ACL injuries plague many sports – but they may not always need surgery

The ACL, or anterior cruciate ligament, is an important part of our knees. Many of us will know someone who’s ‘done’ their ACL, or even have endured this common injury ourselves.

For decades, the main way to treat an ACL injury has been knee reconstruction surgery, followed by physiotherapy. But a growing body of research is suggesting that non-surgical approaches can be very effective, and is also pointing out ways to help prevent ACL injury altogether.

Dr Anthony Nasser, Senior Lecturer in Physiotherapy at the University of Technology Sydney, joined us on the show to explain what this new research can tell us about managing ACL injuries.

Resources for preventative exercises mentioned on the show:

• The Knee Program, Netball Australia
• Injury Risk Reduction, Football Australia