ACLs do not heal on their own if completely torn. The reason for that is called retraction, the ends of it retract and do not touch each other anymore. There is nothing to heal. As your knee gets better and stabilizes, you may think you are fine but you are not. Movement like cutting, jumping, sudden changes of direction, explosive sprints, leg lifts will eventually cause your knee to buckle and tear your meniscus, probably causing additional collateral ligament damage like the PCL, MCL cluster, joint capsule, LCL. Before any ACL surgery you need a lot of physical therapy, it’s called preop therapy.
Awesome video, very helpful. My ACL injury has got much better over the last 12 months so there’s definitely some healing going on. Im doing squats every other day to train the glutes, i use neoprene knee wraps each workout. It feels like my knees are much tighter and stronger, going up stairs is much easier and it also helps having leg strength and rigidity to avoid that inside movement mentioned in the video. Will make sure to keep leg straight and not caving in after a workout or when it feels inflamed. (Edit: without hyperextension which is what the ACL is there to prevent, a hyperextended leg can tear the ACL or even stretch it and cause damage making the ACL weaker) Cheers
YESSSSS!!!!!!! This is great to hear Chris!!!! Congratulations on healing from your ACL injury naturally. You're even doing squats! That's amazing!!! Cheers to great knee health!!!
Hi doctor your videos actually gave me a confident that acl can heal naturally.. i am suffering from partial Acl tear .. can pls suggest some exercises to continue inorder to heal naturally .. @epmanualphysicaltherapy
My daughter had an ACL tear which came to light only 2 years aftr she had it by which time it was completely torn & had also damaged part of meniscus. She had reconstructive surgery & had a year of physio. She's completely fine & normal now
Hi Dr. David, appreciate your vids I live in the NY Metro burbs. I learned about your great channel today. I recently tore my ACL (complete tear) saw a specialist who said wait and see for 8 weeks after injury and decide if reconstruction surgery is a good option at that point. I appreciate you responding to my question regarding osteoarthritis if no surgery 👍🏽
Hey cardo! We're happy to help you through our channel! That sounds like a great plan to wait 8 weeks. The only question now, is what will you do during those 8 weeks to make sure you start healing? Please get yourself a knee brace like we mention in this video! If you don't feel confident going through this on your own, make sure you get in touch with a physical therapist who specializes in helping people avoid surgery.
I like your vdos. I watched another vdo of yours in which you recommended walking with the feet outwards in case of meniscus year & it's given me a lot of relief. Also how to ascend & descend stairs in the right way. Thanks & god bless you
I'm a 49 yr old female, weighing 54 kgs and 5.3 feet tall. At present, I have a minuscus tear and partial ACL tear. History -It's been 40 days now I injured my knee with a sudden stop.. first 2-3 days I had pain and it gradually reduced and was able to bend my knee completely and walk normally. Later damaged it further when I was driving a two wheeler on an uneven street. Post which I had pain, swelling, couldn't walk straight. Got an MRI done. Was told partial ACL tear. Now I'm under rest from 15 th day to 30 th day. Now, I meet another doctor for second consultation.he advices me to walk putting a lot of weight on my injured knee with braces( is it advisable?) and suggested few exercises with ine treatment while other suggested surgery. My question is should I walk putting stress on my injured knee.. I'm confused, as other doctors restricted to walk.please advice.
My doctor said 6 weeks hinged brace from hip to ankle. Into about 15 weeks of twice a week therapy. I do my own therapy daily at home .walking with casual cane use as I strengthen for stability. No surgery.
Hi I had an ACL partial tear, orthopedic says try to cope with in after checkin MRI and proceed with knee manipulation. But I still feel pain In my left knee when sitting on the floor and trying to bring that left feet to my crouch. Injury was Aug 2, 2002. Thanks!
Hey @jbg18720, sorry to hear about your partial tear in your ACL :-( You likely have a great chance at healing your ACL! You MUST get a knee brace first and then start to do the right exercises. In case you need it, here are all our videos about ACL injuries: “Knee Pain ACL Injury Help” ua-cam.com/play/PLJVIPiFvv1mY5egV7qX8PHh-kEeL6y1wP.html
Hey, I just went to a field to play soccer after being out for 15 years, after receiving a pass from a colleague I took an awkward step I went down immediately. It’s been 4days now, I never knew anything about ACL but when googled how I feel I had an idea that’s it’s acl injury. I walk but when I I want to take a quick turn I feel a sharp pain in the right side of my right knee.When I’m coming out of a car from the front passenger seat and bring my right leg out and try to get up I feel pain in my right knee. There is no swelling I have some questions. 1.How can I confirm that it’s Acl without going to a hospital 2. What can I do at home to heal without going to a hospital 3. How long do u think it may take to heal.
