After tearing my ACL and meniscus inside my right knee playing basketball, I did a great deal of research and reading online to determine the best course of action for my recovery. I had a very difficult time determining which surgical procedure to select because I couldn’t decide on the graft choice.  It seemed that there was no clear right answer when it came to selecting either the patellar or hamstring graft.  Both grafts have had good results and everyone I talked to firsthand had mainly positive things to report no matter which surgery they decided themselves.  I even met with two separate surgeons from two separate hospitals not to mention talking to anyone and everyone that I knew had their ACL reconstructed.  It really wasn’t until my Dad gave me the advice of choosing the procedure that gave me the most peace.  I decided finally to have the hamstring ACL reconstruction performed by Dr. Miller with Orthopaedic Specialists of Springfield.

Well, here it is, my collection of links, information and videos that I found helpful in deciding which graft to use and hopefully it helps someone else going through this.  One site that I found really helpful was www.aclsurgery.us.  The site is merely a bunch of people’s accounts and decisions regarding their individual ACL reconstruction surgeries, plus their are some painful to watch clips of professional athletes tearing their ACL.  For some sick reason watching those made me feel better.  Don’t judge me!

LINKS:

• ACL TEAR – Good high level overview of ACL injury.
• ACL TEAR 2 – Good article with many links to others.
• ACL SURGERY INFO – Good overview on the 3 types of grafts used to reconstruct the ACL along with pros and cons of each.
• ACL SURGERY INFO 2 – How the ACL reconstruction is performed.
• Hamstring ACL Surgery – Good article about the hamstring ACL reconstruction.
• Types of ACL Grafts – PRO and CONS of each graft.
• Menicus Tears and Injuries – Information on various tears and injuries.
• Prehab Exercises – Exercises to perform before ACL reconstruction.

VIDEOS:

• Animated ACL Reconstruction using Patellar Graft – I didn’t opt for the PT graft but it still is informative on the reconstructive process.
• Actual Hamstring ACL Reconstruction – While not me or my surgeon it has good information and is funny too.

QUESTIONS I ASKED THE SURGEON:

• Is my ACL completely torn?
• Are there meniscus tears?
• Which graft choice do you prefer?
• What are the advantages/disadvantages of each graft choice?
• Do you specialize in sport related surgeries?
• What risks are there with surgery?
• How frequently do you perform ACL reconstructions?
• Do I need to supply a brace after the surgery?
• Do I need to supply crutches for after the surgery?
• How long do I need to wear a brace?
• How long will I need to use crutches?
• When do I start my rehabilitation?
• How long will I need rehabilitation?
• Should I do exercises at home prior to my surgery?
• When can I return to work?
• When can I drive by myself?
• When will I be released to resume my regular sporting activities?

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