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More people need to understand that in most cases, ACL surgeries are unnecessary. The most common experience people have with them is during high school athleti
by digdugdirk 3y ago
More people need to understand that in most cases, ACL surgeries are unnecessary. The most common experience people have with them is during high school athletics, and yes - returning to sport is indeed an influencing factor in the decision to perform surgery. But how many of these students would go on to be pros?
There's a vast difference between "pro" and "beer league" when it comes to being an athlete, and an ACL repair is only needed for the former.
- trogdor 3y agoPeople sometimes refer to ACL reconstruction surgery as “ACL repair.” Unfortunately, we can’t surgically repair a torn ACL. ACL reconstruction surgery involves drilling bone tunnels into the tibia and femur, removing the torn ACL fibers, harvesting a tendon from your body (or from a cadaver), and affixing that tendon to your tibia and femur in place of what was previously your ACL.
- digdugdirk 3y agoYes, thanks for the detail, if we're being technical. You seem to be knowledgeable in the field, I'm curious if you have any broader disagreement with the point of my original comment?
- snovv_crash 3y agoIf you ever want to ski or play soccer again, even just casually, you need an ACL. I had ACLR and despite a horrific recovery process from the surgery I'm still glad I got it, in my mid-30s, as a software engineer.
- pgreenwood 3y agoAs I understand it the tendon forms a matrix that allows a ligament to regrow along it. At around 3 months the tendon graft dies off and the ligament tissue continues to grow.