ACL Reconstruction

ACL (anterior cruciate ligament) sprains are common knee injuries, especially in people who play sports. If you have ACL tear symptoms, call Jon Thompson, MD, at his McKinney or Prosper, Texas office. A double board-certified orthopaedic surgeon and sports medicine specialist, Dr. Thompson specializes in ACL reconstruction using minimally invasive surgery. Call Jon Thompson, MD, today or book an appointment online to learn more about exceptional ACL reconstruction.

What is ACL reconstruction?

ACL reconstruction is a complex knee surgery that repairs a damaged ligament.

The ACL (anterior cruciate ligament) is one of four large ligaments in your knee. These ligaments attach the bones of your lower and upper leg to form the joint, enabling you to bend your knee and help stabilize your leg.

Severe ACL injuries often require surgery to restore these functions.

When would I need ACL reconstruction?

If you suffer a severe injury to the ACL, you might need to have reconstructive surgery.

It’s possible to injure the ACL if you receive a hard blow to your knee. But most ACL tears happen when playing sports where you’re likely to:

• Make sudden stops
• Change direction quickly
• Pivot or sidestep
• Abruptly stop while running
• Overextend your knee when running
• Land incorrectly after jumping

The sports that cause the most ACL injuries are football, basketball, soccer, and downhill skiing.

When you injure the ACL, there’s a considerable risk of damaging other parts of your knee as well, including the other ligaments, the articular cartilage that protects the bones, and the meniscus cartilage that supports and cushions your knee.

The swelling and pain from an ACL injury might improve in the days after the event. But your knee joint will be unstable. If you start training or playing sports again, your knee might give way, and you could cause further damage.

You might manage without surgery if you have a partial ACL tear and lead a quiet life. But to regain your full athletic ability, ACL reconstruction is necessary. Dr. Thompson specializes in ACL reconstruction and cartilage repair.

What does ACL reconstruction involve?

Simply stitching the torn ligament together is often impossible and won’t produce good results. To perform ACL reconstruction, Dr. Thompson uses a piece of tendon (the connective tissue that attaches muscle to bone) from another part of your body, like your hamstring.

Using minimally invasive arthroscopy, Dr. Thompson anchors the reconstructed ligament to your thigh bone (femur) and shinbone (tibia) where they meet in the joint. He carefully recreates the position and angle of your original ACL so that the repair feels natural and your knee works as it should.

Following ACL reconstruction surgery, you must undergo rehabilitation involving regular physical therapy. This is vital to ensure you regain strength, stability, and free movement in your knee. Complete recovery can take six months or more.

Call Jon Thompson, MD, today or book an appointment online to arrange an assessment for ACL reconstruction surgery.