We interviewed renown orthopedic surgeon Dr. Nima Mehran to talk all about all things related to the anterior cruciate ligament or ACL. With over 200,000 ACL injuries per year and over half of those injured going to go surgery, the ACL is a hot topic within the performance and health fields alike. But what is the ACL? What does the ACL do? Do you need surgery after an ACL injury? We answered all those questions and more in this fantastic interview!
There are more than 200,000 ACL injuries each year in the United States alone, and approximately 65% of these injuries are treated with reconstructive surgery. ACL graft options and selection is one of the main topics of discussion between orthopedic surgeons and their patients. Numerous factors including patient age, occupation, and activity level, graft availability, surgical history, existing tendinopathy, and the experience and preference of the surgeon, should be considered prior to determining which type of graft will be used for reconstruction. We've teamed up with Dr. Nima Mehran, an orthopedic surgeon who specializes in sports medicine, to cover everything you need to know about what you can do prior to surgery for maximal results, graft selection, and what to expect immediately after surgery. With this guide, you will no longer have to fear the unknown!
Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction (ACLr) is one of the most common surgeries performed due to a sports injury. ACLr rehab and ACL prevention training is one of the hottest topics in the sports medicine world. The reality is while 80% of ACL reconstruction (ACLr) patients return to some form of sport, only 65% return to the same sporting level and 55% return to sport at a competitive level within 1-2 years post ACLR (reference). In this article, we will cover ACL return to sport testing as well as some of the alarming statistics regarding this topic.
Soccer is the worldโs most popular sport and demonstrates continued growth in the United States each year. Over 13 million Americans play soccer, and according to US Youth Soccer, there are over 3 million youth soccer players registered in the United States today. Although there are benefits to playing soccer such as improved cardiovascular health, strength, and self-esteem, there are also some inherent risks involved. One study found that there were over 2.4 million soccer related injuries leading to an Emergency Room visit between the years 2000 and 2012. Another study showed that soccer is the high school sport with the highest risk of injury for female athletes. The most commonly injured areas are the ankle and knee, and the most common injuries are sprains and strains. In this article I will highlight the most common injuries seen in soccer, and demonstrate research based soccer prehab exercisesย to prevent these injuries while employing soccer-specific activities.