ACL Injury and Laxity in Manhattan, NY

One of the most common knee injuries is to the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL). The ACL is located in the inside of the knee and is the bands of tissues that hold the bones together within the knee. You could either stretch or completely tear your ACL with sudden movements, or by making quick, sharp turns. Soccer, football, and basketball athletes are susceptible to ACL injuries, and studies have shown that female athletes have a higher incidence of ACL injuries than male athletes. The ACL can be injured in different ways, including rapidly changing direction while you are running, stopping suddenly, slowing down while running, a collision or direct contact, or landing incorrectly.

If you have injured your ACL, you may hear a “popping” noise and may feel your knee give out. After the injury has occurred, you may experience pain, swelling, loss of full range of motion, tenderness, or discomfort in the knee when walking. It is important to note that while the swelling may subside, the knee will be unstable and returning to sports or ignoring the injury runs the risk of further damage to the cushioning cartilage (meniscus) of the knee.

Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) therapy and Bone Marrow Concentrate containing stem cells are great non-surgical treatment options for an ACL injury. Treating an ACL injury with Regenexx regenerative medicine therapies begins with advanced diagnostics using the latest technology. Ospina Medical in New York City can devise a treatment plan that is tailored to your specific injury to reduce pain and reduce laxity and instability of the ACL utilizing Regenexx treatments.

If you have been diagnosed with or suspect an ACL injury or have symptoms that may be related to ACL instability, contact our medical team at Ospina Medical. We offer advanced ACL treatments at our clinic in Midtown Manhattan in New York City.

What are the risk factors for ACL injuries or instability?
Risk factors for ACL injury or instability may include:

• Being female
• Participation in sports with rapid changes in knee direction, such as basketball, football, soccer, and gymnastics
• Not using the correct movement for an activity, such as weight lifting
• Shoes that don’t fit properly
• Lacking conditioning for a specific activity or sport

Can an ACL tear heal naturally?
Possibly. If the tear is not complete, research has shown that the ligament should be able to heal on its own without intervention. Conventional wisdom in the past has been that a complete ACL tear needs to be repaired by surgery, but there is increasing evidence that a full rupture may be healed on its own or with nonsurgical, regenerative therapy.

Why are regenerative solutions like Regenexx or PRP preferable to surgical ACL reconstruction?
ACL surgeries typically require a lengthy recovery timeline before you can return to all the activities you did before. Even some of the most highly skilled and gifted athletes in the world typically take 8 – 9 months — or more — to return to the field or court. With regenerative procedures, the process is much less invasive and may require much less downtime.