When Shouldn't I
Ignore My Knee?

A discussion about ACL injuries

Have you ever sustained an injury to your knee and decided to 'run it off' or wait a few days for the pain to subside so you can continue?  

For some, this may be possible, but how do you know when the injury is potentially more serious and you may be doing more harm than good? 

For many people, a trip to the A&E department may show nothing significant on x-ray and could leave you feeling confused. Following this, you may be left waiting several months for a specialist referral and during this time you may decide to return to activity but lack confidence in the knee or feel as though 'something's not quite right'.

ACL tear: the injury all athletes fear

An injury that athletes fear is a complete tear to the ACL (anterior cruciate ligament). Ligaments connect bones together to help keep joints stable. Ligaments cannot be seen on x-ray and if injury is suspected, they may require an MRI scan. 

The ACL plays a key role in keeping the shin bone (tibia) from sliding forward off the thigh bone (femur) and thus providing stability to the knee joint. 

Whilst ACL injuries remain relatively common and are serious in nature, not all injuries require surgical reconstruction. The potential for returning to your previous level of competition is much greater when this injury is recognised early and combined with a successful rehabilitation plan.

Recognising the signs of an ACL tear

We know from the literature that women are 4 to 6 times more likely to injure their ACL compared to men and these injuries are common in sports that require rapid changes of direction and fast transitions. Tears to the ligament can be partial or full thickness in nature and can occur with or without any contact during activity. 

If you were unable to continue playing following a knee injury and were removed from play with immediate effect, this should raise a high index of suspicion. In addition, note if there was any swelling on the knee and how quickly this occurred. Immediate swelling within a couple of hours is an indicator that something has bled within the knee and could be a sign of a more serious injury that needs investigating further. It's important to note: pain does not always accompany a serious injury therefore do not be fooled by its absence.

Consider the following

Were you able to continue playing? 

Did you feel a 'pop' sensation in the knee when the injury occurred? 

Did the knee swell and if so how quickly? 

Does your knee feel unstable? 

Does your knee have a feeling of 'giving way' 

Has your knee become 'locked' / stuck in one position

How can we help?

By recognising these signs early and understanding when you may require further investigations, you reduce your chances of further injury and give yourself the best possible chance for successful rehabilitation and return to activity. 

As always, if you have any questions, please get in contact and we can help facilitate your journey back to confidence and high performance.

Talk to us about ACL rehabilitation