Do You Have These Common ACL Tear Symptoms? What You Should Do Next
In this article:
- What Are the Most Common ACL Tear Symptoms?
- Can You Walk with a Torn ACL?
- How is a Torn ACL Diagnosed?
- Complete vs Partial ACL Tear
- Experiencing Pain or Discomfort from a Torn ACL? Our Expert Orthopedists at The Bone and Joint Surgery Clinic Can Help
If you twisted your knee suddenly or heard a “pop” sound while playing your favorite sport, there’s a good chance you’ve injured your ACL. While ACL injuries are often associated with severe pain or swelling, some ACL tear symptoms aren’t so obvious, and may even be missed.
In this article, we’ll explore both common and lesser-known ACL tear symptoms, discuss how an ACL injury is diagnosed, and highlight what to do next to protect your knee and get the right treatment.
If you believe you’ve torn your ACL, it’s important to have it evaluated and treated promptly to prevent long-term joint issues. At The Bone and Joint Surgery Clinic, we’ve been providing expert care and treatment of knee injuries to Raleigh and Triangle area residents for decades. We invite you to contact us today to schedule an appointment.
What Are the Most Common ACL Tear Symptoms?
An ACL tear is an injury to the Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) in your knee, the band of tissue that connects your thigh bone (femur) to your shin bone (tibia). Your ACL is essential for knee stability.
An ACL tear occurs when your knee shifts into a position beyond its normal limit due to sudden twisting or pivoting, landing improperly or direct impact. When the ACL tears, it cannot support or stabilize the knee.
Common ACL tear symptoms may include:
- An audible pop or snap when the injury occurs
- Sudden pain in the center or back of the knee
- Swelling that occurs quickly, often within a few hours
- Instability, or the feeling the knee might “give way” when you stand, walk or turn
- Limited movement of the knee, in which bending or straightening the knee becomes difficult
Not everyone with an ACL injury will experience these symptoms. Sometimes ACL tear symptoms are more subtle, and you may not notice them immediately, especially if you have a partial tear.
Lesser-known ACL tear symptoms may include:
- Mild or delayed swelling
- Stiffness or tightness rather than pain
- Decreased performance during athletic activities
- Bruising around the knee or down the shin a few days after the injury
- Clicking, grinding or a feeling of “catching” in the knee when moving
- Uneven strength in your leg, even if you’re not experiencing much pain
It’s important not to ignore any symptoms, even if they’re mild. Even minor symptoms can indicate a partial tear or other damage to the ligament that requires medical evaluation.
Can You Walk with a Torn ACL?
Whether or not you can walk with a torn ACL depends on the severity of your injury, how much pain and swelling there is and if there is additional knee damage.
Walking after an ACL injury is sometimes possible due to other ligaments and muscles around the knee that temporarily compensate for the torn ACL.
Though it may be possible to walk after an ACL tear, especially if you have mild pain and swelling or the tear is partial, that doesn’t mean your knee is ok. Continuing to be active after an ACL tear may increase the risk of more serious injuries, such as damage to the meniscus or cartilage.
How is a Torn ACL Diagnosed?
Diagnosing an ACL tear involves a thorough medical evaluation to check for swelling, tenderness and the stability of the injured joint compared to the uninjured knee.
We’ll also ask how the injury occurred, what symptoms you’re experiencing, when they started and other related questions.
Physical tests may include:
- The Lachman test or pivot-shift test. These manual tests assess how much the tibia (shin bone) moves relative to the femur (thigh bone), which indicates ligament damage.
Imaging tests may include:
- X-rays. Used to rule out bone fractures or other bone damage.
- MRI. Used for viewing soft tissues like the meniscus, cartilage and the ACL itself. An MRI can indicate if the ACL is stretched, partially torn or completely torn.
These tests will help us gauge the severity of your injury and create the optimal treatment plan. Treatment may include physical therapy, bracing, and surgery, including minimally invasive arthroscopic knee surgery.
What to do next if you suspect you have an ACL tear:
- Stop high-impact activity.
- Use RICE (Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation) to reduce swelling and pain until you can see one of our orthopedic specialists.
- Schedule an appointment with us as soon as possible for a proper diagnosis. Prompt evaluation can make the difference between a smooth recovery and long-term knee issues.
Complete vs Partial ACL Tear
ACL injuries are classified as complete or partial based on how much of the ligament is damaged.
With partial ACL tears:
- Only part of the ligament is torn or overstretched.
- Symptoms may be mild and include light swelling and pain or minor instability.
- You may still be able to walk.
Treatment for partial tears may involve rest, bracing and physical therapy.
Partial tears can worsen if not treated quickly. Be sure to schedule a medical evaluation with us to prevent further damage to cartilage or other ligaments.
With complete ACL tears:
- The ligament is fully torn in two pieces.
- The knee feels unstable, especially when turning or pivoting and movement may cause the leg to give out.
If you have a complete ACL tear, surgery may be recommended, especially if you’re an athlete or otherwise active.
Successful prehabilitation and rehabilitation post-surgery can help you return to sports within six to nine months.
Experiencing Pain or Discomfort from a Torn ACL? Our Expert Orthopedists at The Bone and Joint Surgery Clinic Can Help
ACL tear symptoms don’t always follow the classic pattern – a popping sound, significant pain, and swelling that happens quickly. Sometimes the signs are more subtle, like those we highlighted above.
It’s important not to ignore less obvious symptoms and get evaluated even if your injury seems minor. Early diagnosis leads to better outcomes and can help prevent long-term knee problems.
If you believe you have a torn ACL, we encourage you to contact us to schedule an appointment. We’ll put our decades of expertise to use to help you heal safely so you can get back to doing the activities you love.
Key Takeaways
- ACL tears often occur from sudden pivoting, twisting, awkward landings, or direct impact to the knee.
- Common symptoms include a popping sound, sudden pain, rapid swelling, instability, and limited knee movement.
- Some ACL injuries have more subtle symptoms such as mild swelling, stiffness, bruising, or decreased athletic performance.
- Even mild or delayed symptoms can signal ligament damage and should not be ignored.
- Diagnosis involves a physical exam, manual stability tests, and imaging such as X-rays or MRI scans.
- Treatment depends on the severity of the tear (partial vs complete tear) and may include rest, bracing, physical therapy, or surgery.
- Using RICE (Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation) immediately after injury helps reduce pain and swelling until you can see one of our orthopedic specialists.
- Early diagnosis and treatment are essential for optimal recovery and preventing long-term knee instability.
- Orthopedic specialists at The Bone and Joint Surgery Clinic can provide personalized treatment and rehabilitation to support safe return to activity.
The content within this article and others on this website is only for educational purposes and should not be considered medical advice. For any questions or concerns, please consult with your healthcare provider.
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Sources:
Cleveland Clinic, “ACL Tear,”
https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/16576-acl-tear
Mayo Clinic, “ACL injury,”
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/acl-injury/symptoms-causes/syc-20350738
