Knee (e.g. ACL)

Goals of ACL Surgery: Avoid Arthritic Changes and Need for More Surgery

ACL tears occur in a variety of sports, says Lyle Micheli, M.D., Director, Division of Sports Medicine at Children's Hospital Boston, and require surgical repair as soon as possible to avoid the arthritic changes associated with a delay in reconstructive surgery and, hopefully, the need for more surgery later.  While a failure rate of 20% is not uncommon, the failure rate at Children's is much lower, around 5%.

Kids Who Delay ACL Reconstructive Surgery At Increased Risk of Other Knee Injuries

Young athletes who delay ACL reconstructive surgery more than 150 days after injury experience higher rates of other kinds of knee injuries, including medial meniscal tears, say a 2012 study.

Surgery For Torn ACL Requires Ligament Replacement

Surgical repair of a torn anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), says Lyle Micheli, M.D., Director, Division of Sports Medicine at Children's Hospital Boston, is "big surgery" requiring replacement of the ACL and lengthy rehabilitation before return to sports.

Preventing ACL Injuries In Female Athletes: Team Approach Worked

Working collaboratively, a team of physical therapists, strength and conditioning coaches, head coaches, and athletic trainers designed an ACL injury prevention program that has reduced the incidence of non-contact anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries among female athletes at the University of Pennsylvania, says the school's head athletic trainer, Eric Laudano, M.H.S., ATC.

Neuromuscular Warm-Up Reduces Leg Injuries in Female Athletes At Inner-City High Schools

Implementing a coach-led neuro-muscular warm-up for female high school soccer and basketball players at predominantly low-income, inner city schools is an extremely cost-effective way to reduce the number of non-contact leg injuries, including ACL injuries, among an under-served, at-risk population, a new study finds.

Many Doctors Allow Youth Athletes To Return To Play In Pain, Study Finds

Nearly half of Canadian doctors and physical therapists surveyed were willing to return a child to sport even if they were experiencing more than minimal pain, a new study finds.

Less Than 50% Return To Sport At Pre-Injury Level After ACL Surgery

Less than half of athletes return to their pre-injury level or to competitive sports in the period 2 to 7 years after ACL reconstruction surgery, although younger athletes return at a higher rate.  Return to sport at 12 months was not predictive of participation at the pre-injury level in the medium term, reports a new Australian study.

Males At Increased Risk Of Osteoarthritis After ACL Injuries

Male athletes are at increased risk of cartilage lesions in anterior cruciate ligament (ACL)-injured knees, placing them at higher risk of developing the debilitating joint condition osteoarthritis (OA), says a new study presented at the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine's 2011 Annual Meeting in San Diego.  A delay to reconstructive surgery did not increase the risk of developing full-thickness cartilage lesions, as long as surgery occurred within 12 months of injury. 

Preventing Volleyball Injuries

Parents and coaches can help prevent common volleyball injuries by promoting proper warm-up, stretching and strengthening exercises, as well as paying close attention to the proper techniques, footwear, braces and pads to play volleyball safely.

A Year After ACL Reconstructive Surgery Two Thirds of Athletes Have Not Returned To Sports, Study Finds

A new Australian study appears to pour cold water on the widely held belief that most athletes can return to their pre-injury level of competition within 12 months after reconstructive surgery to repair an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tear.  Instead, fully two-thirds of the athletes studied were found not to have returned to their pre-injury level of competition one year after surgery.
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