ACL stands for Anterior Cruciate Ligament, which is the key ligament for knee support. If for some reason, it gets injured, a person might not be able to stand on their feet.
ACL Injury in Athletes
As a matter of fact, ACL injuries are fairly common in young athletes. It simply indicates the injury in your knee, where it swells to twice its size or loses its shape. It can be a partial tear, a rupture, or worse, an avulsion. To undo the damage, the ACL needs to be reconstructed. The downside of this surgery is the long recovery time. Keeping this in mind, many injured athletes, who are already going through the psychological trauma of the injury, dread getting surgery for the fear of never being able to play again.
However, getting surgery is your only way out if you have injured your ACL. As this ligament is one of the most crucial ligaments of the knee, it stabilises the movement of the feet and contributes to your ability to stand.
What Happens if You Don’t Get the Surgery?
Most doctors steer their patients towards surgery after an ACL injury. Otherwise, the injury might get worse with time till the point where it will be beyond reconstruction. A minor injury can turn into a chronic ACL deficiency. The damage can be irreversible if you do not get the immediate attention of a qualified physician. What’s worse is that the injury might wreck your chances of playing on the field forever.
However, patients should keep in mind that getting the surgery is not enough. They need to abide by the rules and take proper care of their knee. Returning to strenuous activities right after the surgery can worsen your injury and wreck your chances of having a sports career. Therefore, you need to rest and return to the field only when your physician gives you the go-ahead.
Doctors’ Opinions
Doctors recommend knee surgery after a tear has been diagnosed. If you want to play on the field again, you need to take some time off and get surgery. Furthermore, you are required to rest and refrain from all the activities that might require excessive use of the injured area.
Medical science has been modernised with new methods that can limit the recovery time required after an ACL injury. Within a span of six months, the patient can get back to their feet, as long as they had regular check-ups, physical therapy, and ample rest. Most people can get back to their regular activities after successful surgery, while others struggle with instability.
If you are an athlete who has just gone through a severe knee injury, you need to get surgery. Your fear of never being able to play sports should not hinder the necessity of surgery. You will be able to play again only when your knee is working well.