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?
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A hip flexor strain happens when one of the muscles at the front of your hip, mainly the iliopsoas or rectus femoris, gets overstretched or torn. It’s a common injury in sports that involve kicking, sprinting, or sudden movements, causing pain at the front of the hip or groin.
An analogy…
Think of the hip flexor muscles like strong elastic bands that lift your knee toward your chest. If they are stretched too quickly or too far, they can tear like a snapping rubber band.
What are other names that a hip flexor strain can be called?
Hip Flexor Injury, Iliopsoas Strain, Psoas Strain, Hip Flexor Tear, Strained Iliopsoas Muscle, Torn Iliopsoas Muscle, Pulled Hip Flexor
What causes a hip flexor strain?
The hip flexors are a group of muscles that help you lift your thigh toward your body. A strain happens when the muscle fibres are overloaded, usually from a sudden burst of force or a rapid stretch beyond their limit. This causes small (or large) tears in the muscle or its tendon near the pelvis.
What are the signs and symptoms of a hip flexor strain?
- Sharp pain at the front of the hip or groin area
- Tenderness when pressing the hip flexor muscles
- Pain with lifting the knee, sprinting, kicking, or climbing stairs
- Stiffness or weakness in the hip, especially when bending forward
- Swelling or bruising in the front of the hip
- Pain when stretching the hip backward
What tests are used to diagnose a hip flexor strain?
Palpation: Feeling for tenderness in the front of the hip
Resisted hip flexion test: Pain when lifting the knee against resistance
Stretching tests: Extending the hip backward reproduces symptoms
How long does a hip flexor strain take to heal?
Grade 1 (mild) strains often heal in 1 to 2 weeks. Grade 2 (moderate) strains usually take 3 to 6 weeks. Grade 3 (severe) strains (significant tearing) can take 8 to 12 weeks or more to fully recover.
How does a hip flexor strain happen?
- Sudden sprinting or kicking movements
- Explosive acceleration or direction changes
- Tight hip flexor muscles
- Poor warm-up or muscle preparation
- Weak glutes and core, causing the hip flexors to overwork
- Fatigue or previous hip injuries increasing the risk
What treatment can help a hip flexor strain?
- Relative rest from aggravating activities early on
- Ice application for the first 48–72 hours to control swelling
- Manual therapy (massage, dry needling, and stretching)
- Progressive strengthening and controlled stretching of the hip flexors
- Postural retraining and core strengthening
- Gradual return to running, kicking, and sport-specific drills
What exercises or stretches can I do for a hip flexor strain?
- Isometric hip flexor holds
- Glute and core strengthening exercises
- Gentle hip flexor stretches
- Straight leg raises to rebuild control
What products can help with a hip flexor strain?