many as 250,000 ACL injuries nationwide annually, 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 at high risk for ACL tears. According to data from the National Athletic Trainers’ Association, 70% of ACL tears occur in non-contact injuries, such as cutting rapidly, and the rest are due to direct blunt force trauma. External and internal factors could both be at play when you suffer an ACL tear:

External Factors

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

• Landing on uneven ground or landing awkwardly
• Colliding with something or someone
• A sudden reduction in speed or switching direction
• Swiveling with a firmly planted foot
• Receiving a direct blow to the knee

Internal Factors

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

• The anatomical differences between men and women
• Flexibility of the hamstring
• Genetic variations

ACL tears don’t just occur 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 sustain an ACL tear, likely owing to anatomical differences.

Symptoms of an ACL Tear | Portage Des Sioux, MO Physical Therapy

After an ACL tear, the pain will likely be at the center of the knee. An ACL tear does not always cause sever pain except if other structural damage was done to the knee. Some signals that you may have torn your ACL include:

• A “popping” sensation or sound in your knee
• Inability to continue activity
• Your knee becoming inflamed quickly
• Reduction of range of motion
• Not being able to bear weight your knee

If you think you’ve suffered an ACL tear, it’s necessary to reach out to a doctor or a licensed physical therapist in Portage Des Sioux, MO to diagnose your injury and get you the treatment you need. We offer complimentary, no-obligation injury screenings and work with many excellent doctors in Portage Des Sioux, MO that we can connect you with. Your Axes physical or occupational therapist, your doctor and medical providers, and you will form a close team and work together to ensure your recovery is safe and efficient.

How to Treat an ACL Tear | Portage Des Sioux, MO Physical Therapy

It is imperative to get effective and personalized treatment soon after your ACL tear. If your injury does not heal properly, it can lead to health conditions like obesity or osteoarthritis, which can greatly affect your quality of life.

Immediately after your ACL tear, you should use over-the-counter pain medication and the R.I.C.E. method to mitigate pain and swelling. A doctor will then examine you, evaluate your mobility, and likely order an MRI or other tests to confirm the ACL tear and evaluate the completeness and grade of your tear.

As there is no blood flow to the ligament, a complete ACL tear will not be able to regenerate by itself. This means that you will need the help of licensed professional physical therapists in order to return 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 a fully functioning ACL in order to perform, patients with other serious damage to 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 in place, your journey back to normalcy and the activities you love is still a long way from over. After surgery, you’ll probably need crutches to move around, as your quadriceps muscles will weaken from disuse. Axes Physical Therapy offers both pre- and post-surgical rehabilitation for ACL tears in Portage Des Sioux, MO to optimize your recovery and the success of your operation. Our ACL tear physical therapy professionals will lead you through your recovery process with proven, customized physical therapy. As part of your treatment plan, we will:

• Reduce pain and swelling
• Provide patient education so you understand your injury and why our methods work
• Gradually and successfully allow you to put weight on your knee again
• Provide you with 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 as a supplement to the exercises

You have the best chance for a full recovery by actively participating in it and trusting the expert Portage Des Sioux, MO area physical therapists of Axes. Before you know it, we will return you to tearing up the local pickleball league, or just enjoying being able to to climb stairs without feeling any instability in your knee.

How to Prevent an ACL Tear | Portage Des Sioux, MO Physical Therapy

Unfortunately, many people sustain a second ACL tear and they can lead to permanent consequences. As part of our ACL tear physical therapy services in Portage Des Sioux, MO, our Certified Athletic Trainers will help you understand the best practices that help to avoid another ACL tear down the line. Some of the preventive methods you can take in order to prevent further injury are:

• Strengthen your core
• Having strong hip and leg muscles
• Practice correct form, for instance always landing with your feet directly over your knee
• Maintain flexibility
• Increase your balance
• 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 getting you back 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 Portage Des Sioux, 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 Portage Des Sioux, MO | Axes Physical Therapy

It is normal to experience anxieties about your your 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 in concert with you to implement a proven, tailor-made 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.