A Torn ACL : What Needs to Be Done? – Information On Helping An Injured Knee

The first objective in the immediate treatment of a torn or injured anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) is to minimize pain and to reduce swelling of the injured knee area.  Eventually one of the goals of this individual will also be to regain strength and motion in their injured knee.

Many health care professionals will use an acronym for the treatment of an injured ACL and they call it RICE.  It will apply to ACL injuries and other types of injuries as well.  The letter “R” stands for rest, “I” for ice, “C” for compression and “E” for elevation.

So, first the injured patient is required to rest the injured knee from any weight bearing activities, then to reduce inflammation by using an ice pack on the affected area. An ice wrap will be applied to the knees to control the swelling and then the patient will be required to elevate his or her knee while lying down to help control the swelling.

After seeing your doctor they may recommend exercise and rehabilitation exercises. Knee braces are available and can be quickly obtained in an off the shelf type of design. These kinds of supports are used conservative treatment of a torn ACL. They can help reduce pain, improve stability and help promote healing of the injured ligament.  A low profile knee support can also used after surgery.

If you need to buy a knee brace you have to have a clear idea of what makes a knee brace a good choice. We have lots of brands to choose from in the market, and it is important that you find a knee brace that would allow you to bend and stretch out your knees easily when your doctor allows this range of motion.

One of the basic questions you need to ask yourself is “what is my instability level”?  This will help you determine if you need to get a knee support or not.  Many times people feel like their knee is going to give out from underneath of them after a moderate or severe ACL type of injury.  This is obviously unwanted as it can lead to furthering the injury and creating other physical problems lest a fall happens.  – If you have moderate to severe knee instability after an ACL type of injury it is important that you think about supporting your knees to help you move forward after this kind of thing happens. 

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