The anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) is one of the major ligaments located in your knee. An ACL tear can happen for many reasons, including making a sudden stop, quickly changing directions or stepping into a hole.
If you have reason to believe you’ve torn your ACL on the job, report the injury to your employer and then receive immediate medical attention. Your doctor can run a variety of tests to understand your injury, such as:
- X-ray
- MRI
- Ultrasound
When combined with a physical exam, it won’t be long before your doctor has a clear idea of your injury and what to do next.
How to treat a torn ACL
Treatment for a torn ACL depends on many factors, such as the extent, past injuries and if there is any other damage in the knee.
Following this injury, you’re likely to wear a knee brace and use crutches to keep weight off your knee. From there, once the swelling goes down, your doctor may suggest surgery if:
- You are young and lead an active lifestyle
- You damaged more than one ligament in your knee
- The injury is causing you trouble during regular activity
A torn ACL is not something you should attempt to treat on your own, as doing so can cause more damage.
Once you consult with a medical professional, follow their advice to put yourself on the path to a full recovery. If you’re unable to do your job as you recover, learn how to file a workers’ compensation claim. This will help you financially as you recover with hopes of returning to work in the future.