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Submitted by: Bart - SII

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Playing with and ACL deficient knee is not unheard of - it actually happens quite often, especially if it is to be able to finish a season, or complete a final season (like your daughter). There are braces available for the ACL deficient knee - they are called de-rotation braces and can often provide good support for the knee. There is a risk with returning to activities without an ACL...the most significant is the possiblity of tearing the meniscus. Because the ACL is gone, the knee is more likely to pivot and shift within the joint, which creates abnormal stress on the meniscus. This is what I have seen with patients who play a season or finish a season with an ACL tear...they end up with meniscus tears. But, it is not a given. Everyone does differently without an ACL. Some people can return to sports without any noticible problems, others have trouble just walking around the house. It really depends on how your daughter reacts. But, if she doesn't plan on playing soccer in college, or if she is dead set on playing her senior season, it is probably worth trying. She will know very early on whether or not she will be able to do it. One thing she does have as an advantage is that she is a goal keeper, which doesn't require as much of the sudden stops and cutting like a position player. I would discuss the risks with your physician and look into the brace - she would probably benefit from some rehabilitation to work on improving her knee stabilizers as well. Hope this helps - comment back with other questions.

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Submitted by: Mark

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I torn my acl due to basketball. I found the result of my MRI last week and it said that "There is almost a complete tear of the anterior cruciate ligament. The PCL, MCL at LCL patellar and quadriceps tendons are intact. As I have read over the internet, it is important to strengthen my quads and hamstrings; well, i have done that and noticed some improvements. I have the same case as this. I don't want to undergo surgery as of now yet because our championship will begin 2 weeks from now. I still want to play but after that, i consider ending my basketball career. Now, I can walk but a little limpy and cannot bend my legs fully. I can still feel some pain on my knees but there's no swelling. How can I stop the pain during these event? what is the best medicine to speed up healing or kill the pain for the meantime. (I have no alergies on all medicine so i guess what you will advise is good). Also, is it good to apply tape on my knee first before wearing a brace? Is there a possibility that my other intact leg parts be destroyed too if i have a strong quads and hamstrings? Please advice..thanks!

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Submitted by: Anonymous

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You know what i will answer this myself. I thought I am ready after resting and muscle build ups but i was wrong. The sport basketball is a full throttle game. (Jumping, fast running, sudden stops, cutting and sometimes very physical). Unless you are at your prime do not go back. Last month i had my ACL torn with my championship approaching. I am the shooting guard of the team and my team got upset after the sad news. After weeks of resting that i thought i am fully healed with all the muscles(quads and hams) plus a sport brace and tapes i didn't mind playing again. when i'm in the court for about just a minute, i didn't run, i didn't even walk. The ball was passed to me and i just took a shot. when i landed my feet on the floor i heard another pop again on the torn acl part. and there it got swolen again. This is the second time of my instablity. i will quit this game for a while until i got my surgery. If the league is not a professional one or for college league just let it go. If the league is just for bragging rights and fame just let it go. This is a life experience that i will share with the readers. That's all! thanks!

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Submitted by: Bart - SII

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It is often hard to make a decision on whether to return to sports after an ACL tear without surgery. And many times you don't know if you will be successful until you try. Rest and allowing the knee to recover is important, as well as strengthening and working on balance and control. But ultimately, your body may not be able to function correctly without the intact ACL. I usually discourage playing ACL deficient with my patients for these exact reasons. While the ACL is already torn, with continued play you can cause further damage to the meniscus, articular surfaces, etc. Sometimes it is a risk worth taking - ie. championship games, end of career, etc. thanks for sharing your story - hopefully it will help someone else in making this difficult decision.

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