Hey Michael! So sorry to hear about your injury! It can be frustrating getting back to doing the activities and sports we love and getting injured in the process! :-( We actually have a video that describes how to test for an ACL tear. However, if you're in doubt, you should still go and see your physician. Check it out: "How To Test & Heal A Torn ACL Without Surgery" ua-cam.com/video/8gc15Sqr50k/v-deo.html Also, here is a playlist with all of our content on ACL injuries, with exercises and tips that could help you begin fixing your problem: “Knee Pain ACL Injury Help” ua-cam.com/play/PLJVIPiFvv1mY5egV7qX8PHh-kEeL6y1wP.html
hello from australia from ozzie indian 70 years - from hospital in sydney - as per my mri and orthopedics doctor my 4 ligaments are totally torn but doctor plan to discharge me in 2-3 days for natural healing with full leg brace - 24 hours brace on except shower etc - if not heal last resort surgery - your videos are encouraging and explains well - i like the brace you show dr fix Amazon - smaller just covers knee area instead of full leg - later can i use brace suggested by you ? alak jha
Hi dr. I had an acl tear last week, and had a mri showing a full tear, however, I was able to walk right away with some knee swelling, and I didn’t loose much of the motion, but the knee has lost its stability, do you think it could be a partial or some other knee issues and possibly being misdiagnosed from the mri ?
Hey Asian, You know, it really depends on the PT you're working with. But here at El Paso Manual Physical Therapy, we've got a different approach. We're all about giving you the tools to take charge of your recovery. Once you've got the hang of our techniques, you won't need to keep coming back for sessions. It's all about empowering you to manage any pain that pops up on your own. Plus all the information we provide on our channel is free. We would never stop anyone from getting surgery if that is what they feel is best for them. In case you are interested we have an ACL help playlist. You can access it here “ACL Knee Pain Injury Help” ua-cam.com/play/PLJVIPiFvv1mY5egV7qX8PHh-kEeL6y1wP.html
Is it possible to heal a complete tear of the ACL without surgery with knee brace and crutches and eventual PT??? Also what about stem cell therapy??? Thank you.
If you don't mind answering: Should I be doing the heel slides, stationary bike exercises without the brace, when I walk straight with or without brace no pain?
A brace or a knee wrap will always help imo. If a brace is too cumbersome and gets in the way look into some neoprene compression sleeves. These are brilliant and you can wear them all day and forget about them. Best of luck with it 👍
Hey Cardo! Chris is onto the right way to start out. Once you feel more comfortable with your knee and you can sense that your knee is improving, then you can begin to wean yourself out of the brace. If you gain more strength, enough to keep great knee stability, then you're in a position to stop using the brace. But it's okay if you want to continue with the brace. It is not necessary if you choose not to use it after you've regained stability in your knee.
Hello dr I hope your doing well I have had acl injury from soccer for 6 months I didn’t have a surgery my knee started getting really better and I could’ve run and walk normally but than one day I played volleyball and I landed wrong and my knee hurts and now am scared if I have hurt my acl more.
My first mri was done after 5 days from the injury and doctor told go for surgery immediately as there is a complete acl tear but the second doctor told to wait and then Effusion was down and I can stretch my leg straight but bending back fully is not possible but little bit is happening...doctor told to go for second mri after few weeks... I do not want to get surgery done.... Also read about prp injection and stem cell....Please advise
Hey Shweta, sorry to hear about your ACL injury :-( Waiting to see if you can get the swelling down is a GREAT idea. Usually you'll get most, if not all, of your motion back after the swelling subsides. Good job going for a second opinion! PRP and stem cells might help...the number 1 thing to do right now is get the right kind of knee brace on! Be sure to check out our knee ACL help videos where we talk all about how to heal and what brace to get: “Knee Pain ACL Injury Help” ua-cam.com/play/PLJVIPiFvv1mY5egV7qX8PHh-kEeL6y1wP.html
cool video im half way through with a partial tear how much rehab and strength should you do in the first few weeks after it settles down and can put weight on and so forth and what exercises are best
Hey TSIXGaming, so sorry to hear about your partial ACL tear :-( Effective rehab will consist in gradual strengthening, done correctly and making sure it doesn't feed or create a muscle imbalance. Here is our playlist on ACL injuries, tips and exercises: “Knee Pain ACL Injury Help” ua-cam.com/play/PLJVIPiFvv1mY5egV7qX8PHh-kEeL6y1wP.html
@@epmanualphysicaltherapy ty man! i meant i was half way thru your video :D i had patella tendon graft many years ago after i fell from a 13 foot ramp. my knee has been good until just 3 weeks ago when i hurt it boxing. mri shows the acl is ok but i want to do all the exercises to give best chance not to hurt it again ill go thru the videos in the playlist thanks!
