4 places to go to get the correct information on my ACL injury 

The anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) is one of the most infamous ligaments in the knee. The ACL gets a lot of media coverage due to its importance for stability in the knee joint.   If you injure your ACL, you will have pain in the short term, but you might have instability as a long-term complaint (a knee that gives way or lets you down).  With the increasing media coverage in sports, ACL injuries are getting even more press!

Professionals consider an ACL injury a life-changing injury, but like many things, this is often lost in translation through our main source of information—the dreaded media!

Truth be told, media coverage is actually great for spreading the word and making lots of educational points, but sometimes, that message is not well-informed or a little out of date.  

Did you know that it takes 6 to 10 years before physio-related research-backed suggestions make their way into clinical practice? I will let you come to your own conclusions about how sports journalism, social media influencers, and friends compare to clinical practitioners!

I say all this to remind you that navigating the murky waters of such a significant injury is not easy.  It is essential to know who to trust, what to take with a pinch of salt and what the iron-clad facts are!

I will set the ball rolling by telling you where to get your information! 

1) NHS physiotherapists

If you read "surrounded by idiots," you will know that this is a very blue thing to say, BUT, having worked privately and in the NHS, the thing I love about the NHS is the structure. The structure guarantees a certain level of knowledge and accountability.  Each physiotherapist has a designated role; each is benchmarked against a specific level of expertise.   

Most NHS outpatient departments will have someone who runs an ACL class, and this is the person you want to chat with.  They are usually the most informed about the latest advice and information about ACL. They are a great person to start you off.

2) Private physiotherapists (who work alongside knee specialists)

Private physiotherapists are also an option, but you must research.  You lose the structure I love when you venture into the private physiotherapy/osteopath/chiropractic world, meaning you lose the benchmarking.  As a result you could wind up with a fanstastic person to work with, or a not so fantastic person.  

Private physiotherapy clinics rarely have ACL classes/ programs, so this removes the assumption that at least one person is up to date on all things ACL.  Private practitioners often have a specialist area, but there is no guarantee that it is the knee.  Please read about the practitioner, check their LinkedIn, and look for a history of working with knees, ACLs, or close links with knee specialists.  There is a lot at stake with ACL injuries, so to give yourself the best chance of recovering, you want someone in the know.

Orthopaedic surgeons

Who better to talk to than those doing the repair and reconstruction surgeries themselves! Working alongside these folks, you realise the hundreds of cases they see yearly.  You can speak to them about the options, both conservative and surgical.  They break down the specific risks, rewards and implications of surgery.  You will see orthopaedic consultants in the NHS as part of the GIRFT (Get it right first time) initiative, but you can go privately if you have the financial means.  

ACL experts

As someone who prides themselves on being a specialist in the arena, I also look to people to learn more about the developing ACL world. These are the people with decades of experience on the ground floor, active in research on the ACL, people producing the evidence-based guidelines and healthcare professionals involved in accredited specialist groups. As far as professionals go, I look to orthopaedic surgeons, physiotherapists and sports medicine doctors.

When on social media, I make sure to be careful in the content I accept & share by ensuring it comes from these folks, which requires some vetting.  

Do your own research!

You're reading this blog, so hopefully, you have already started your own research. This is often demonised, and I speak to a lot of people who are embarrassed to admit this, but it is OK to do your own digging. The key is knowing where to dig, and you've made an excellent start by winding up here.

Mick Hughes is one of my favourite people to listen to in the physiotherapy world.  He has loads of legit experience and creates great content for physios and patients.  It's no nonsense, easy to follow, exactly what you want to know, type-stuff.

BJSM are a great resource too. But, what I would say is, as soon as you start delving into your studies, I would recommend getting a professional opinion.  There are literally tens of thousands of research articles on the ACL, you will need someone with a deep knowledge base to help you make sense of it!