Articles

What exactly is the ACL? The anterior cruciate ligament is a ligament in the knee that provides very important stability for cutting and pivoting activities. It runs diagonally in front of the posterior cruciate ligament and forms somewhat of a cross hence the name "cruciate". This strong piece of collagen connects from the femur to [...]

A valgus injury to the knee can result in a medial collateral ligament (MCL) tear. This occurs when someone strikes the outside of the knee forcing it inward. The ligament can be partially injured or completely disrupted. Grade 1 tears are partial tears or sprains that don't require surgery. Grade 2 tears are more involved [...]

One of the most common sources of pain in the knee is the meniscus. The meniscus is a shock absorber that can be torn acutely with a twisting injury or from repetitive stress from kneeling and twisting. There are two menisci in the knee - one medial (inside of the knee) and one lateral (outside [...]

A superior labral tear other wise known as a superior labral anterior posterior (SLAP) lesion can occur in the shoulder in overhead throwing athletes. Repetitive traction on the biceps tendon can lead to a separation of the labrum from the glenoid. As the tear develops the athlete will start to have pain with throwing which [...]

Not all cruciate ligament tears require surgery. Isolated posterior cruciate ligament(PCL) injuries can usually be treated without surgery As opposed to the anterior cruciate ligament(ACL) the PCL deficient knee can still tolerate pivoting and twisting type activities. Most athletes who tear their PCL can you be back playing in a brace within 3 to 4 [...]

Many shoulder conditions can be treated without surgery. A common problem experienced in patients is a pain in the shoulder that is worse with overhead activity. A sack of tissue called a bursa can get inflamed resulting in pain typically located on the outside or lateral part of the shoulder. A focused rehabilitation program by [...]

"My doctor just told me that my rotator cuff is not repairable. Is there anything I can do about it?" Yes actually there is. Besides physical therapy and injections there are surgical options available for people who have an irreparable rotator cuff tear. One option is something called a superior capsular reconstruction (SCR) which involves [...]

What do you mean I need a knee replacement? Knee replacements should be more accurately be described as a knee resurfacing procedure. Just like when you get your tire replaced on your car just the rubber is replaced and not the entire wheel. This is the same thing that occurs when a knee replacement is [...]

Who just kicked me? Most patients will tear their achilles with an eccentric load. This means the calf muscle is firing while the achilles is lengthening. This sudden force can result in a rupture of the tendon. It most commonly occurs during basketball. Typically athletes will feel like someone just kicked them in the calf. [...]

Did you know that women are more likely to tear their ACL than men? Women are 3.5 times more likely to tear their ACL in basketball and 2.8 times more likely to tear it in soccer. The reason for this is probably multifactorial and may include anatomic differences, hormonal influences, and most importantly neuromuscular factors. [...]