It may sound crazy that U.S. skier Lindsey Vonn decided to compete in the Winter Olympics only days after an ACL tear in her left knee. Her Olympic hopes ended with a spectacular crash. But when you delve more deeply into the injury – and how it affects the body – it makes sense that the star athlete took one last shot at Olympic glory.
The anterior cruciate ligament, or ACL, is found inside your knee, where it plays a key role in stabilizing the joint. It is the most important ligament for athletes who rely on quick, cutting, lateral movements. Think of football, basketball or soccer players who need the ability to make rapid changes in direction. If Vonn were a figure skater, her Olympics bid would have ended well before her ill-fated final run, in which she was injured after hitting a gate with her shoulder.
A sport like downhill skiing is far more forgiving on the knees, in terms of lateral movement. It relies heavily on strength in the upper legs and hips. When everything is going right, the knees essentially stay in line without putting demands on the ACL.
Vonn and her team knew she would be facing a challenge in her Olympics bid. But she is arguably the greatest of all time in her sport and, at age 41, was facing her final Olympics opportunity. So it’s no surprise that she did everything in her power to try to compete.
But what about the rest of us?
Go or No-Go
For injured athletes, it often comes down to a simple question: Is it a go or no-go?
The answer to that question will be different from injury to injury and from athlete to athlete. When it comes to ACL injuries, the first step is determining the severity of the injury (tears can be full or partial) and whether the ligament remains functional. With most of these injuries, there is going to be some level of instability.
That’s going to be followed by a discussion with your doctor about what you can reasonably expect to do – and the risks that might entail. Competing with a compromised ACL ligament creates the risk of even more damage to the knee. What is that risk worth to you?
Vonn has spent years preparing for the Olympics, while other professional athletes may face significant financial considerations. They may decide that the risk of injury is outweighed by the potential rewards.
That risk-reward equation is going to be much different if you are a weekend warrior or high school athlete. In most cases an ACL injury is going to require a break from your sport and treatment. The final decision will follow a conversation with your doctor.
Treating an ACL Injury
Once an ACL is torn, it will not get better on its own. It is going to require surgery – something Vonn will deal with after the Olympics. In rare cases, your surgeon may be able to repair the ligament, though this is often not practical because it lacks strong blood supply, which is important for recovery. Instead, your surgeon is more likely to recommend reconstructing the ligament, using tissue taken from somewhere else on your body – often from the patellar or hamstring tendons.
The procedure is typically performed arthroscopically, with your surgeon using a couple small incisions to reach the knee joint.
While this repair is needed if you intend to return to the field or court, that doesn’t mean it’s right for everyone. Older people, in particular, sometimes decide that their relatively low level of physical activity makes the procedure unnecessary. They may be able to get by fine – walking or even riding a bike – with just a knee brace.
In the end, it all comes down to your goals and aspirations in terms of physical activity.
Returning to Normal Life
If you opt for the surgery, you can expect a nine-month recovery time. That’s how long it takes for your new ligament to become like it was before the injury. Still, you should be able to return to work and most normal activities within a couple of weeks after your surgery. From there, it will be a gradual process of adding more weight and increasing movement in your knee joint.
There are other factors (including quad strength) that could affect the timeline. It’s not unheard of for elite athletes to return to play earlier. But again, these are athletes who are dedicating their lives to training and rehab.
This is not AI generated.
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