Your anterior cruciate ligament is one of the more important parts of your knee, as it connects your upper and lower leg bones. According to the Mayo Clinic, ACL injuries often happen when individuals make quick changes in direction or jump. This makes ACL damage increasingly common for those who have active jobs.
Still, it is not exactly rare for other workers to tear, stretch or sprain their ACLs. If you work in construction, plumbing or any other job that requires you to spend significant time on your knees, you are likely increasingly vulnerable to an ACL injury. If you suffer one, what are your odds of making a full recovery?
Your diagnosis
If you have knee pain or difficulty walking, standing or jumping, you should go to your doctor. After all, an ACL injury requires an official diagnosis. Furthermore, while minor ACL injuries may go away on their own over time, moderate and severe injuries almost always require medical intervention.
Your treatment
Your ACL injury may make you feel unstable every time you stand or walk, requiring you to have surgery. Any surgery comes with its own set of potential risks, obviously. Yet, even if your surgery goes smoothly, you are likely to have a months-long recovery process.
Your rehabilitation
While you are recovering from surgery, your doctor undoubtedly will refer you for physical and vocational rehabilitation. Attending these rehab sessions can be a pain, but they are sure to improve your odds of recovering completely.
As you probably expect, you may not be able to work or earn money for many months after suffering a work-related ACL injury. Ultimately, pursuing workers’ compensation benefits ensures you can support yourself while accessing the medical care you need.