ACL Reconstruction in Indianapolis, IN

Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL)

The anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) is located toward the front of the knee. It is the most common ligament to be injured. The ACL is often stretched and/or torn during a sudden twisting motion (when the feet stay planted one way, but the knees turn the other way). Skiing, basketball, and football are sports that have a higher risk of ACL injuries.

Medically reviewed by J. Steve Smith, MD, Jason May, MD and D. Philip Stickney, MD - May 2026.

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What is an ACL Tear?

The anterior cruciate ligament — the ACL — is one of four major ligaments that stabilize the knee. It runs diagonally through the middle of the joint, connecting the femur (thighbone) to the tibia (shinbone), and its job is to keep the knee from sliding forward or rotating out of place during movement.

When the ACL tears, the knee loses that stabilizing tether. Most patients describe feeling or hearing a pop at the moment of injury, followed by swelling within a few hours and a sense that the knee "isn't right" — that it shifts, gives out, or can't be trusted on a pivot or a stair.

ACL tears do not heal on their own. The ligament has a poor blood supply, and a complete tear leaves the two ends of the ligament unable to reconnect. In active patients, the standard of care is ACL reconstruction surgery — replacing the torn ligament with a graft that the body rebuilds into a new, functional ACL over four to six months.

Types of ACL Injuries

ACL injuries are diagnosed through clinical examination and MRI, and can be classified by the amount of damage to the ligament (partial or complete disruption). Injury to the ACL is usually a complete disruption, classifying it as a Grade III complete tear.

• Grade I Sprain - There is some stretching and micro-tearing of the ligament, but the ligament is intact and the joint remains stable. These injuries rarely require surgery.

• Grade II Sprain (Partial Disruption) - There is some tearing and separation of the ligament fibers and the ligament is partially disrupted. The joint is moderately unstable. Depending on the activity level of the patient and the degree of instability, these tears may or may not require surgery.

• Grade III Sprain (Complete Disruption) - There is total rupture of the ligament fibers. The ligament is completely disrupted and the joint is unstable. Surgery is usually recommended in young or athletic people who engage in sports that involve cutting or pivoting.

Symptoms of an ACL Tear

If you've recently injured your knee, an ACL tear is likely if you experienced any of the following:

• A "pop" at the moment of injury. Most patients hear or feel a distinct pop. About 50% of ACL tears are accompanied by an audible pop loud enough that other people nearby can hear it.

• Sudden knee swelling within hours. Significant swelling within the first 6–24 hours is a hallmark of an ACL tear, caused by bleeding inside the joint (hemarthrosis).

• Inability to continue the activity. Most patients cannot return to their game, practice, run, or activity. The knee feels unstable or unsafe to put weight on.

• A feeling that the knee is "giving out." Even days or weeks after the initial injury, the knee buckles or shifts unexpectedly during walking, stairs, or pivots.

• Loss of full range of motion. The knee may feel stiff, locked, or unable to fully straighten or bend.

• Pain along the joint line and deep inside the knee. Tenderness is usually inside the joint rather than along the kneecap or below the knee.

• Discomfort walking on uneven surfaces. Patients often describe stairs, hills, and grass as feeling unsafe.

How an ACL Tear Happens

The ACL can tear in several common ways. About 70% of ACL tears are non-contact injuries — they happen without anyone touching the knee:

• Changing direction rapidly (cutting, pivoting)

• Landing awkwardly from a jump

• Stopping suddenly while running

• Twisting with the foot planted (the classic "knee turned one way, foot stayed the other")

• Direct contact or collision — football tackles, soccer slide tackles, skiing falls

The sports with the highest ACL injury rates are basketball, soccer, football, skiing, gymnastics, lacrosse, volleyball, and cheerleading.

Female athletes tear their ACLs at 2–8 times the rate of male athletes in the same sports. Several factors contribute: differences in hip-to-knee alignment, neuromuscular control, hamstring-to-quadriceps strength ratio, and the way the ACL behaves under hormonal cycles. Targeted neuromuscular training programs can cut female ACL injury risk significantly, and Aptiva's sports medicine and physical therapy teams provide ACL injury prevention training for athletes and teams.

How an ACL Tear Is Diagnosed

At Aptiva Health, an ACL tear diagnosis usually takes a single visit:

1. History. Your surgeon will ask about the mechanism of injury — what you were doing, whether you felt a pop, how quickly the knee swelled, and whether the knee has felt unstable since.

2. Physical examination. Specific tests — the Lachman test, the anterior drawer test, and the pivot-shift test — are highly accurate for identifying an ACL tear, often within minutes.

3. Imaging. An MRI confirms the diagnosis, shows the location of the tear, and identifies associated injuries (the meniscus, the cartilage, the MCL, or bone bruising) that are present in roughly half of ACL tears. Aptiva Health operates its own MRI imaging centers, so most patients can get same-week MRI scheduling without the multi-week wait that hospital-based imaging typically requires.

4. Treatment plan. After the exam and imaging, your surgeon will walk you through the diagnosis, the associated injuries, the surgical and non-surgical options, and the recovery timeline. You leave the visit with a written plan.

Treatment for an ACL Tear

ACL tear treatment depends on the patient's age, activity level, sport, work demands, and whether other knee structures (meniscus, cartilage, other ligaments) are also injured.

Non-surgical treatment

A complete ACL tear will not heal on its own, but some patients — typically older, lower-activity, or unwilling to undergo surgery — can manage a torn ACL with bracing, physical therapy, activity modification, and quad/hamstring strengthening. This approach trades knee stability for avoidance of surgery, and it works best for patients who don't need to cut, pivot, or land at speed.

