ACL tear treatment - Is it possible to avoid surgery and further knee damage?

Danielle Matias, MMS, PA-C discusses ACL tears and what they can mean for developing long-term instability and degeneration of the knee joint. She also addresses the difference between our clinical approach to partial and full ACL tears. If you have been diagnosed with an ACL tear and trying to avoid surgery or have already had surgery and still having popping/grinding or other knee pain and instability, we'd love to talk about your case and see if we may help you get back to where you want to be.

Or, call us at 239-308-4773 to speak with our team.

Connect with us on social media:

*DISCLAIMER: As with any medical treatment, no guarantees or claims of cures are made as to the extent of the response to treatment that every person experiences. The video represents only the featured person/people’s experience or opinion. Results may not be the same from patient to patient, even with a similar diagnosis, as the body’s internal status is unique to each individual patient.

Thanks for watching. Wish you all the best in health!

[LoneWolf]

I torn my ACL ten years ago. Avoided surgery, rehabbed it myself with light stretching and weight training. Ten years later I can leg press over 500 pounds. It’s possible, the power of the mind is incredible.

[stevebarbieri]

Full acl tear a little over a year ago. No surgery just physical therapy and the gym. I'm 95 percent my self now.

[shaziamaqsood]

I tore my acl of right knee on feb 2020, without surgury, the recovery was long with alot of sessions of physiotherapy. But now, i can do 20kg squats easily with 100-120 reps and a full day of leg. If Surgury is not the option then try to use ur power of the brain to heal things inside ur body

[yuemooise]

sorry, this is kind of a personal story but i feel that i need to share my feelings with it... i'm an absolute sports lover; i plan to become a police officer in the future, so i decided to start martial arts two years ago. i got hooked and it was one of my escapes in life.

but i tore my acl a little over a month ago during taekwondo. i was working my very hardest because i really wanted to get better at my 540 kicks, but after landing wrong, thats where my acl tore. i felt really upset about it because my instuctor had really high expectations for me. got an mri two weeks after tearing it and it was thankfully a minor tear.

today is my birthday. my knee was super close to full recovery and i was ecstatic to go back to taekwondo training next week, but during pe in school, i stepped normally and immediately buckled. it was a bit more painful than the first time i had done it.
my mum told me that i will need to quit taekwondo and any other sports, heck, even told me to rethink my dreams of becoming a police officer. i feel horrible.

it's my birthday and i can't understand why this is happening to me. i dont even need surgery because thats what my doctor told me, but i have to give up my passion?? all this hard work for nothing...

[mritter]

I completely tore my right ACL and Meniscus about 4 years ago. Haven’t gotten surgery (yet) but recently my right knee has been making noises every-time i straighten my leg. Almost feels like my bones are grinding against each other. I feel no pain however sometimes my knee locks and i have to take all weight off my right leg to reset it.

[sandeepsandy]

I had an injury when I was on 17. Years. Same day it got brusided and I was unable to walk properly. After 2 3 days everything went back to normal. But when I start to play or sudden change of direction or when you jumb from little high place my knees gets hurting again Ang again. Some popping noice and that moment I can't stretch my legs fully. So I have to to bend my knees back to buttock to make it to normal position. This is happening in my life from last 14 years now. I really want to play and run, because of this I have controlled my movements to get injured. I m really worried now will it be successful doing the surgery after 14 years ? Or anyother option other than surgery ? Because I can now walk/jog freely that also will not be able to do after surgery I m afraid.

[SparkyOne]

I had a bad knee injury as a teen. Was never taken to the docs to have it seen to. Fast forward 15 years and my knee is giving me issues. Fluid on my knee, I see my doc, he refers me to the hospital thinking I have a blood clot. Long story short, no blood clot but X-rays and mri revealed tons of scar tissue in my knee. A doc sees me hours later and tell me that I had a severe knee injury and asked me how it happened. I told him and he was really shocked that my injury wasn’t seen to. He said he would clean it out and repair what he could, and told me that my knee cap was misaligned from the injury. He said I had torn my acl and the meniscus. He also said that he may do a full knee reconstruction once he was in there. Well life happened and I never got it done. I still have knee issues. I can’t walk properly, and pain stops me in my tracks sometimes, I figure it’s scar tissue getting in the way, so I kick my leg and stretch my knee at the same time over and over so I can put weight back on it. I am a prime example of why you should seek help after a knee injury.

