How is it fixed? Surgery?
A friend said this was the doctor's diagnosis so I'd just like to find out more!
2007-12-13 09:24:49 · 16 answers · asked by Anonymous in Health ➔ General Health Care ➔ Other - General Health Care
The ACL is a ligament in your knee. It keeps the lower part of your leg (below the knee) from sliding forward, relative to the upper part of your leg (above the knee).
The ACL is a critical ligament for anyone who is physically active or who participates in sports. Without this ligament, it is difficult to stop abruptly when running, cut, turn, or plant your leg.
Initially, it may be difficult to walk, however without surgery a person will regain that ability in a matter of days to weeks, depending on the person and severity of the injury. Running or doing the activities listed above would not be possible without surgery.
Furthermore, a person who chooses not to surgically repair their ACL may have an increased chance of developing Arthritis in their knee.
If a person has surgery, the severity of the injury, the type of repair performed, and the physician's personal beliefs will impact the recovery. Some people are walking with a week of surgery, while others are on crutches up to six weeks.
Typically, the surgery is performed arthroscopically (through holes in the knee; no major incisions). An artificial ligament is created using either 1) a cadaver's old ACL, 2) part of your hamstring, or 3) part of your patellar tendon. A course of rehab is always required after surgery. A full recovery usually takes between 6 months to one year, depending on the complexity of the case.
Good luck!
2007-12-13 09:32:27 · answer #1 · answered by Al 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I torn my ACL in high school. The ACL is the Anterior Cruciate Ligament in the knee, it is under your knee cap. As you probably know from jr high biology, a ligament attaches bones to bones. The ACL attaches the femur and the tibia, your thigh bone to your big shin bone.
You can live without an ACL, i played high school basketball without one in my left knee for two seasons. The problem is if you undergo too much activity the knee is unstable and can 'buckle', which is awkward and VERY painful!
It is repaired by drilling a hole through your femur and tibia, pulling a small chuck of tendon from the patella or hamstring or graft ligament from a cadaver, dead person, and then securing it in place with screws and bone chips. This is why i had to wait to have mine repaired, i wasn't done growing yet and the doctor didn't want to drill through my bones.
It is a painful process, but i was running 3 months after surgery and that knee hurts less now that my 'good' knee.
2007-12-13 17:34:31 · answer #2 · answered by shawn 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes you can walk on it, The ACL is the ligament that connects the upper leg bone to the lower leg bone. If it is torn you can still walk, all the other ligaments maintain the ability to walk, but you really have no chance of competing in sports running, jumping, stop and start, etc.
I tore my ACL and they used a patella tendon graft.
It required surgery and took about 8-10 months before I felt somewhat normal.
Not sure why I got the thumbs down, but that was my experience.
2007-12-13 17:29:03 · answer #3 · answered by Your account is suspended 4 · 2⤊ 2⤋
Most people that tear their ACLs can still walk and do most things normally except work out really hard and do anything with quick movements, especially side to side. If it is a partial tear, then your friend might not need surgery. The only way to repair a complete tear is with surgery though some people elect not to have it for various reasons.
2007-12-13 17:27:44 · answer #4 · answered by Elle Kay 3 · 2⤊ 2⤋
a torn acl is bad, and painful. its a ligament in your knee. if its badly torn it may require surgery, but if its just a minor tare you may be able to walk on it. dont strain it or exercise with your legs for a while. check with ur doc before you do any physical activity.
2007-12-13 17:28:30 · answer #5 · answered by chris 2 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Check out ACL Resources here: http://www.healthbase.com/resources/medical-procedures/orthopedic/acl-repair-surgery.html
2007-12-17 05:06:17 · answer #6 · answered by JG 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
ACL is "anterior cruciate ligament"- it's a ligament that is on the front of the knee that helps your knee bend. I don't know if you can walk on it or not... I'm thinking you just need to stay off it for a while to let it heal, then just take it easy on the knee.
2007-12-13 17:29:11 · answer #7 · answered by Snugs 3 · 1⤊ 2⤋
ACL is the anterior cruciate ligament, when torn it is very painful and difficult if not impossible to walk on, and it is repaired surgically.
2007-12-13 17:27:41 · answer #8 · answered by essentiallysolo 7 · 1⤊ 2⤋
With an injury like that you can walk with crutches after a few weeks, but it will be months before you walk without crutches. (after surgery)
2007-12-13 17:28:04 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 2⤋
surgery. Someone I knew had it in the back of the neck.
2007-12-13 17:27:31 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