You're very welcome! Ouch, that sounds very painful we are sorry you had to go through that. If you are finding the exercises along with the information in our videos helpful then you might be a perfect fit for our "Knee Meniscus Recovery Program". Although it is titled Meniscus this program does a great job of addressing surrounding cartilage problems and ligament issues. You can learn more about it here: www.epmanualphysicaltherapy.com/meniscus-recovery We wish you the best on the road to recovery! 🙌
Hello sir my husband had an acl avulsion and it is suggested by the doctor to use brace to immobilize the knee and its been around 50 days now the doctor suggested him to walk he is trying to walk using crutches still the swelling is there kindly give some suggestions so that we can overcome this issue expecting a reply from you sir
Hey Mike...you're touching on a great point of controversy in the medical field. The reality is there is no research showing that ACLs do or do not heal. What we do know for sure is that even with an ACL injury, you can get back to being active again.
my surgeon told me that even if it does heal the scar tissue may not have the same strength as the original ACL and therefore is not providing stability
I am from San Diego. Your videos are very helpful. I have a knee pain all through the day. Your videos helped me a lot. It is less now. Thank you.
You're welcome Indrani Chakrabarti!!! We're sooo happy we've been able to help you!!!
@@epmanualphysicaltherapy ❤️
ACLs do not heal on their own if completely torn. The reason for that is called retraction, the ends of it retract and do not touch each other anymore. There is nothing to heal. As your knee gets better and stabilizes, you may think you are fine but you are not. Movement like cutting, jumping, sudden changes of direction, explosive sprints, leg lifts will eventually cause your knee to buckle and tear your meniscus, probably causing additional collateral ligament damage like the PCL, MCL cluster, joint capsule, LCL. Before any ACL surgery you need a lot of physical therapy, it’s called preop therapy.
Incorrect it has been proven that fully ruptured ACL's have healed themselves over time it's very well documented.
Awesome video, very helpful. My ACL injury has got much better over the last 12 months so there’s definitely some healing going on. Im doing squats every other day to train the glutes, i use neoprene knee wraps each workout. It feels like my knees are much tighter and stronger, going up stairs is much easier and it also helps having leg strength and rigidity to avoid that inside movement mentioned in the video. Will make sure to keep leg straight and not caving in after a workout or when it feels inflamed. (Edit: without hyperextension which is what the ACL is there to prevent, a hyperextended leg can tear the ACL or even stretch it and cause damage making the ACL weaker) Cheers
YESSSSS!!!!!!!
This is great to hear Chris!!!!
Congratulations on healing from your ACL injury naturally. You're even doing squats! That's amazing!!!
Cheers to great knee health!!!
@@epmanualphysicaltherapy thankyou! 👍
Hi doctor your videos actually gave me a confident that acl can heal naturally.. i am suffering from partial Acl tear .. can pls suggest some exercises to continue inorder to heal naturally .. @epmanualphysicaltherapy
My daughter had an ACL tear which came to light only 2 years aftr she had it by which time it was completely torn & had also damaged part of meniscus. She had reconstructive surgery & had a year of physio. She's completely fine & normal now
That’s great that she is fine and normal now Geeta!!! Whew!!!
Where did she get the reconstructive surgery done
@@Vinodkumar-fg1qm in Mumbai
@@HariOm-ox5by which hospital
Hi Dr. David, appreciate your vids I live in the NY Metro burbs. I learned about your great channel today. I recently tore my ACL (complete tear) saw a specialist who said wait and see for 8 weeks after injury and decide if reconstruction surgery is a good option at that point. I appreciate you responding to my question regarding osteoarthritis if no surgery 👍🏽
Hey cardo! We're happy to help you through our channel!
That sounds like a great plan to wait 8 weeks. The only question now, is what will you do during those 8 weeks to make sure you start healing?
Please get yourself a knee brace like we mention in this video!
If you don't feel confident going through this on your own, make sure you get in touch with a physical therapist who specializes in helping people avoid surgery.
This was very informative! Thank you sir!
You are welcome Merry merry guide contrary!!
I like your vdos. I watched another vdo of yours in which you recommended walking with the feet outwards in case of meniscus year & it's given me a lot of relief. Also how to ascend & descend stairs in the right way. Thanks & god bless you
Yayyy!!! We're soooo happy that you've found relief from our videos. You're welcome!!!
