Everything You Need to Know About an ACL Tear

What is an ACL Tear?

An ACL tear is when the anterior cruciate ligament, one of the major ligaments inside the knee, gets stretched, partially torn, or completely torn. It’s a common injury in sports that involve sudden stops, cutting, or jumping, like football, netball, basketball, or skiing.

An analogy…

Think of the ACL like a strong rope that connects your thigh bone to your shin bone, keeping the knee stable. If the knee twists too far or moves the wrong way, that rope can fray or snap.

What are other names that an ACL tear can be called?

Torn ACL, ACL Sprain, Sprained ACL, ACL Injury, Ruptured ACL

What causes an ACL tear?

The ACL connects the femur (thigh bone) to the tibia (shin bone) and stops the tibia from sliding forward too much. It also helps control twisting movements of the knee. A tear happens when there’s a sudden pivot, change of direction, awkward landing, or direct impact, causing the ligament to stretch or rupture under force.

What are the signs and symptoms of an ACL tear?

A loud pop or crack at the time of injury
Sudden, severe pain in the knee
Rapid swelling within hours
Feeling of instability or giving way when walking or trying to pivot
Limited range of motion
Weakness or inability to continue activity immediately after the injury

What tests are used to diagnose an ACL tear?

Lachman test: Checks how much the shin bone moves forward (a key sign of ACL damage).

Anterior drawer test: Another way to test forward movement of the tibia.

How long does an ACL tear take to heal?

Partial tears (non-surgical): 6–12 weeks with rehab
Full ACL tear with surgery (ACL reconstruction): 9–12+ months for full return to sport
Without surgery: return to daily activities may take 3–6 months with proper rehab, but high-level sports are often limited

How does an ACL tear happen?

Sudden twisting, pivoting, or cutting movements
Awkward landings from jumps
Direct blow to the knee, like in a tackle
Poor strength or stability around the hips, core, or knee
Fatigue, which increases injury risk
Improper footwear or surface traction

What treatment can help an ACL tear?

R.I.C.E. protocol
Rest from activity
Gradual strengthening exercises
Soft tissue massage
Bracing

What exercises or stretches can I do for an ACL tear?

Knee Bend to Straighten
Static Quadriceps Contraction
Static Hamstring Contraction

What products can help with an ACL tear?

Gentle half squat

Stand up straight facing a wall or supporting surface.
Your feet should be hips width apart.
Keeping your gaze directly ahead, hold on and bend your knees a little.
Ensure your knees travel directly forwards over your toes.
Do not allow them to turn inwards.
Push through the heels of your feet and tighten your buttock muscles to return to the upright position.
Ensure your gaze remains directly ahead and your back straight at all times.
Continue this movement.

Heel slides

Lie on your back with your legs straight.
Bend the symptomatic leg as far as you can, sliding your heel towards your buttocks, keeping the knee pointing to the ceiling throughout this movement.
Slide the heel back down, reversing the movement until your leg is straight again.

Calf raise

Start in a balanced stance with your feet shoulder width apart and then raise yourself up on your toes as high as possible.
Return back to the starting position.

Lunge

Stand upright with your legs at shoulder-width apart and your hands on your hips with the fingers facing in towards your stomach.
Take a medium sized pace forward and then enter into a lunge by lowering your body downwards using your legs.
Allow the forward knee to bend until your thigh is parallel to the floor making sure you keep your back straight.
Return to the starting position by springing up off the front leg.
Repeat for the other leg.
Keep your abdominals tight and your feet shoulder-width apart throughout the exercise.
Perform this exercise at a slow controlled pace.