2. There are two type of ACL
Replacements
One is called Allograft The other is an Auto-
That is when you get a graft
second hand ACL They take ligament from
donated by a real nice your hamstring
dead person Hurts more
It takes less time to heal Takes longer to heal
3. Other things they do when you get
your knee fixed up
Your Orthopedic Surgeon will repair your meniscus
The cushion between your two bones
Usually gets torn up when you injure your knee or have
repetitive motion type injuries
If you are unlucky you will have “pot holes” in you
cartilage. This is Arthritis.
They fix it by drilling small holes in your bone to
stimulate marrow growth
The theory is that the marrow will fill in the “pothole”
4. Tools of the trade
This is arthroscopic surgery
Small incisions
Hammers, screwdrivers, cutters and
drills are tiny but effective
5. Recovery
6-8 weeks off the leg
You get to use a continuous passive motion
(CPM) machine that keeps you in one
place for hours at a time…NOT FUN
Physical Therapy
Full Strength in four months
Skiing in 6 months
