Orthopedics Hip & Knee ACL Injury Print Sports and ACL Tears By Jonathan Cluett, MD twitter linkedin Jonathan Cluett, MD, is board-certified in orthopedic surgery. He served as assistant team physician to Chivas USA (Major League Soccer) and the United States men's and women's national soccer teams. Learn about our editorial process Jonathan Cluett, MD Medically reviewed by a board-certified physician Updated on November 17, 2017 Thomas Barwick / Getty Images More in Orthopedics Hip & Knee ACL Injury Causes of Pain Kneecap (Patella) Conditions Knee Ligament Injuries Knee Replacement Surgery Meniscus Injuries Hip Injuries Hip Replacement Surgery Surgical Procedures Replacement Implants Home Office Ergonomics Sprains & Strains Fractures & Broken Bones Physical Therapy Orthopedic Surgery Osteoporosis Pediatric Orthopedics Sports Injuries Shoulder & Elbow Hand & Wrist Leg, Foot & Ankle Assistive Devices & Orthotics Medication & Injections View All Some sports are considered high-demand sports that require an intact ACL for performance. Other sports do not require an ACL for most athletes. Patients who participate in high demand sports usually require surgery after an ACL tear to return to participation. Deciding if you need ACL reconstruction surgery depends, in large part, on what activities you want to return to after treatment. High-demand sports are those in which most athletes require a functioning ACL. Athletes who participate in low-demand sports may not need an ACL to return to competition. High-Demand Sports FootballSoccerBasketballSkiingGymnasticsHockey (Ice and Field)WrestlingLacrosseRugbySingles TennisCheerleading Moderate-Demand Sports BaseballDoubles TennisTrack (Field Events) Low-Demand Sports Running/JoggingCyclingCrew Knee Instability It is important for athletes to understand that knee instability is not an 'on and off' switch. Everyone who has instability can have unique symptoms of this condition, and while it's uncommon for people with an ACL tear to be able to participate in high demand sports, there are exceptions. In addition, most people with ACL tears can participate in low-demand sports, but again there are exceptions. Everyone with knee instability will experience a specific degree of instability that may be slightly different than someone else with a similar injury. Therefore, each athlete must make decisions on how to proceed with their treatment and rehabilitation on an individual basis. Your doctor can help you determine the pros and cons of each treatment option and help establish a progression that can help you return to your desired sport. Deciding to Have Surgical Reconstruction As stated above, the decision to have surgery must be made based on an individual athlete's symptoms and expectations for future sports participation. Young high school and college athletes participating in high-risk sports will generally choose to have surgical reconstruction in order to return to their competitive activities. Middle-aged fitness athletes may not require surgical stabilization to return to their active lifestyle. Your surgeon can help you determine if surgery is the best option for your individual circumstance. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Dealing with joint pain can cause major disruptions to your day. Sign up and learn how to better take care of your body. Click below and just hit send! Sign Up You're in! Thank you, {{form.email}}, for signing up. There was an error. Please try again. What are your concerns? Other Inaccurate Hard to Understand Submit