The ACL Test that a physio will perform is called The Lachman test. This is a test of movement in the knee which helps to determine the integrity of the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL). It is performed by lying the patient on their back, bending the knee to between 20 and 30-degree flexion and accessing the anterior translation.

A torn ACL injury is common among athletes and is seen more frequently in people who play sports where pivoting is involved such as football, basketball, soccer, and gymnastics. This type of injury can vary in it’s severity from a minor sprain to a complete tear of the ligament. Contact and non-contact ACL injury can occur but non-contact tears are the most commonly seen type and female athletes have a significantly higher incidence rate compared to male athletes.

If you suffer from a suspected ACL tear, Melbourne CBD Physiotherapy can access your injury and give you an accurate diagnosis as well as provide physiotherapy. Physiotherapy for ACL tears, depending on the severity, can see you healing within two to four weeks.

However, if you required surgery on your ACL, it could take four to six months of ACL reconstruction physiotherapy to fully heal the ligament. Exercises commonly used in physiotherapy for ACL tears include heel slides, isometric contractions of the quads and prone knee flexion.