The evolution of sports has proved to be a fascinating and often amusing combination of creativity, science and hype. From the lightest of high-tech equipment to the craziest of celebrations, the world of athletics is changing every year.
In the minds of those involved in sports, some aspects remain the same. One of those constants is the impact of the three most feared letters in sports. Those letters linger in the minds of the athletes, coaches, team owners and the fans themselves. They all brace for the injury reports hoping not to hear those three dreadful letters. They all know the significant downtime needed to recover from these alphabet season assassins. No one talks about it but we all know that when these three letters “come to town”, this athlete’s season is over.
ACL
There they are. Although not everyone knows what the three letters stand for, we all hope that our anterior cruciate ligaments remain strong and healthy for our entire lifetime. An ACL or anterior cruciate ligament tear requires 6 to 9 months of intense rehab with no guarantee that the athlete will fully recover. Those two simple facts justify the reason why we all fear a torn ACL.
ACL Tear Success Story
During the 2009 season Tom Brady, All-Pro quarterback for the New England Patriots, returned from an ACL tear that took place during the 2008 season. The media and the fans spent most of the off-season pondering the questions: “Can Tom fully recover from this surgery and will he be the same superstar player that he was before the injury?”
The wait is over and Tom has returned to his winning ways with two outstanding seasons since he was helped from the field in pain with an anterior cruciate ligament tear. To put an exclamation point to his successful recovery, Tom was recently awarded the 2010-11 NFL Most Valuable Player Award. It’s a true credit to Tom’s dedication to his profession and the Pat’s Head Athletic Trainer Jim Whalen and his staff’s efforts.
ACL and Its Role in Stabilizing Your Knee
The anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) is the key stabilizing ligament in the knee. The ACL starts at the distal posterior lateral (back and outside) femur (thigh bone) and crosses the knee joint and attaches to the proximal anterior medial (upper front and inside) tibia (shin bone). The ACL is one of the two internal knee cruciate ligaments that serve to stabilize the forward/backward shifting of the knee along with a considerable rotational controlling function to the most common injured joint in sports.
The ACL’s most important role is to keep the skin bone properly positioned under the thigh bone by applying a backwards force to the shin bone when the athlete is decelerating and changing directions. With an ACL tear, this shifting and rotational instability are the most common complaints of someone who has a torn ACL.
Knowing the Truth about an ACL Tear
Now that the formal medical stuff is covered, let’s talk about the reality of the ACL and how it impacts you as an athlete.
Personally, I’ve been involved with the rehabilitation of close to eighty high-level athletes with ACL injuries. Over 90% of the outcomes of these athletes who required ACL reconstruction surgery has been outstanding. The average length of time for a full recovery and return to full and unlimited activity has been approximately 8 months. Depending upon the time of year and the NFL schedule, a quicker recovery is easily possible. I’ve worked with professional athletes who have returned to full speed in almost half that time. Sometimes that is not always a good thing and I’ll address that in upcoming articles.
With a more aggressive return to full activity, the risks of tendonitis, chronic swelling and articular cartilage complications are often increased as well.
To Brace or Not to Brace
Preventative bracing before you get hurt for high-risk players is a smart decision. Knee braces may appear bulky but when a brace is fitted properly and the athlete becomes comfortable wearing the brace, few athletes will notice that they are wearing a brace. Research clearly shows that a properly fitted knee brace will not limited agility movement or negatively affect a football player’s ability to perform. Especially when the sport includes contact such as football and hockey, preventative knee bracing is the practice of the wise athlete who wants to stay active for a long, long time!
The various types of ACL tear surgeries and the rehabilitation of an ACL tear are topics for future MRF articles. The objective for this article is to help you shed light on the sports medicine facts related to anterior cruciate ligament tears.
Telling the Athlete the Bad News
No athlete wants to hear a certified athletic trainer or doctor tell him/her “…your ACL is torn and your season is over.” I’ve personally been that person dozens of times who has looked into the eyes of elite professional athletes to give them that very same message. Their tears say it all.
I was involved in the HBO show called Hard Knocks with the Jaguars in 2004. During one of the episodes they aired a gripping live scene of me telling an emotional player on the practice field that he had a torn ACL and his season was over. I love my players and moments like that never get any easier for me.
Questions to Ask About an ACL Tear
A smart professional athlete with a torn ACL who wants to safely return to his/her sport will ask his sports medicine specialist the following questions:
- How much of my ACL is torn?
- What medical grade, from 1 to 3, would you grade my instability for the following tests for both knees?
- Lachman Test
- Valgus Stress Test at 30 degrees.
- Anterior Drawer Tests
- Posterior Drawer Test
- If you are recommending an ACL reconstructive (ACLR) surgery, which type of surgery and why?
- Who do you recommend to coordinate my treatment?
- Do you recommend that I wear a brace for future athletic events?
Tips to Have a Successful Recovery from an ACL Tear
- No Special Pill – A torn ACL is what it is. No one has invented any special ACL vitamins or specific exercise to make the ligament stronger. Training properly and protective knee braces may prove to be your best medicine.
- Coaching Tip – The best prevention principle for ACL tears is to slowly progress with the fundamental basics of your sport to ensure that your lower extremity strength and flexibility are optimal.
- Where the Rubber Meets the Road – Proper shoe wear is crucial to avoid too little or too much traction. Both of which would negatively impact the knee stability.
- Surgery? – If you suffer a torn ACL and your future plans include being active at a moderate to high level, reconstructive surgery is highly recommended.
- “Pop’s” Are Not Good – According to research, 60% of athletes who hear a “pop” in their knee have an ACL tear.