Why ACL Injuries are the Worst

Juliane Francia

In my time here at West, I have known multiple people who have suffered from torn ACLs and I myself have also suffered from the terrible injury. I say suffer because that’s what happens after you tear it. You suffer.

The anterior cruciate ligament (aka ACL) is a ligament that is found in the knee. It connects the femur to the tibia. Basically, it’s this stretchable band in your knee that is incredibly easy to injure while also being incredibly important for any type of physical activity.

Some say that a torn ACL is one of the worst injuries an athlete can experience, and I can attest to that statement. I tore mine freshman year during a soccer game and I honestly thought I had gotten shot in the knee. I cannot even begin to describe how shockingly painful it was, and I’m sure if you ask anyone else who’s in the torn-ACL club they would agree.

This injury isn’t like a broken bone – you can’t just put a cast or boot on it and give it a couple weeks to heal. You have to undergo surgery, go through months of rehabilitation, wear a knee brace for a year, and after all that you are still 50% more likely to re-tear it or tear the other one for basically the rest of your life.

I have the utmost respect for the athletes that suffer this injury and return to their sport. It takes a lot of hard work and training to regain your flexibility and muscles, and to make them stronger than they were before to prevent a tear from happening in the future.

On a lighter note, those of us who have gone through this have some pretty cool scars and our knees can predict the weather. Don’t ask us how, it just happens.