Almost all knee experts considered torn ACLs irreparable, with surgical reconstruction usually required to keep the knee functional. But the new research, which focused on 80 injured knees, found that many torn ACLs can apparently knit themselves back together and heal naturally — reducing the need for expensive and often painful surgery.
In the new study, published this month in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, 90 percent of 80 ruptured ACLs studied showed signs of healing and repair on scans about three months later. The patients had followed a newly developed protocol of bracing and physical therapy.
What do doctors really know about our bodies?
That's great, except when you don't have three months for a little repair when you need it to work in order TO work.
My ACL injury healed over time, but then I claim, “by His stripe I am healed,” pretty much daily. I also was a nurse so am loathe to be in the same room with a doctor, let alone let one touch me. LOL.
That bracing and physical therapy have a crap ROI… they know that, for sure!
When I was young, I tore my ACL and was told it would never heal without surgery.
I didn’t have the surgery.
I had weakness for about 10 years afterwards - a little less each year - but as far as I can tell, my knee is normal now.
I wonder if it would have healed faster with the “right” kind of therapy. Mostly I just tried not to put any lateral stress on it.
Only what'$ in their be$t intere$t$ to "know"....
Years ago I tore "something" in my knee. Not sure what, but it was on the outside part - I looked it up then and thought I knew, but can't remember now. I was in my 30s - and danged if I was gonna see a doctor about it (I was that way already then, lol). I couldn't put any weight on it, my leg just collapsed. I elevated it, iced it, stayed off it using crutches for first couple weeks, then a cane. Took about 4 months before I could walk without a cane or a limp again, but it healed, and hasn't given me any problems since.