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torn acl 

(anterior cruciate ligament)

ACL repair thumbnail image.jpg
Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries affect men and women across a wide age range and at all levels of athletics. The ACL is responsible for stabilizing knee rotation that occurs during pivoting movements. An athlete often plants their foot on the ground to change directions and the ACL cannot withstand the force placed on it, so it tears, causing the knee to buckle or give out. The ACL also can be torn if the knee becomes hyperextended after a forceful jump.
 
An ACL injury causes pain and a lot of swelling in the knee. You may have felt or heard a “popping” noise in the knee. Walking with an ACL tear may be painful. It is also usually hard to bend and straighten the knee completely. Even once swelling goes down, you may feel like the knee is unstable.
 
If you are diagnosed with a tear in your anterior cruciate ligament, here are some treatment options performed by Dr. Robert Ference. These procedures may apply after more conservative treatments such as exercise, physical therapy, and medications are not helping ease your symptoms. Dr. Ference may recommend other options during your in-office consultation where you can be properly diagnosed and discuss your goals for recovery. To make an appointment, please use the contact form at the bottom of the page or call 248-626-0135, option #5.

ACL Repair (Anterior Cruciate Ligament Repair)

The ACL (Anterior Cruciate Ligament) is a band of tissue within the knee. It gets damaged when it stretches or tears. If you strain or slightly tear your ACL, it may heal over time with your doctor’s help and physical therapy. But if it’s completely torn, you may need to have it repaired. Your MRI, xrays, past studies, and examination will be used to help Dr. Ference diagnose and treat an ACL tear.

ACL Reconstruction

In the case of ACL tears, the gold standard for treatment is ACL reconstruction. Reconstruction means that the old ACL is removed, and a new ligament is created using non-ACL tissue. For most young athletes, this means using tissue from somewhere else in their body to create a new anterior cruciate ligament.

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