If you’ve suffered an ACL tear, your focus is usually on your knee. But surprisingly, an ACL tear can lead to hip pain. The connection may not seem obvious at first, but your skeleton is well-connected. When one part is injured or weak, the rest often compensates, and that can cause pain in areas you didn’t expect.
ANF Therapy®, also known as Amino Neuro Frequency Therapy, is a frequency-based approach that utilizes wearable devices, ANF Devices, which are applied directly to the skin. These devices are configured with bio-coded frequencies, aiming to support the natural healing mechanisms and promote physiological balance.
This blog will explain what the ACL does, how a tear affects your movement, and how an ACL tear can cause hip pain. We’ll also share what to look out for, how to manage the pain, and how to prevent long-term issues.
What is an ACL?
The anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) is one of the most important stabilizing structures inside your knee. It’s a tough band-like piece of tissue that runs diagonally across the center of the knee joint. The ACL connects your thigh bone (femur) to your shinbone (tibia).
Despite its small size, the ACL plays a massive role in helping your knee function smoothly and safely. Specifically, the ACL is responsible for:
- Stabilizing your knee when you walk, run, or jump
- Preventing the tibia from sliding too far forward under the femur
- Controlling the rotation and pivoting movements of your limbs that involve sudden changes in direction
How does an ACL Tear Happen?
Most ACL injuries happen during high-impact sports or quick directional movements. You don’t need to be a professional athlete to tear your ACL. A simple misstep, awkward landing, or sharp twist can be enough. Activities that commonly lead to ACL tears include:
- Playing soccer, where quick cuts and pivots are frequent
- Jumping and landing in basketball
- Turning your knee awkwardly while skiing
- Sudden tackles or stops in football
- Complex leg movements in dance or gymnastics
What are the Symptoms of an ACL Tear?
ACL injuries can range from a mild sprain to a full tear. Typical symptoms of an ACL tear include:
- A pop at the time of injury
- Rapid swelling in the knee within a few hours
- The knee feels unstable or may give out during movement
- Stiffness or trouble with full motion of the knee
- Sharp pain when standing, walking, or changing direction
- A sense that the knee no longer feels secure or steady
- Many athletes describe a fear of the knee collapsing again during sports or fast footwork
- In some cases, the pain fades after a few days, but the instability stays
Can an ACL Tear Cause Hip Pain?
Hip pain can develop after an ACL tear, especially when the body tries to adjust to the injury. Here’s how it happens:
Gait Compensation
With an injured knee, most people shift weight to the opposite side or change the way they step to avoid pain. These changes force the hips to absorb more pressure and control balance in new ways. Over time, the strain can affect nearby muscles and joints. This can lead to:
- Pain in the hip joint
- Tight gluteal muscles, hamstrings, or hip flexors
- Discomfort in the lower back
Pelvic Misalignment
The ACL helps keep the knee stable as part of a larger movement system called the kinetic chain. If your knee stops working normally, your pelvis may tilt or twist to support the shift in your weight. This new position can affect the muscles near your hip and cause pain and tightness in your hip.
Muscle Weakness or Overload
After an ACL tear, some muscles weaken due to a lack of use. Meanwhile, other muscles contract harder to make up for knee instability. This imbalance places stress on muscles around the hip, especially your abductor, adductor, and rotator muscles.
What Does Hip Pain Feel Like After an ACL Tear?
Everyone experiences pain differently, but common signs of hip involvement include:
- A dull ache deep in the hip joint
- Pain that worsens with walking, standing, or climbing stairs
- Discomfort while sitting or lying on one side
- A “catching” or “tight” sensation in the hip flexor area
- Pain that radiates to the groin or lower back
- Tension in the glutes
- Stiffness when trying to move your leg outward
- Clicking sounds when rotating the hip
How Common Is Hip Pain After ACL Injuries?
Hip pain after an ACL injury is often overlooked. Around 27% of people continue to experience hip and knee pain after ACL injuries. Many people focus on the knee and don’t realize their pain in other areas might be related.
When Should You Be Concerned About Hip Pain from an ACL Tear?
While mild hip discomfort may be part of a normal ACL tear, talk to your doctor or physical therapist if:
- Hip pain interferes with your daily movement
- Experiencing pinching, catching, or grinding in the hip joint
- Limping or favoring one leg for weeks
- Tightness that doesn’t ease with stretching
- The pain spreads to your groin, lower back, or upper thigh
- In some cases, hip pain may signal labral tears, bursitis, or nerve involvement, especially if ignored or mistreated.
How to manage an ACL tear without surgery?
ANF Therapy® or Amino Neuro Frequency Therapy is a frequency-based approach. It is applied by trained healthcare professionals to aid in the treatment, prevention, and relief of musculoskeletal injuries such as ACL tears. This therapy is helpful for managing related issues such as pain, swelling, discomfort, and limited mobility. It is designed for use in physical rehabilitation, neuromusculoskeletal care, and supportive treatment settings.
Outcomes:
ANF Therapy® is a non-invasive, drug-free method. It uses small carbonised metal devices that are applied to the skin. In a real-world study involving 1,054 patients across 45 countries, pain levels decreased significantly, from 7.6 to 3.1 out of 10. Common pain areas included the lower back, knee, neck, and shoulder. Patients also showed reduced swelling and improved range of motion. Satisfaction was high (92/100), and side effects, such as dry mouth, headache, and fatigue, were mild and short-term, reported by 42% of patients. The results are promising but should be interpreted with caution.
Start your journey with ANF Therapy®:
ANF Therapy® is the newest frequency-based approach. If you are suffering from an ACL tear, consult an ANF Practitioner or find an ANF Therapist at https://www.anftherapy.com/find-clinic/ to discuss how ANF Therapy®can help.
If you’re a healthcare practitioner and want to enhance your clinical skills with frequency medicine, learn more about the ANF Therapy® and ANF Clinical education program by visiting www.anfacademy.com.
