Without surgery, athletes with an ACL tear may have recurring problems with knee instability. Athletes with a torn ACL often feel like their knee is "giving way" or buckling, especially when playing sports that require cutting or pivoting maneuvers, such as soccer, basketball, or football. But does everyone who tears their ACL need surgery, and can your anterior cruciate ligament heal on its own once it has been torn?
Source: Verywell health
