{"id":24113,"date":"2022-02-10T14:57:00","date_gmt":"2022-02-10T22:57:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/samhealth.org\/?p=24113"},"modified":"2025-08-29T10:53:45","modified_gmt":"2025-08-29T17:53:45","slug":"acl-repairs-are-as-unique-as-each-patient","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/samhealth.org\/news\/acl-repairs-are-as-unique-as-each-patient\/","title":{"rendered":"ACL Repairs Are as Unique as Each Patient"},"content":{"rendered":"<article class=\"article\">\n\t<header class=\"header\">\n\t\t<span class=\"type\"><\/span>\t\t<h1>ACL Repairs Are as Unique as Each Patient<\/h1>\t\t<time>February 10, 2022<\/time>\n\t<\/header>\n\t<div id=\"block_25196abf32a7113bfd02ab9bd3b90f2f\" class=\"shs-block block-news-article entry-content\">\n\t\t<div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"acf-innerblocks-container\">\n\n<p>A sudden stop. A twist. A blow to the knee. These are some of the common ways an injury can occur to the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It can happen to someone playing in the adult tennis league, as well as professional athletes in the National Hockey League.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Samaritan orthopedic and sports medicine surgeon <a href=\"https:\/\/samhealth.org\/patients-visitors\/find-a-doctor\/mccrum-christopher-1952643744\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Christopher McCrum, MD<\/a>, the new orthopedic consultant for sports injuries with Oregon State University athletics, has treated patients at all levels, including a fellowship with the team physician for the NHL\u2019s Pittsburgh Penguins during their 2017 Stanley Cup Championship season.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>With ACL injuries, the outcome Dr. McCrum is working toward remains the same, whether he\u2019s helping someone to resume daily activity or working with an elite athlete. And the same evidence-based treatments used to care for injured athletes are available to help patients at <a href=\"https:\/\/samhealth.org\/find-a-location\/samaritan-athletic-medicine-center\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Samaritan Athletic Medicine Center<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cMy goal is getting people back to their highest functional level,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-diagnosis-decisions\">Diagnosis, Decisions<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>To diagnose an ACL tear, an X-ray is taken to rule out injury to the bones. Then an MRI scan can confirm a tear and look for other soft-tissue damage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>There are many good treatment options, including nonsurgical rehabilitation. Not everybody needs an ACL to live day-to-day life, Dr. McCrum said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cSome people are able to run and jump,\u201d he said. \u201cFor others, even getting out of the car or pivoting in the kitchen is enough not to be able to cope.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In athletes who play sports like soccer, basketball, football or volleyball, the knee isn\u2019t stable enough without the ACL intact.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cParticularly with young people, there\u2019s a big advantage to repairing the ACL,\u201d Dr. McCrum said. \u201cIf the ACL is deficient, you could end up injuring other parts of the knee.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-reconstruction-options\">Reconstruction Options<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>A surgeon takes tissue from somewhere else in the body or uses cadaver tissue to reconstruct the ACL. For older patients and older athletes, cadaver tissue can be a good choice because this method allows for a quicker recovery period. In younger athletes at higher risk of reinjury, there are three different graft tissue choices for ACL reconstruction: the quadriceps tendon, the patellar tendon and the hamstring.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The quad tendon graft is one of Dr. McCrum\u2019s preferred choices for younger athletes. He makes a small incision over the thigh to harvest a strip of the quad tendon. This method has a low failure and retear rate, and people tend not to experience pain kneeling after surgery.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s the most common one I do because of the risk and benefits,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The other most common graft for athletes is the patellar tendon. During surgery, a piece of bone is removed from both the kneecap and the tibia, along with a strip from the patellar tendon.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThe patellar tendon graft is the most common used by professional athletes,\u201d Dr. McCrum said. \u201cIt\u2019s tried and true, and we have really good long-term outcomes.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But with a patellar tendon graft it can hurt to kneel after surgery where the pieces of bone were removed. That\u2019s why Dr. McCrum prefers the quad tendon graft.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Another soft tissue graft option is the hamstring. This can be a good choice for people who have quadriceps weakness. Because bone is not removed, there is no worry about kneeling pain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Dr. McCrum discusses the options so that patients understand the pros and cons.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cPeople are generally in-tune with their own bodies and can make a good choice,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-surgery-recovery-amp-rehabilitation\">Surgery, Recovery &amp; Rehabilitation<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Surgeons prefer to wait for swelling in the knee to go down and range of motion to return before reconstructing the ACL. Reconstructive surgery is performed as an outpatient procedure, which means a person can go home from the hospital the same day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The anesthesiologist can use a procedure called a nerve block to numb the nerves around the knee to make it more comfortable. Patients start rehabilitation right away.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s not a be-cooped-up-in-bed-type of surgery,\u201d he said. \u201cIt\u2019s a get-back-on-your-feet-and-get-going surgery.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Depending on if the surgery was ACL-only or more involved, expect to use crutches for two to six weeks. Most people are back to full participation in their activities within a year, sooner for some high-level athletes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cIn sports medicine, we perform lifestyle saving surgery,\u201d he said. \u201cI want you to get back to the activities you enjoy.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Learn more about the services at <a href=\"https:\/\/samhealth.org\/find-a-location\/samaritan-athletic-medicine-center\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Samaritan Athletic Medicine<\/a> in Corvallis.<\/em><\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<aside>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figure><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"360\" height=\"300\" src=\"https:\/\/samhealth.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/man-running-311-CO.jpg\" class=\"attachment-cta size-cta wp-post-image\" alt=\"Athletic middle aged man running with sun behind him.\" srcset=\"https:\/\/samhealth.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/man-running-311-CO.jpg 360w, https:\/\/samhealth.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/man-running-311-CO-300x250.jpg 300w, https:\/\/samhealth.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/man-running-311-CO-120x100.jpg 120w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 360px) 100vw, 360px\" \/><\/figure><figure><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"360\" height=\"300\" src=\"https:\/\/samhealth.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/Christopher-Mccrum-OSU-football-338-CO.jpg\" class=\"attachment-cta size-cta\" alt=\"Dr. Christopher McCrum on the sidelines of an Oregon State football game.\" \/><figcaption>Dr. McCrum specializes in orthopedic surgery and sports medicine. He performs arthroscopy of the knee, shoulder and hip and specializes in anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\t\t<\/aside>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/article>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A sudden stop or twist  to the knee can cause a anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury. Learn about your options for repair from Orthopedic Surgeon Christopher McCrum.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":17,"featured_media":13742,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_searchwp_excluded":"","_shs_workflow_notes":"02\/10\/2022","_shs_exclude_from_navigation":false,"_shs_promote_article_on_blogs":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"news-topics":[293],"news-types":[270],"services":[254,263],"specialty":[37,27],"class_list":["post-24113","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized","news-topics-wellness","news-types-feature-article","services-orthopedics","services-sports-medicine","specialty-orthopedic-surgery","specialty-sports-medicine"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/samhealth.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24113","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/samhealth.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/samhealth.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/samhealth.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/17"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/samhealth.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=24113"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/samhealth.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24113\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/samhealth.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/13742"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/samhealth.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=24113"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/samhealth.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=24113"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/samhealth.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=24113"},{"taxonomy":"news-topics","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/samhealth.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/news-topics?post=24113"},{"taxonomy":"news-types","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/samhealth.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/news-types?post=24113"},{"taxonomy":"services","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/samhealth.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/services?post=24113"},{"taxonomy":"specialty","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/samhealth.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/specialty?post=24113"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}