Eric McCarty discusses ACL tears and recovery time. Such activities include non-contact sports such as downhill skiing, gymnastics, and tennis, and contact sports such as football, soccer, basketball, and rugby. What causes ACL injuries?ĪCL injuries commonly occur during “twisting and turning” sports that involve sudden stops or changes in direction, jumping and landing, McCarty explained. In the United States alone, an estimated 100,000-200,000 ACL tears occur each year. Eric McCarty, a UCHealth orthopedic surgeon at the CU Sports Medicine and Performance Center in Boulder who also practices at UCHealth Steadman Hawkins Clinic – Denver.Īlthough the ACL is strong, it’s vulnerable to sprains, partial tears, and complete tears. “The ACL is a big deal to anybody that’s active and likes to participate in athletics, particularly in Colorado where so many people love downhill skiing,” said Dr. It connects the thighbone to the shinbone and stabilizes the knee joint by preventing forward-and-backward motion. The ACL is one of two ligaments that cross in the middle of the knee. Thanks to recent advances in the diagnosis, treatment and management of ACL injuries, most athletes now can return to their previous level of functioning.
What is an acl professional#
In the not-so-distant past, a torn anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) commonly killed the careers of countless amateur and professional athletes. An ACL tear recovery time is generally eight to nine months, though some people may recover in six months.