[vianna_]

My doctor said I shouldn’t get surely because I’m to young (13) which I believe but I wish the process of this injury would hurry up I’m a dancer and I miss dance I actually tore it from dance

[miyalover]

Hello, I got ACL Surgery now it's lockdown I can't go Out of rehab ...Can u suggest me The cycle Name for exercise....

[MTBJJ]

keep seeing people say no surgery but i think i’m gonna, i do mma, i need to be able to pivot on my knee

[eltonmaragona]

Hello guys! Awesome channel! I have one important question: Can CCI create ”choking” sensations? Like a feeling of you balancing your head on your throat, if it make sense. If yes, would you please describe why? Thank you!

[MuhammadUmair-ymvq]

My MRI show upper fibre of acl are distruped and replace by irregular STRI hyperintensities suggestive of High grade injury/ ruptured please tell me about it

[dbzgoku]

I have full thickness old acl tear in left knee.
What i have to do please tell?

[raghulsrinivasan]

Fell from my bike...
My MRI report shows,
ACL appears avulsed from the proximal attachment and is seen at the intercondylar notch area

Pls suggest me is this partial tear or complete tear of ACL

[TurboJrx]

Had a mri couple days ago and just found out that my ACL is torn. I was playing soccer when I injured my knee and now I fear that I won’t be able to go back. I don’t have much pain and I can walk alright

[FurKidsHavingFun]

I was born without an ACL; I have a connective tissue disorder. My knee has dislocated many times throughout my life. What would you recommend for exercise?

[nrc]

what does this MRI finding mean and with such a finding how to get up from a sitting position on floor ""Patella appears normal. Patellofemoral articulation appears normal.

There is evidence of tear of both medial and lateral patellar retinacula.

Moderate amount of fluid collection is noted in both medial and lateral recesses of patellofemoral articulation.

Iliotibial tract appears normal. Both infra and supra patella pads of fat appear normal.

Both quadriceps and patellar tendons appear normal.

Grade 2 signal changes are noted involving both hrons of medial meniscus. Lateral meniscus appears normal.

Both medial and lateral ligament appear irregular.
Mild marrow oedema is noted involving lateral tibial condyle.

Distal 2/3" of ACL is not seen. Posterior cruciate ligaments appear normal.

Impression: MRI of the knee shows:
¢ Complete tear involving distal 2/3" of ACL.

o Grade 2 tear of MCL. Partial tear of lateral collateral ligament.

eliarth

[KuldeepKumar-pewb]

Hello Dr. I watched your video and I felt bit stronger. I am facing similar situation right now. I am sharing my problem to you. Please help me.

On 4th July 2023, I met with an accident while I was riding my bike, going to work. The MRI observations are as follows -
1. There is fracture reaching upto the articular surface seen in lateral tibial condyle with surrounding marrow edema and contusions.
2. There is subchondral fracture with cortical buckling and ill-defined marrow edema and contusions seen at mid aspect of the lateral femoral condyle.
3. Ill-defined areas of marrow edema and contusions are seen in medial femoral and tibial condyles.
4. Fracture with marrow edema and contusions seen in proximal fibula.
5. High grade partial thickness tear of ACL noted.
6. Gross joint effusion with myofascial thickening and edema noted.
7. Grade 3 tear in posterior horn of lateral meniscus reaching upto tibial articular surface.

I consulted doctors, some told me to take rest for 45 days after that we will go for surgery, some told me that we can go for surgery now.

I didn't went for surgery till date. Right know, I am using a knee brace, which keeps my leg straight. I use this brace for around 23 hours daily. I am not bending my leg when I use brace. I walk around 100 mtrs using a stick. I can stand without support, can walk without support. I don't want to go for a surgery.

My question is- Can it be healed naturally? If not then, instead of going for a surgery can I use knee brace as a solution for walking?

[brianpvalverde]

I have a complete ACL torn and it doesn't hurt. I'm a competitive swimmer and i play soccer in my free time, would anyone suggest surgery or it's fine if I don't get it? I do feel some instability sometimes but nothing else. Any suggestions?

[robindavis]

I have grade 3 complete tear acl ligament for almost 3 years, still i can walk
There's no such complications to the knee, now after 3 years again i went for MRI the results shows the same grade 3 complete tear ligament.. But no damage to the menisus

Still am thinking of the surgery?? Its needed or not??