I'm a 49 yr old female, weighing 54 kgs and 5.3 feet tall. At present, I have a minuscus tear and partial ACL tear. History -It's been 40 days now I injured my knee with a sudden stop.. first 2-3 days I had pain and it gradually reduced and was able to bend my knee completely and walk normally. Later damaged it further when I was driving a two wheeler on an uneven street. Post which I had pain, swelling, couldn't walk straight. Got an MRI done. Was told partial ACL tear. Now I'm under rest from 15 th day to 30 th day. Now, I meet another doctor for second consultation.he advices me to walk putting a lot of weight on my injured knee with braces( is it advisable?) and suggested few exercises with ine treatment while other suggested surgery. My question is should I walk putting stress on my injured knee.. I'm confused, as other doctors restricted to walk.please advice.
My doctor said 6 weeks hinged brace from hip to ankle. Into about 15 weeks of twice a week therapy. I do my own therapy daily at home .walking with casual cane use as I strengthen for stability. No surgery.
Hi
I had an ACL partial tear, orthopedic says try to cope with in after checkin MRI and proceed with knee manipulation. But I still feel pain In my left knee when sitting on the floor and trying to bring that left feet to my crouch. Injury was Aug 2, 2002. Thanks!
Hey @jbg18720, sorry to hear about your partial tear in your ACL :-(
You likely have a great chance at healing your ACL! You MUST get a knee brace first and then start to do the right exercises. In case you need it, here are all our videos about ACL injuries:
“Knee Pain ACL Injury Help”
ua-cam.com/play/PLJVIPiFvv1mY5egV7qX8PHh-kEeL6y1wP.html
Very helpful thank you
Hey, I just went to a field to play soccer after being out for 15 years, after receiving a pass from a colleague I took an awkward step I went down immediately. It’s been 4days now, I never knew anything about ACL but when googled how I feel I had an idea that’s it’s acl injury. I walk but when I I want to take a quick turn I feel a sharp pain in the right side of my right knee.When I’m coming out of a car from the front passenger seat and bring my right leg out and try to get up I feel pain in my right knee. There is no swelling
I have some questions. 1.How can I confirm that it’s Acl without going to a hospital
2. What can I do at home to heal without going to a hospital
3. How long do u think it may take to heal.
Hey Michael! So sorry to hear about your injury! It can be frustrating getting back to doing the activities and sports we love and getting injured in the process! :-(
We actually have a video that describes how to test for an ACL tear. However, if you're in doubt, you should still go and see your physician.
Check it out:
"How To Test & Heal A Torn ACL Without Surgery"
ua-cam.com/video/8gc15Sqr50k/v-deo.html
Also, here is a playlist with all of our content on ACL injuries, with exercises and tips that could help you begin fixing your problem:
“Knee Pain ACL Injury Help”
ua-cam.com/play/PLJVIPiFvv1mY5egV7qX8PHh-kEeL6y1wP.html
Hear you. Laura New Jersey
Hello from India.🙏🏼
Hello Dhirren! 🇮🇳❤️
hello from australia from ozzie indian 70 years - from hospital in sydney - as per my mri and orthopedics doctor my 4 ligaments are totally torn but doctor plan to discharge me in 2-3 days for natural healing with full leg brace - 24 hours brace on except shower etc - if not heal last resort surgery - your videos are encouraging and explains well - i like the brace you show dr fix Amazon - smaller just covers knee area instead of full leg - later can i use brace suggested by you ? alak jha
Hi dr. I had an acl tear last week, and had a mri showing a full tear, however, I was able to walk right away with some knee swelling, and I didn’t loose much of the motion, but the knee has lost its stability, do you think it could be a partial or some other knee issues and possibly being misdiagnosed from the mri ?
yeah PT make more money if patients choose to rehab for years instead of surgery
Hey Asian,
You know, it really depends on the PT you're working with. But here at El Paso Manual Physical Therapy, we've got a different approach. We're all about giving you the tools to take charge of your recovery. Once you've got the hang of our techniques, you won't need to keep coming back for sessions. It's all about empowering you to manage any pain that pops up on your own.
