Skiing, Basketball & Football ACL Knee Injuries
“Winter marks the time of year we hear many complaints from active recreational skiers as well as competitive skiers who are experiencing knee problems such as pain, swelling and instability associated with mild sprains and strains as well as injuries to the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL),” shared Daniel Southern, M.D., Regenerative Orthopedic & Sports Medicine Physician in Wilton, Connecticut.
The ACL is often sprained, strained or torn from the hard “start/stop-plant & pivot” movements on the basketball court or football field and bad falls on the slopes. The ACL is the main stabilizer of the knee in forward and backward motion. Significant instability in the ACL risks the development of secondary knee damage. Active adults involved in sports or jobs that require pivoting, turning or hard-cutting need to consider how to deal with ACL problems in a way that allows relief of symptoms along with restoration of mobility and stability.
The surgical solution to an ACL tear is to replace it with a graft tendon from another area of the body. The problem is that the repair goes in at too steep an angle and cannot replicate the stabilizing ability of the original ligament. The microinstability with the replacement results in high re-tear rates with athletes being up to 6 times more likely to re-tear the same or opposite ligament. Additionally, recovery from replacement ACL surgery can take up to 6 months or longer.
For patients with even a few strands of intact ACL, the regenerative medicine treatment consists of the insertion of a fine needle into the ligament and injection of the patient’s own bone marrow containing stem cells mixed with platelet growth factors. Rehabilitation of the knee begins within a few weeks and recovery with return to activities can be as little as half that of surgery while retaining the full stabilizing ability of the native ligament.
While ACL surgery might seem like the only alternative, the regenerative orthopedic medicine approach of using stem cell treatment can provide a sound alternative to restoring knee function and stability. In addition to tears, stem cell injections are also common for knee ligamentous sprains and strains and can significantly reduce down time associated with recovery.
Drive the Body’s Power, Return to ‘Body Strong’
To get help for ACL knee injuries or learn more about Regenerative Orthopedic Medicine treatments including stem cells (SC), platelet rich plasma (PRP) or alpha 2-macroglobulin (A2M) injections for arthritis, sports and work injury, schedule a consultation with Daniel Southern, M.D. by calling 203-702-6629 or visiting www.regenerativeorthopedicmedicinect.com, Google+, www.facebook.com/DanielSouthernMD
