Knee ACL Reconstruction Q & A
What is the ACL?
The anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) is one of the four main ligaments in your knee. It's located in the front middle section of the joint and connects your tibia to your femur.
Your ACL, along with the posterior cruciate ligament in the middle back of the knee joint, allows you to move your knee back and forth, prevents your tibia from moving in front of your femur, and keeps the joint stable.
ACL injuries are common, especially in people who engage in high-impact activities, such as basketball or football. Unfortunately, an ACL sprain won't heal on its own, and stitching it back together isn't possible.
People with an ACL injury must undergo knee ACL reconstruction.
What is knee ACL reconstruction?
During knee ACL reconstruction, Dr. Klassen removes and replaces the damaged ACL with a graft tendon. The graft tendon comes from the patient undergoing the procedure or a tissue bank.
Knee ACL reconstruction is a complex procedure and requires special skills and expertise. Dr. Klassen is an experienced orthopedic surgeon who has performed numerous knee ACL reconstruction procedures.
Knee ACL reconstruction is an outpatient procedure, and most patients go home the same day.
Because of Dr. Klassen's expertise in ACL knee reconstruction, he specializes in medical legal evaluations and provides advice and guidance for attorneys, insurers, and the government related to the procedure.
Dr. Klassen also conducts independent medical examinations (IMEs) with impairment ratings, agreed medical evaluations (AMEs), qualified medical evaluations (QMEs), medical record reviews, and opinions of causation.
Who needs knee ACL reconstruction?
Dr. Klassen recommends knee ACL reconstruction for athletes and all other active individuals. He also recommends the surgical procedure for patients with more than one ligament injury or patients who also have a meniscal tear.
Younger patients also benefit from knee ACL reconstruction.
Though the ACL won't heal on its own, patients who lead relatively inactive lives or engage in physical activities that don't place a lot of stress on the knees may not need knee ACL reconstruction.
How long is recovery following knee ACL reconstruction?
Recovery following knee ACL reconstruction takes eight to 12 months. During the recovery process, Dr. Klassen recommends patients engage in a structured rehabilitation program to ease pain, support healing, and restore strength and mobility.
Knee ACL reconstruction is a complex procedure that requires time for recovery.
Call the office of Michael Klassen, MD, FAAOS to discuss your ACL reconstruction or a case involving ACL injuries.