Surgical treatment: ACL reconstruction

For the majority of patients — anyone who wants to return to sports, agility-based work, or an active lifestyle — the standard of care is ACL reconstruction surgery. The torn ligament is replaced with a graft (most often the patient's own patellar tendon, hamstring tendon, or quadriceps tendon; sometimes a cadaver allograft), and the new ligament is anchored in tunnels drilled into the femur and tibia. Over four to six months, the body remodels the graft into a functional ACL.

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What if other parts of the knee are also injured?

Roughly half of ACL tears come with a meniscus tear, cartilage injury, MCL sprain, or bone bruise. Aptiva's sports orthopedic surgeons routinely address these in the same operation as the ACL reconstruction — repairing the meniscus, smoothing or restoring damaged cartilage, and managing concurrent ligament injuries — so the patient heals from one surgery rather than several.

When to See a Doctor

You should be evaluated by a sports orthopedic surgeon promptly — within days, not weeks — if you experienced any of the following:

• A "pop" in your knee during sports or a fall, followed by swelling

• Inability to bear weight on the knee

• A feeling that the knee is unstable or "gives out"

• Swelling that won't resolve

• Significant pain inside the knee with movement

Delaying evaluation can let secondary injuries worsen — particularly meniscus tears, which become harder to repair the longer they go untreated. Aptiva Health offers same-day and next-day evaluations for new knee injuries; in many cases, a patient can be seen, examined, scheduled for MRI, and walking out with a treatment plan within 48 hours of the injury.

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Our ACL Surgery Team - Indianapolis, IN

Schedule an ACL Consultation in Indianapolis — Schedule Now

Address: 6801 Gray Road, Suite H · Indianapolis, IN 46237

Phone: 463-303-0501 Fax: (855) 859-0123

Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM

Workers' comp scheduling line: 1-844-999-3627

Directions: Located on the south side of Indianapolis, easily accessible from I-65 (Exit 103 Southport Rd), US-31 (East Street), and I-465. Approximately 10 minutes from downtown Greenwood and 15 minutes from downtown Indianapolis.

Insurance accepted: Most major medical insurance, Medicare, Medicare Advantage, most Kentucky Medicaid plans, workers' compensation, auto injury coverage (PIP and MedPay), and cash-pay.

Frequently Asked Questions About ACL Reconstruction in Indianapolis

Do I need surgery for an ACL tear?

It depends on your activity level. A complete ACL tear will not heal on its own. Active patients who want to return to sports, agility-based work, or a physically demanding lifestyle are usually candidates for ACL reconstruction. Some older or lower-activity patients can manage a torn ACL non-surgically with bracing, physical therapy, and strengthening. Your Aptiva Health surgeon reviews your exam, imaging, and goals to recommend the right path.

How long is recovery after ACL reconstruction surgery?

The graft is rebuilt by the body into a functional ligament over four to six months, and a full return to cutting and pivoting sports typically takes six to nine months. Recovery depends on the graft type, any associated injuries repaired in the same surgery, and progress in physical therapy. Aptiva Health coordinates post-operative physical therapy in-house, which keeps rehab on schedule.

What graft is used for ACL reconstruction?

ACL reconstruction replaces the torn ligament with a graft, most often the patient's own patellar tendon, hamstring tendon, or quadriceps tendon. A cadaver allograft is used in some cases. Your surgeon recommends the graft based on your age, sport, activity level, and prior knee surgery.

Can the meniscus be repaired during ACL surgery?

Yes. Roughly half of ACL tears come with a meniscus tear, cartilage injury, MCL sprain, or bone bruise. Aptiva Health's sports orthopedic surgeons routinely address these in the same operation as the ACL reconstruction, so the patient heals from one surgery rather than several.

How quickly can I be seen for an ACL injury in Louisville?

Aptiva Health Indianapolis offers same-day and next-day evaluations for new knee injuries. In many cases a patient can be seen, examined, scheduled for MRI, and given a written treatment plan within 48 hours of the injury. Because Aptiva operates its own MRI imaging centers, most patients avoid the multi-week wait that hospital-based imaging typically requires.

What happens if an ACL tear is left untreated?

An untreated complete ACL tear leaves the knee unstable, which can cause it to give out during walking, stairs, or pivots. Continued instability also raises the risk of secondary damage — particularly meniscus tears, which become harder to repair the longer they go untreated, and earlier cartilage wear. Prompt evaluation lets the surgeon protect the rest of the knee.

Is ACL reconstruction an outpatient surgery?

ACL reconstruction is typically performed on an outpatient basis, meaning most patients go home the same day. Your Aptiva Health surgical team reviews your specific procedure, any concurrent repairs, and your recovery plan before surgery.

Who performs ACL surgery at Aptiva Health Indianapolis?

ACL reconstruction at Aptiva Health Louisville is performed by board-certified orthopedic surgeons, led by Dr. Jason May, Orthopedic Surgery & Sports Medicine. Conservative care, knee injections, and pre- and post-operative management are provided by orthopedic physician assistants Bradley Stephenson, PA-C and Bryan Davidson, PA-C, who work directly with the surgical team.

Does insurance cover ACL reconstruction surgery?

ACL reconstruction is covered by most major medical insurance plans, Medicare, Medicare Advantage, and Kentucky Medicaid plans. ACL injuries from a work or auto accident are commonly covered under workers' compensation or auto injury coverage (PIP and MedPay). Aptiva Health verifies benefits before your visit.

Why do female athletes tear their ACLs more often?

Female athletes tear their ACLs at two to eight times the rate of male athletes in the same sports. Contributing factors include differences in hip-to-knee alignment, neuromuscular control, hamstring-to-quadriceps strength ratio, and hormonal effects on the ligament. Targeted neuromuscular training can significantly reduce this risk, and Aptiva's sports medicine and physical therapy teams provide ACL injury prevention training for athletes and teams.

Questions? Call us today! 463-303-0501