ACL Tears
Posted in Physiotherapy on Oct 28, 2019.
ACL Tears
What is an ACL tear and how does it occur?
The ACL, or anterior cruciate ligament, is a strong piece of connective tissue, which attaches the thigh bone (femur) to your leg bone (tibia). The ACL provides stability to the knee joint as it prevents the tibia from sliding forward relative to the femur. ACL tears are a common sporting injury; however, can also occur from everyday activities. The most typical mechanisms of injury are landing awkwardly from a jump, twisting the knee, or suddenly stopping while running. The ACL may also be injured during knee hyperextension, or when hit from the outside. Often, other tissues surrounding the knee are also damaged, including the medial collateral ligament, meniscus, joint cartilage, and bone surfaces. The ligament can be stretched, partially damaged or completely torn.
What are the signs and symptoms of this knee injury?
Many people report hearing a “pop” in the knee along with immediate pain and swelling. Decreased range of movement of the knee is common, and the injured knee is typically unable to take full weight when standing or walking. The knee may also feel unstable, with a sensation of “giving way”. Poor balance and coordination may also be experienced. Smaller tears of the ligament may have only mild symptoms, however, more severe tears will have more significant pain, swelling and instability.
Is surgery always necessary?
Traditionally, surgery was thought to be necessary for all full-thickness ACL tears. A series of recent studies have shown, however, that outcomes are often the same for people who chose surgery and those who don’t, both in terms of recovery and future risk of osteoarthritis. Individual circumstances will impact this decision; elite athletes and patients with additional meniscal tears often do best with surgery. Generally speaking, however, with time and full rehabilitation, many people can return to their previous levels of activity without surgery.
How can Our Shelbourne Physiotherapists help?
For both surgical and non-surgical recovery from ACL tears, physiotherapy rehabilitation is essential for a full recovery. Your Shelbourne Physiotherapist will assist you with improving your knee’s range of movement, lower limb strength, balance, stability and coordination. You will re-learn the tasks of walking, using stairs, and negotiating obstacles with retraining of your balance and control. We supply custom knee braces fit exclusivley for your bodytype and size. Book an appointment with Mark Gottfried who has a special interest and experience in treating knee injuries. Early in rehabilitation, the RICE protocol (rest, ice, compress, elevation) is used in conjunction with static resistance type exercises to improve muscle contraction in the leg and increase blood flow in the area. Throughout your rehabilitation program, you will progress through a variety of strength and mobility exercises targeted towards your individual needs, with goals of returning to your favourite sport or hobby as soon and as safely as possible.
None of the information in this newsletter is a replacement for proper medical advice. Always see a medical professional at Shelbourne Physiotherapy for advice on your individual injury.
Shelbourne Physiotherapy, Pilates & Massage is a locally owned health company with 3 locations in beautiful Victoria & Saanich, British Columbia. Our clinics offer Physiotherapy, IMS (Intramuscular Stimulation) & Dry Needling, Kinesiology, Exercise Rehabilitation, Massage Therapy, Sports Rehabilitation, Post-Operative Rehabilitation, Vestibular, Dizziness & Balance Rehabilitation, Women's health (peri-partum and incontinence), Acupuncture, Hydrotherapy, Scoliosis Treatment, Clinical Osteofit Classes, Osteoporosis Treatment, Aquatherapy, Pool Therapy, Real Time Ultrasound, Arthritis and Osteoarthritis Treatment, Electrical Modalities, Pelvic Floor Physio, Pelvic Pain Physiotherapy, Incontinence Treatment, Thoracic Ring Approach Physiotherapy Treatment, Sports Physiotherapy, Chronic Pain Treatment, Shockwave Therapy (ESWT), Aquatic Therapy, Yoga, Yogalates, Saanich Physiotherapy, Polestar Pilates, Stott Pilates, Clinical Pilates, Scoliosis Treatment and Custom Knee Bracing, Physiocanhelp.ca.
Our clinics are approved providers for WorksafeBC (WCB) Physiotherapy and ICBC Physiotherapy, Kinesiology & Rehabilitation. We are proud members of the Canadian Physiotherapy Association (CPA), the Canadian Academy of Manipulative Therapy(CAMPT), Sport Physiotherapy Canada, SportmedBC, British Columbia Association of Kinesiologists (BCAK), Canadian Society for Exercise Physiology (CSEP), Vestibular Disorders Association, ISST International Schroth 3D Scoliosis Therapy, International Society for Medical Shockwave Treatment (ISMST), Think Local Victoria, Canadian Federation of Independent Business(CFIB), the Orthopaedic Division of the CPA and the Physiotherapy Association of British Columbia (PABC) We have a clinic located in the Gordon Head Recreation Centre in Saanich
Shelbourne Physiotherapy staff provide clinical instruction at our Victoria Clinic for students in the UBC Faculty of Medicine. We are an accredited facility for UBC Dept. of Physical Therapy Student Practicums.
Our 3 Victoria Physiotherapy clinics are modern and provide a relaxed healing atmosphere with private rooms available. Many Physiotherapy clinics in Victoria work out of a single room or a basement that does not offer the equipment, resources or space to help you recover properly. Our convenient locations make our clinics easy to access from all the neighbourhoods of Victoria, Saanich, Esquimalt and Oak Bay such as Dockside Physiotherapy Green, Fairfield, James Bay, Oaklands, Fernwood, Harris Green, Jubilee, Hillside Quadra, Gonzales, Rockland, Gordon Head, Cadboro Bay, Uplands, Downtown Victoria, Cordova Bay, Arbutus, Camosun College Lansdowne Campus and the Songhees. We offer appointment times ranging from 7:00AM to 7:00PM for your convenience.Our Multidisciplinary Health Clinic is located right across the street from the Hillside Shopping Centre. we share a building with the Shelbourne Medical Centre which has a walk in clinic and many great General Practitioners.
We are a friendly, local Victoria & Saanich owned and community based health company designed to meet your individual needs. Our mission is to provide Physiotherapy and related services to the communities of Victoria, Saanich, Oak Bay, Victoria West and Esquimalt and help keep these residents active and healthy. We strive to creatively and professionally maximize client functioning and promote life-long wellness.
Our experienced and dedicated Health Care Professionals include Victoria & Saanich Physiotherapists Penny Salmas, Jennifer Kolot, Mark Gottfried, Nicole Gill, Jenna Peters, Brad Curry, Andrew Mills, Meena Sran, Phil Lawrence, Jessica Shave, Kim Lobb, Kathy Murdoch, Laura Werner, Rosie Chamberlin, Ruan Le Roux, Nina Bai, Seung Bai, Eimear Brogan, Faralay Vander Schilden, Kira Crover, Sarah Hubbs, Mary-Anne Levson, Alex Thompson , Ignacio Parodi, Victoria Pelvic Floor Physiotherapist Miriam Haistein, Hilary Beck, Ignacio Parodi and Blair Braz. Our experienced Victoria BC Kinesiologists include Kira Crover, Heidi Nottelman, Larry Muir, Radek Wiechecki, Lindsey Tabish and Emma watt. Our experienced Victoria & Saanich BC Registered Massage Therapists include Taryn Krizan, Selena Curvelo, Jennifer Koebernick, Kathy Pantalon, T'airah Bowker RMT, Molly Scott, Jessica Bundy RMT and Rebekah Neubert. Our Certified Victoria Pilates and Yoga Instructors include Danielle O'Reilly, Stephanie Cadman, Sharon McAuley, Sarah Hubbs, Laura Werner, Helen Mason, Chris Csak, Alex Thompson, Regina Flueck
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