If you tore your ACL playing soccer or football, you know how quickly a season can change. Additionally, ACL injuries are common in sports that involve cutting, pivoting, planting, landing, and contact. Getting evaluated early can help you understand your treatment options and what a safe return to sport may look like.
At Barbour Orthopaedics & Spine, Dr. Scott Barbour evaluates ACL injuries and offers surgical options including ACL reconstruction and, when appropriate, ACL repair. We see patients across Atlanta, including Midtown, Buckhead, Chamblee, Sandy Springs, Dunwoody, and Tucker.
If you are dealing with knee instability, swelling, or a loss of confidence after an injury, call (404) 480-9330 or request an appointment online at Barbour Orthopaedics & Spine.
What Is the ACL and Why Do Soccer and Football Players Injure It?
The ACL, or anterior cruciate ligament, is one of the main ligaments that helps stabilize the knee. It plays a major role during rapid stops, direction changes, twisting, landing, and contact.
In soccer, ACL tears often happen during non-contact movements like planting, cutting, pivoting, or landing awkwardly. In football, ACL injuries may happen during contact, tackling, blocking, or sudden changes in direction. In both sports, the knee can become unstable and unreliable during explosive movement.
Signs You May Have an ACL Tear
Common ACL tear symptoms include:
- A pop at the time of injury
- Swelling within the first 24 hours
- The knee giving way
- Pain with cutting or pivoting
- Trouble planting, accelerating, or changing direction
- Feeling unstable during soccer drills or football movements
If these symptoms sound familiar, a prompt orthopedic evaluation can help confirm the injury and rule out other damage such as a meniscus tear.
Do Soccer and Football Players Need ACL Surgery?
Not every ACL tear requires surgery. The right treatment depends on the athlete, the sport, the stability of the knee, and any associated injuries.
Factors that often shape the decision include:
- Your age and level of play
- Whether your knee feels unstable
- Whether you also injured the meniscus, cartilage, or other ligaments
- Your timeline for return to sport
- Your long-term goals for performance and knee health
Some athletes do well with non-surgical treatment, especially if they are not returning to high-demand pivoting sports. Others continue to experience instability, especially during soccer or football movements, and decide that surgery is the better option.
ACL Reconstruction vs ACL Repair
ACL reconstruction is the most common surgery for an ACL tear. It involves replacing the torn ligament with a graft.
ACL repair may be an option in selected cases when the tear pattern and tissue quality make reattachment possible. Not every athlete is a candidate for ACL repair. Dr. Barbour will review your MRI, exam findings, and goals to determine whether reconstruction or repair is more appropriate.
What to Expect Before ACL Surgery
Before surgery, your care plan may include:
- A detailed knee exam
- Review of your injury history and symptoms
- MRI evaluation
- Discussion of reconstruction vs repair
- Rehab to reduce swelling and restore motion
- Planning for school, work, training, and physical therapy
For soccer and football athletes, getting motion back and improving quadriceps activation before surgery can make early recovery smoother.
What Happens on the Day of Surgery?
ACL surgery is usually performed as an outpatient procedure, so most patients go home the same day.
The process typically includes:
- Pre-op assessment
- Anesthesia review
- ACL reconstruction or ACL repair
- Treatment of related injuries, such as a meniscus tear, if needed
- Instructions for crutches, bracing, swelling control, and rehabilitation
You will also leave with a follow-up plan and guidance on when to begin physical therapy.
ACL Surgery Recovery Timeline for Soccer and Football Athletes
Recovery after ACL surgery is different for every athlete, but there are common phases.
Weeks 0 to 2
Early goals usually include:
- Managing pain and swelling
- Restoring knee extension
- Beginning early muscle activation
- Starting protected walking as instructed
Weeks 2 to 6
This stage often focuses on:
- Improving range of motion
- Normalizing walking
- Beginning progressive strengthening
- Continuing guided physical therapy
Weeks 6 to 12
Athletes are often working on:
- Building strength, balance, and control
- Improving single-leg stability
- Progressing movement quality for athletic tasks
Months 3 to 6
Depending on your progress, this stage may include:
- A return-to-running progression
- Jumping and landing drills
- Controlled cutting work
- Sport-specific progression for soccer or football
Months 6 to 12
This phase is often focused on:
- Return-to-sport testing
- Practice progression
- Confidence in the knee
- Readiness for game activity
Return to play should be based on objective testing and functional readiness, not just time after surgery.
Return to Soccer and Football: What Clearance Should Involve
A safe return to sport often includes more than simply feeling better. Clearance may involve:
- Strength testing
- Hop testing
- Balance and control assessment
- Cutting and deceleration mechanics
- Sport-specific progression
- Confidence in the knee during explosive movement
For soccer players, return decisions should account for sprinting, planting, kicking, and repeated directional changes.
For football players, return decisions should also consider contact readiness, blocking or tackling demands, and position-specific movement patterns.
Reducing Re-Injury Risk
Returning too quickly can increase the risk of re-injury. Soccer and football athletes often benefit from:
- Ongoing strength training
- Landing and cutting mechanics work
- Gradual increases in practice intensity
- A structured progression from individual drills to full competition
A strong rehab program can help lower risk and improve confidence as you return to the field.
Why Athletes in Atlanta Choose Dr. Barbour
Athletes come to Barbour Orthopaedics & Spine for a clear diagnosis, a straightforward treatment plan, and a recovery road map built around return to sport. Dr. Barbour reviews your injury, imaging, and performance goals and helps you understand whether non-surgical treatment, ACL reconstruction, or ACL repair is the right path.
Schedule an ACL Evaluation
If you injured your knee playing soccer or football and are dealing with instability, swelling, or loss of confidence, schedule an evaluation with Dr. Barbour at Barbour Orthopaedics.
Call: (404) 480-9330 or request online.
Frequently Asked Questions About ACL Surgery
When can I return to football after ACL reconstruction?
Return to football depends on your position, level of play, knee stability, strength, and readiness for contact. Many football athletes need a structured progression that includes strength testing, movement assessment, and sport-specific drills before full return.
Can an ACL tear heal without surgery?
Some patients can function well without surgery, especially if the knee remains stable and their activity demands are lower. Athletes who want to return to pivoting sports like soccer or football are more likely to consider surgery because those sports place high demands on the ACL.
What if I tore my meniscus too?
Meniscus injuries commonly occur with ACL tears. If present, the meniscus may need to be treated during the same surgery. That can affect both your rehab plan and your return-to-sport timeline.
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