Identifying a partial anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tear is quite difficult because sometimes, it does not always trigger the common complaints that occur when the knee has an ACL rupture, for example the knee joint is detached or the shin and femur are not connected. The good news is that you can determine for yourself whether or not a partial ACL tear is present before consulting your doctor. For that, make sure you know the symptoms of ACL rupture, ACL function, and get a professional diagnosis from a doctor.
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Method 1 of 3: Understanding the Symptoms and Risk Factors of ACL Rupture
Step 1. Be aware that an ACL rupture is usually characterized by a crackling or snapping sound at the knee
In general, a knee injury that causes an ACL rupture is accompanied by a snapping sound. If you hear a crackling or rattling sound when you are injured, there may be a partial tear of the ACL. You need to see a doctor to confirm this.
Even if the knee hurts, try to remember the sound that comes from the knee when the injury occurs. Your doctor can diagnose the cause based on this information
Step 2. Observe the intensity of the pain you feel
Usually, knee injuries are very painful, whether due to a partial ACL tear or just a minor sprain. Most likely, your knee will throb or hurt when you move or walk.
When a partial tear of the ACL occurs, pain receptors in the knee are stimulated, triggering mild or very severe pain
Step 3. Observe the knee for swelling or not
Swelling is the body's mechanism for repairing tissue damaged by injury. If your knee is swollen after an accident, you most likely have a partial ACL tear.
Also observe the condition of the knees after doing physical activities that use the feet. Sometimes, the knee doesn't swell immediately after the injury, but if the knee swells after walking or exercising, this could be a sign that you have a knee injury and partial tear of the knee ligaments
Step 4. Check the temperature and skin color of the knee
In addition to swelling, the injured knee usually feels warmer and red. This happens because increasing body temperature can prevent infection because bacteria cannot live in a warm environment.
Step 5. Determine whether or not you can move your knee
If you have a partial ACL tear, you will most likely be unable to move your lower leg sideways, forwards, and backwards and may have difficulty walking due to a ligament injury.
If you can walk, your knees usually feel weak
Step 6. Know the common causes of ACL rupture
Certain movements almost always trigger an ACL rupture, such as making a sudden turn while playing basketball or landing in an unbalanced position after a flip. If you have a knee injury, be aware that ACL ruptures often occur when you do any of the following:
- Turn suddenly.
- Sudden stops while walking or moving legs.
- The knee bears heavy weight or is under pressure, for example when colliding with another player during soccer practice.
- Landing with the wrong foot position or unbalanced after jumping.
- Suddenly slows down while running.
Step 7. Know the risk factors that trigger ACL rupture
Anyone can have an ACL rupture, but some factors or activities increase the risk of injury. The risk of having an ACL rupture is greater if you do or experience any of the following.
- You practice athletics that use your feet a lot when moving. The risk of having an ACL rupture increases during sports that involve physical contact.
- You have muscle fatigue. ACL ruptures are more common in people with muscle fatigue. Because muscles, bones, ligaments, and tendons work together when you move your body, physical exercise that fatigues muscles can increase your risk of injury. For example, football players who are tired are more at risk of an ACL rupture than players who are new to the field.
- You have a medical condition that weakens your muscles or bones. For example, weak and brittle bones, imperfect cartilage growth, and obesity can increase the risk of ACL rupture.
Method 2 of 3: Undergoing a Physical Examination
Step 1. See a doctor if you experience the complaints described in this article
You can use this article as a source of information to find out the symptoms of an ACL rupture, but you should consult a doctor for a professional diagnosis. Do not underestimate knee pain by assuming there is no problem because the injury will get worse if it is not treated immediately and the knee continues to be under pressure.
See a doctor immediately if your knee is injured or go to the hospital for medical therapy
Step 2. Recognize that an ACL rupture has 3 stages
If you have an ACL rupture, this means that the injury caused a sprained ligament, not a fracture (although the pain is the same as a fracture). In this case, the term "sprain" is not simply a ligament stretch, but includes a ligament rupture consisting of 3 levels:
- Grade 1: ACL rupture results in minor injury to the knee ligaments. In this case, the ligaments are slightly stretched, but not torn so that the knee joint still functions properly and the foot remains stable.
