Featuring Jody Wiebe, BSc, MPT, Physiotherapist Duration: 1 minute There are varying degrees of severity for ACL tears. You can just have a mild stretch where the ligament itself has been stretched so some of the fibers are irritated, or you could have a partial tear, so maybe half of the fibers of the ACL ligament are torn, or a complete tear, so there's no connection of any of the ligament fibers. There is a few options. Surgery is a common option for ACL injuries, especially if it's a partial to full tear, if the tear is significant enough, and you're at increased risk of further damaging it if you were to continue to play a sport. That's usually the most common method that people go with if they are going to try to continue to play a sport such as soccer because it is such high impact, quick changes in directions, and it's not predictable at all times. In the short term, after an ACL injury often times people are prescribed significant protecting braces for the knee joint, and this will help prevent further damage to other ligaments that are involved because you have the inherent instability in the knee joint itself at that point in time. For milder injuries, it can be used during the process of healing and while you're continuing to rebuild strength.

Presenter: Ms. Jody Wiebe, Physiotherapist, Surrey, BC

Local Practitioners: Physiotherapist