Overview

An ACL tear in children is often treated with surgery. This helps make your child's knee stable. And it may help them get back to being as active as they were before the injury. Surgery may also prevent other injuries to the knee. But with surgery, there is a small risk of an injury to your child's growing bone.

Sometimes, especially if your child is almost done growing, it may be better to wait. Waiting for the bones to mature may reduce the risk of an injury to the growing bone. Treatment without surgery includes rehabilitation, bracing, and a limit to activities.