ACL tear symptoms & treatment

Our extensive experience treating ACL tears makes us experts at getting you up and running again.

What is an ACL tear?

A ligament is connective tissue that joins two bones or pieces of cartilage together. Your anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) is one of the main ligaments of the knee, connecting your shin and thigh bones behind the kneecap.

An ACL tear is one of the most common knee injuries. It occurs when the ACL, the key stabilizing ligament behind the kneecap, becomes damaged or torn. ACL injury typically results from a sudden stopping or twisting motion, often when playing sports.

ACL treatment varies depending on how severe the injury is. Some ACL tears can be treated with rest, medication or physical therapy. Others may require minimally invasive surgery with an orthopedic surgeon.

Advanced treatment for ACL tears

As the largest health care provider in Wisconsin, Aurora treats a high number of people for torn ACLs each year. Our knee specialists have extensive expertise in diagnosing and repairing ACL tears, giving us a depth of experience that translates to better results for you.

People throughout Wisconsin come to us when they have an ACL injury because we offer:

• Fast and accurate diagnosis: We’ll help you get an injury evaluation as quickly as possible, so you can get diagnosed and begin treatment right away. Many of our facilities even offer same-day appointments. Learn more about orthopedic diagnosis.
• Convenient testing and treatment: We have wide geographic coverage throughout eastern Wisconsin and northern Illinois. Our many locations make it easy to find a treatment center, testing facility or rehab clinic close to home or work.
• Coordinated care: Thanks to our integrated health system, your orthopedic specialist will work closely with your primary care doctor and physical therapist to seamlessly manage your ACL repair. Meet our sports health team.

Signs of an ACL tear

A torn ACL often results from a sudden stopping, twisting or jarring motion during physical activity. ACL injury may cause a strained ACL as well as a partial or full ACL tear.

Signs that you may have an ACL injury include:

• A loud popping noise or feeling of a pop in your knee at the time of injury
• Severe knee pain
• Swelling
• Difficulty bearing weight
• Inability to continue activity

If you experience any of these symptoms, see a doctor as soon as possible to prevent future damage and understand your treatment options.

Is your hip and knee pain cause for concern?

Hip and knee pain doesn’t have to interfere with your life. Our hip and knee pain quiz evaluates your knees and hips, gauges the severity of any issues and gives you an idea what to do next based on your results.

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ACL tests & imaging

When you visit one of our orthopedic specialists, they’ll first perform a physical exam to check for swelling, pain and range of motion. Specialists can often provide a diagnosis based on your physical exam, but you may need additional tests to evaluate whether you have a partial or full ACL tear.

Your doctor may order a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) test to determine the extent of your ACL injury. An MRI scan uses radio waves and strong magnets to create detailed images of bones and soft tissues. Your doctor may also order an X-ray to rule out any possible bone fracture associated with your injury.

Learn more about orthopedic diagnosis.

Treating a torn ACL

Some partial ACL tears require only rest, medication and physical therapy as treatment. Other partial and complete ACL tears require surgery to repair.

Our orthopedic surgeons specialize in arthroscopic ACL repair, a minimally invasive surgery that offers faster recovery times and less scarring.

During arthroscopy, surgeons insert small, flexible instruments with cameras through tiny incisions in the front of the knee. The cameras allow them to guide the procedure via live video feed and make more precise movements – so you can get back to your active lifestyle faster.

Find out more about ACL repair at Aurora, or learn about physical therapy.

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