When you injure your knee, all you know at first is that something is wrong. An examination quickly sheds some light on your injury, what caused it and which tissue is injured, giving a diagnosis that can be used to plan your treatment. An orthopaedic evaluation helps us to determine the severity of your injury and your best treatment options. The earlier you are examined, the earlier your treatment and the better your chances for a successful recovery.

A knee ligament injury can be treated in 1 or 2 ways, non-surgically, or surgically. The choice depends on the severity of your injury and the level of activity to which you hope to return. Rehabilitation will also be part of your treatment program.

Diagnostic Tests

There are a number of diagnostic tools in assessing an ACL tear.

• Physical examination
• History of injury
• X-ray
• MRI (magnetic resonance imaging): Uses a large magnet and an electric field to provide an internal view of your knee's soft tissues
• Arthrogram: outlines soft tissue with dyes, which helps pinpoint tears.
• CT scan

Physical examination and history of the injury can specifically assess the amount of motion present and determine if the ACL is torn or not torn. It can also help to pinpoint the location of your problem. Checking for abnormal motion in the knees and for swelling or tenderness is all part of this examination. MRI, x-ray, Arthrogram and CT scans are used to verify a diagnosis if the physical examination is not conclusive.

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