Plus all the information we provide on our channel is free. We would never stop anyone from getting surgery if that is what they feel is best for them. In case you are interested we have an ACL help playlist. You can access it here
“ACL Knee Pain Injury Help”
ua-cam.com/play/PLJVIPiFvv1mY5egV7qX8PHh-kEeL6y1wP.html
What brand knee brace do you recommend? It's confusing because there seemed to be so many available. Many thanks Susan in Connecticut
Great question Susan! We like these two:
Hinged knee brace - for ACL, MCL, Meniscus Injuries
amzn.to/3s79jPT
amzn.to/2RAP3cV
@@epmanualphysicaltherapy thank you so much dr. Dave appreciate it
Is it possible to heal a complete tear of the ACL without surgery with knee brace and crutches and eventual PT??? Also what about stem cell therapy??? Thank you.
Hi Dr.David, does an acl avulsion of tibial spine require surgery? I have no pain but stiffness in the knee and its been 3 weeks. Mri says surgery.
If you don't mind answering: Should I be doing the heel slides, stationary bike exercises without the brace, when I walk straight with or without brace no pain?
A brace or a knee wrap will always help imo. If a brace is too cumbersome and gets in the way look into some neoprene compression sleeves. These are brilliant and you can wear them all day and forget about them. Best of luck with it 👍
@@123ChrisG Thanks for the response, appreciate the advice.
Hey Cardo! Chris is onto the right way to start out. Once you feel more comfortable with your knee and you can sense that your knee is improving, then you can begin to wean yourself out of the brace. If you gain more strength, enough to keep great knee stability, then you're in a position to stop using the brace. But it's okay if you want to continue with the brace. It is not necessary if you choose not to use it after you've regained stability in your knee.
Hello dr I hope your doing well
I have had acl injury from soccer for 6 months I didn’t have a surgery my knee started getting really better and I could’ve run and walk normally but than one day I played volleyball and I landed wrong and my knee hurts and now am scared if I have hurt my acl more.
My first mri was done after 5 days from the injury and doctor told go for surgery immediately as there is a complete acl tear but the second doctor told to wait and then Effusion was down and I can stretch my leg straight but bending back fully is not possible but little bit is happening...doctor told to go for second mri after few weeks... I do not want to get surgery done.... Also read about prp injection and stem cell....Please advise
Hey Shweta, sorry to hear about your ACL injury :-(
Waiting to see if you can get the swelling down is a GREAT idea. Usually you'll get most, if not all, of your motion back after the swelling subsides. Good job going for a second opinion!
PRP and stem cells might help...the number 1 thing to do right now is get the right kind of knee brace on!
Be sure to check out our knee ACL help videos where we talk all about how to heal and what brace to get:
“Knee Pain ACL Injury Help”
ua-cam.com/play/PLJVIPiFvv1mY5egV7qX8PHh-kEeL6y1wP.html
cool video im half way through with a partial tear how much rehab and strength should you do in the first few weeks after it settles down and can put weight on and so forth and what exercises are best
Hey TSIXGaming, so sorry to hear about your partial ACL tear :-(
Effective rehab will consist in gradual strengthening, done correctly and making sure it doesn't feed or create a muscle imbalance.
Here is our playlist on ACL injuries, tips and exercises:
“Knee Pain ACL Injury Help”
ua-cam.com/play/PLJVIPiFvv1mY5egV7qX8PHh-kEeL6y1wP.html
@@epmanualphysicaltherapy ty man! i meant i was half way thru your video :D i had patella tendon graft many years ago after i fell from a 13 foot ramp. my knee has been good until just 3 weeks ago when i hurt it boxing. mri shows the acl is ok but i want to do all the exercises to give best chance not to hurt it again ill go thru the videos in the playlist thanks!
You're very welcome! Ouch, that sounds very painful we are sorry you had to go through that. If you are finding the exercises along with the information in our videos helpful then you might be a perfect fit for our "Knee Meniscus Recovery Program".
Although it is titled Meniscus this program does a great job of addressing surrounding cartilage problems and ligament issues. You can learn more about it here:
www.epmanualphysicaltherapy.com/meniscus-recovery
We wish you the best on the road to recovery! 🙌
@@epmanualphysicaltherapy thanks alot man ill consider the program!
You got it, let us know if you have any questions 🙌
Hello sir my husband had an acl avulsion and it is suggested by the doctor to use brace to immobilize the knee and its been around 50 days now the doctor suggested him to walk he is trying to walk using crutches still the swelling is there kindly give some suggestions so that we can overcome this issue expecting a reply from you sir
My AC is 4 months already but until now It didnt heal. Do I need surgery?
ACL doesn't heal ,,,lol ...
Hey Mike...you're touching on a great point of controversy in the medical field. The reality is there is no research showing that ACLs do or do not heal. What we do know for sure is that even with an ACL injury, you can get back to being active again.
my surgeon told me that even if it does heal the scar tissue may not have the same strength as the original ACL and therefore is not providing stability