There are about 900 ligaments in the human body, but some are injured at a much more regular rate than others. One of these is the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), which gets more than its share of attention, especially in the athletic community. There’s a very good reason for this: the knee accounts for approximately 45% of all sports-related injuries, and the ACL is the most commonly damaged structure in the knee. When ACL injuries in Parkville/Baltimore do occur, a rehabilitation program that includes physical therapy is a necessity.

The ACL is one of the four primary knee ligaments that connect the shinbone (tibia) to the thighbone (femur). It runs diagonally inside the knee joint and crosses with the posterior cruciate ligament to form an “X.” The main purpose of the ACL is to provide stability for the knee and prevent the tibia from sliding out in front of the femur.

If the ACL is pushed beyond its limits, however, an injury will occur. This can happen as the result of changing directions too rapidly, stopping or slowing down suddenly, landing the wrong way or from direct contact. This is why ACL injuries are seen so frequently in sports like football, soccer and basketball, which require lots of direction changes and sudden starts and stops in the action.

ACL injuries in Parkville/Baltimore can be minor, severe or somewhere in between, but the majority of them are partial or complete tears. ACL tears are devastating injuries that typically lead to significant pain, instability, swelling, tenderness and muscle weakness. As a result, most athletes are unable to participate in their sport for extended periods of time.

Physical therapy plays a part in rehab for all ACL injuries in Parkville/Baltimore

Rehabilitation for ACL tears depends on the type of injury and the patient. There is a specific group of patients called “copers,” who have the potential to heal without the need for surgery. These patients have only injured the ACL and no other structures in the knee, and have experiences no episodes of the knee giving out after the injury. In many cases, though, a surgical procedure called ACL reconstruction is necessary.

Regardless of whether or not surgery is needed, physical therapy will be an essential part of the rehabilitation process. It can be utilized either instead of surgery when a particular case calls for it, or to prepare a patient for surgery and help them with the recovery back to full strength afterwards. Although the specific treatment plan will vary depending on the patient, his or her abilities and goals, and in what capacity physical therapy is being used, physical therapy for ACL tears will generally consist of the following elements:

• Electrical stimulation: this device is usually applied to the thigh muscles to help restore strength and improve the flexibility of the injured knee
• Balance training: devices like wobble boards and exercises such as heel raises and mini-squats will be used to help you regain balance that was lost due to the injury
• Strengthening exercises: various exercises will be prescribed to build back the strength of the core, thigh, hip and ankle muscles
• Range of motion exercises: flexibility is also impaired after an ACL tear, and these exercises will help to gradually increase it so the patient can perform movements normally and with less pain
• Return to sport training: as a patient regains their strength and balance, they will eventually begin training that focuses specifically on the movements necessary in their respective sport; from here, the therapist will determine when he or she is ready to return to sports, which can vary greatly from patient to patient

ACL injuries in Parkville/Baltimore are quite common and often serious, but no matter which treatment is prescribed, physical therapy will always play a vital role in the rehabilitation process. If you’ve recently experienced an ACL injury or would like to reduce your risk for having one with a prevention program, CAM Physical Therapy and Wellness Services is here to help. Contact us at 301-853-0093 to schedule an appointment at any of our four clinics in Laurel, Hyattsville, Glenn Dale/Bowie or Parkville/Baltimore, MD today, or click here for more information on physical therapy and ACL injuries.