Eder Militao ACL tear: How long does an anterior cruciate ligament injury take to heal?

Cameron Smith

• Updated: 9 Nov 2024 10:56 CST
• 5 min read

Real Madrid defender Eder Militao is the latest high-profile footballer to have suffered a torn ACL.

The Brazil international was stretchered off the pitch in the opening minutes of Real Madrid's 4-0 win over Osasuna on 9 November.

It has been confirmed that the defender has torn his Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) again for the second season running.

He is the latest in a long line of high-profile footballers to tear their ACL, following on from Rodri of Man City and teammate Dani Carvajal earlier this season.

READ MORE: What does the ACL injury recovery process look like?

So what is an ACL injury and how long does it take to recover from?

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What is a torn ACL?

The ACL (anterior cruciate ligament) is a band of tissue that joins the thigh bone to the shin bone at the knee joint.

Tearing or spraining an ACL is one of the most common knee injuries and it typically occurs in sports that involve frequent changes of direction, in addition to jumping and landing.

Players will sometimes feel a popping sensation when they tear their ACL, while the injury is often caused by landing incorrectly, stopping or changing direction suddenly, or being involved in a collision.

How long does it take to recover from an ACL injury?

This is dependent on many factors. Players are usually walking again after two weeks and this leads them into a false sense of security that everything is ok. They need to be very carefully managed through the rehabilitation procedure to ensure that they are not overextending themselves while the ligament continues to heal.

The optimal period of recovery is six months but much of the process is in the hands of the player. If they are compliant with the exercises and regimes provided to them then the process can be expedited, but the utmost care has to be taken to ensure that there is no relapse.

There are countless examples of players trying to rush back to finish too soon, and in the most severe cases, it can take a player up to a year to be ready for first-team football once again.

Which footballers have suffered torn ACLs?

A host of major footballers have suffered ACL injuries over the past few years, including Rodri, Dani Carvajal, Gleison Bremer, Virgil van Dijk, Ansu Fati, Florian Wirtz, Thibaut Courtois, Jurrien Timber, Neymar, Wesley Fofana and Gavi.

Meanwhile, Nicolo Zaniolo cruelly suffered two ACL injuries on separate knees within the space of less than 12 months back in 2020. Similarly, Eder Militao returned from an ACL tear in 2024 only to suffer the same injury a few months later.

Torn ACLs aren’t a new phenomenon either, with Robert Pires, Roy Keane, Alan Shearer and Ruud van Nistelrooy all suffering the knee injury during their peak years.

ACL injuries are even more common in the women’s game, with some studies suggesting this is due to a number of factors including neuromuscular differences and the impact of elevated levels of estrogen.

Leah Williamson, Beth Mead, Vivienne Miedema and Alexia Putellas are among the high-profile female players to have been sidelined due to an ACL injury in recent years.