Trust Your ACL Injury Treatment to our Wake Orthopaedics Team

At Wake Orthopaedics, we offer superior orthopedic care, including treatment for ACL injuries, that restores our patients’ quality of life.

Whether you’re an athlete who’s ready to get back in the game or you’re just wanting to walk and run normally again, our progressive treatment options can make a difference. For more than 13 years, we have been offering ACL treatment and surgery in Raleigh, NC –– that’s why our patients trust us with their orthopedics needs. To receive compassionate orthopedic care from the top specialists in their field, come to Wake Orthopaedics.

What is the Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL)?

The ACL is one of the four main ligaments in the knee that connect the thigh bone (femur) to the leg bone (tibia). The ACL runs diagonally down the middle of the knee joint. It prevents the tibia from sliding too far forward on the femur and also provides rotational stability to the knee.

What causes an ACL tear?

The ACL is the most commonly injured knee ligament in the US. ACL tears can occur in a number of ways, including a twisting injury of the knee, a sudden change in direction, landing from a jump incorrectly, or after a collision. This can occur in a number of settings but most often occurs during sports. There are a number of recognized risk factors for ACL injury. These include female gender, participation in certain sports such as soccer, football, basketball, and downhill skiing, and anatomic factors such as variations in the geometry of the thigh and leg bone.

What are some symptoms of an ACL tear?

Symptoms of an ACL tear may include a pop in the knee, severe knee pain after an injury, or associated swelling of the knee. When an ACL tear has been going on for a long period of time, patients may feel a "shift" or a sensation of giving way in the knee while cutting or pivoting.

How do we treat ACL tears?

Treatment of ACL injury ranges from rehabilitation without surgery to ACL reconstruction. How patients do after ACL injury ranges from patient to patient and depends on a number of factors, such as patient age, activity level, and degree of injury. Partial ACL tears or ACL strains often respond well to conservative treatment without surgery. Rehabilitation focuses on core and quadriceps strengthening and often takes several months. However, some patients may continue to have feelings of shifting or instability even after rehabilitation. In cases of a complete ACL injury or rupture, surgical reconstruction is often performed for individuals who wish to continue with sports that involve cutting or pivoting or in individuals with continued instability even after rehabilitation alone. In these cases, continued rehabilitation without reconstruction of the ACL can lead to other associated injuries, such as injuries to the meniscus, cartilage, or other ligaments. Surgical repair of the ACL using suture to sew the two ends together is generally not successful. Surgical treatment of ACL ruptures involves reconstruction of the ligament using either cadaver tissue or the patient's own tissue. This can come from the patellar tendon, hamstring tendon, or the quadricep tendon. A new ligament is built from this tissue. Bone sockets are created in both the femur and the tibia and the new ligament is fixed on both sides.

How do patients do after ACL reconstruction?

Overall, ACL reconstruction is a very successful operation and a majority of individuals are able to return to high-level cutting and pivoting sports. ACL reconstruction provides a durable result at 10 and even 20 years after surgery. Rehabilitation after ACL reconstruction starts immediately after surgery to work on strengthening of the quadriceps and hamstring muscles and regaining range of motion. Therapy progresses to exercises to improve neuromuscular control and exercises designed to restore function and endurance. Typically 6-9 months after surgery, a majority of patients are able to return to sports.

Treatment for ACL Injuries in Apex, Brier Creek, Cary, Garner, North Raleigh & Raleigh, NC

When you come in to Wake Orthopaedics with an ACL injury or any other orthopedic need, we will do everything we can to make you feel comfortable and ease your pain. First, one of our orthopedic specialists will examine your injury and perform some tests, such as an X-ray or MRI scan. Then, we can prescribe a treatment plan for your ACL injury that may include using a brace on your knee or undergoing physical therapy. We have a friendly and experienced team of physical therapists to assist you in the healing process.

If your ACL injury requires surgical treatment, we can promptly schedule you for ACL surgery in Cary or Raleigh. During the surgery, one of our knee surgeons will perform ACL reconstruction, replacing the torn ligament with a tissue graft.

To learn more about our ACL injury treatment in Raleigh and the surrounding areas, give your nearest office a call or contact us online. When you’re ready to come see us, simply request an appointment by filling out the form to the right of this page.

Wake Orthopaedics provides progressive orthopedic treatment, including ACL injury treatment and ACL surgery, at our six offices in Apex, Brier Creek, Cary, Garner, North Raleigh, Oberlin, & Raleigh, NC.