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People sometimes refer to ACL reconstruction surgery as “ACL repair.” Unfortunately, we can’t surgically repair a torn ACL.

ACL reconstruction surgery involves drilling bone tunnels into the tibia and femur, removing the torn ACL fibers, harvesting a tendon from your body (or from a cadaver), and affixing that tendon to your tibia and femur in place of what was previously your ACL.




As I understand it the tendon forms a matrix that allows a ligament to regrow along it. At around 3 months the tendon graft dies off and the ligament tissue continues to grow.


Yes, thanks for the detail, if we're being technical.

You seem to be knowledgeable in the field, I'm curious if you have any broader disagreement with the point of my original comment?


If you ever want to ski or play soccer again, even just casually, you need an ACL.

I had ACLR and despite a horrific recovery process from the surgery I'm still glad I got it, in my mid-30s, as a software engineer.




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