- Grade 2: ACL rupture occurs because the ligament is overstretched so that it stretches. This condition is called a "partial ACL tear".
- Grade 3: ACL rupture causes the knee joint to become unstable as the ligaments break.
Step 3. See a doctor for a Lachman test
This test must be performed by a doctor. Don't try it yourself. The Lachman test is very effective in identifying whether or not you have a partial ACL tear because it can detect a partial tear even though the ligaments and tendons of the knee appear to be free of problems. When performing the Lachman test, the doctor will:
Ask you to lie down on a table (to examine the patient). First, the doctor will examine the injured knee to find out how far you can move your lower leg when the knee is bent. The ACL prevents the shinbone from moving forward too far. If your shin can be moved forward more than normal, but your doctor can still feel resistance, this means you have a partial tear. If there is no resistance, this means the knee ACL is broken
Step 4. Prepare for the Pivot Shift test
This test aims to find out the amount of pressure that can be applied to the knee until the condition is unstable. The doctor will position the injured leg out of the axis of the body (this movement is called hip abduction). Then, the doctor will:
- Straighten the injured leg while pressing the outside of the knee inward and turning the leg outward. That way, he can see how well the ACL is working because only the ACL is functioning when performing this movement.
- The injured leg will be bent slowly while continuously applying pressure. When your knees form an angle of 20-40°, your doctor will look at the position of your shins. If the direction is slightly forward, this means the ACL is partially torn.
Step 5. Get an X-ray of the knee
The ACL is not visible on an X-ray, but doctors can use it to look for clues that prove that the patient has a partial ACL tear. X-rays of both knees are needed to confirm whether there are injuries, such as bone fractures, shifting bone positions, and narrowing of the joint space.
All three types of injuries are associated with partial ACL tears
Step 6. Be prepared if you have to have an MRI
Unlike an X-ray, the doctor will use the results of an MRI to examine the soft tissue structures of the patient's knee, including the ACL. The doctor will look at the meniscus and other knee ligaments to determine if there is an injury.
Occasionally, the doctor will use an oblique coronal image if he or she needs to determine the severity of the knee injury. In addition to MRI, the results of this examination provide a clearer picture of the patient's knee condition
Method 3 of 3: Coping with ACL Rupture
Step 1. Protect the knee with a splint or cast
If your ACL is partially torn, your doctor will recommend that you wear a splint or cast during your recovery. The good news is that this problem can be treated without surgery, but the knee must be protected to prevent the injury from getting worse. For that, you need to use a splint or cast to keep the knee stable while waiting for it to heal.
In addition to the splint, you should use crutches to keep your knee from stressing or holding heavy weights as you recover
Step 2. Rest your knees as often as possible
If it hasn't healed yet, let the knee rest as much as possible by holding no weight at all. When sitting, keep your knees higher than your hips for faster healing.
When lying down, support your knees and feet so that they are higher than your chest
Step 3. Compress the knee with a cold object
To treat swelling and pain from an ACL rupture, you will need to apply cold compresses to the knee every day. Wrap the bag of ice cubes in a towel so the skin doesn't get iced so it doesn't burn. Compress the knee for 15-20 minutes for faster healing.
Swelling or pain does not decrease if the knee is compressed for less than 15 minutes, but the skin may scorch if it is applied to a cold object for more than 20 minutes
Step 4. Consider having surgery as a last resort
You may need surgery if the ACL is ruptured or is more severe than a partial tear. During surgery, the injured ligament will be replaced through a transplant and usually using a kneecap or hamstring tendon, but it can also be a tendon from a donor.
Discuss with your doctor the best solution according to your condition
Step 5. Go to physiotherapy to strengthen the knee
Ask your doctor about options for physiotherapy. Once it heals, you'll need to rehabilitate your knee so you don't get injured again. See a physical therapist for exercises that can help widen your range of motion, strengthen your knees, and keep your knees stable.
