ACL Injuries and what to know
Woman’s Doctor: ACL Injuries and what to know
Updated: 1:46 PM EST Feb 17, 2024
DOCTOR, IF YOU GET DIAGNOSED WITH AN ACL INJURY TO THE KNEE, IT NEVER SOUNDS GOOD, BUT IT REALLY DEPENDS ON HOW SEVERE THAT INJURY IS. AND IF IT’S THAT BAD, YOU MIGHT HAVE TO HAVE SURGERY. JOINING US LIVE THIS MORNING WITH MORE IS DOCTOR MARK SLAYBAUGH FROM MERCY MEDICAL CENTER. THANKS FOR JOINING US THIS MORNING. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. IT’S NICE TO BE WITH YOU. SO SURGERY IS NOT ALWAYS NEEDED. IT REALLY DEPENDS ON THE ACTIVITY OF THE PATIENT. OBVIOUSLY YOUNGER PATIENTS AND PATIENTS WHO WANT TO PARTICIPATE IN PIVOTING SPORTS. WE ABSOLUTELY RECOMMEND DOING SURGERY. HOWEVER, SOME INDIVIDUALS CHARLES THAT TEAR THEIR ACL IN A VERY STRANGE WAY. THEN THEY MIGHT NOT NECESSARILY NEED TO HAVE SURGERY IF THEY DON’T WANT TO PARTICIPATE IN PIVOTING SPORTS, OR IF YOU’RE OLDER, UM, PEOPLE THAT RUN AND SWIM AND BIKE MIGHT NOT NECESSARILY NEED TO HAVE THEIR ACL RECONSTRUCTED. SO IT’S VERY INDIVIDUALIZED. IT’S A DISCUSSION THAT YOU NEED TO HAVE WITH YOUR DOCTOR TO ENSURE THAT YOU’RE GETTING THE BEST MEDICAL CARE. SO IF YOU DON’T DO SURGERY, HOW DO YOU RECOVER FROM THAT? IS THAT WHEN PHYSICAL THERAPY REALLY COMES INTO PLAY, IT IS. YES. YEAH. PHYSICAL THERAPY PLAYS A LARGE ROLE. EVEN PATIENTS NEED TO HAVE SURGERY. WE ALWAYS DO ACL REHABILITATION AND THAT’S SENDING THE PATIENT TO PHYSICAL THERAPY SO THAT THEY CAN GET THEIR MOTION BACK. THEY CAN GET THE SWELLING OUT OF THEIR KNEE. AND THEN THEY CAN ALSO GET THEIR LEGS STRONG SO THAT THEY ARE READY FOR THE SURGERY. AND INDIVIDUALS WHO WANT TO PURSUE PHYSICAL THERAPY, THAT’S THE EXACT SAME COURSE THAT WE DO. AND THEN WE LET THEM GO OUT AND REALLY LIVE THEIR LIFE. IF THEY HAVE STABILITY AFTER THAT, THEN WE WOULD RECOMMEND SURGERY AS WELL. SPECIFICALLY FOR ATHLETES. IT CAN BE REALLY HARD WHEN YOU SUFFER AN INJURY LIKE THAT BECAUSE OF THE COMPETITIVE NATURE. THEY WANT TO GET BACK TO DOING WHATEVER IT IS THEY WERE DOING. BUT HOW IMPORTANT IS IT TO LET YOUR BODY HEAL? IT REALLY IS SOMETHING THAT IT TAKES A LONG TIME, ESPECIALLY AFTER SURGERY, TO RECOVER FROM IT. WE KNOW FROM, UNFORTUNATELY, FROM EXPERIENCE THAT INDIVIDUALS TAKE A LOT LONGER FROM AN ACL RECONSTRUCTION. WE USED TO GET THEM BACK IN ABOUT SIX MONTHS. UNFORTUNATELY, INDIVIDUALS A HIGH RATE OF RE-INJURY WITH THAT PARTICULAR PROTOCOL. SO WE’VE REALLY BEEN A LOT MORE CAUTIOUS AND REALLY TRYING TO GET THEM READY, BOTH MENTALLY, PHYSICALLY STRENGTH, GET THEIR NEUROMUSCULAR MODULATION BACK SO THAT THEY ARE READY TO GO BACK ONTO THE FIELD AND THEY DON’T HAVE THAT HIGH RISK OF RE-INJURY. ALL RIGHT. AND A DAY LIKE TODAY WHEN PEOPLE ARE OUT WALKING AROUND SOME SLICK SPOTS, THIS IS WHEN YOU COULD BE AT BIG TIME RISK OF INJURING YOURSELF WITH SOMETHING LIKE AN ACL. YEAH. IF YOU HAPPEN TO SLIP AND SLIDE ON THE ICE, UM, IT’S IT CAN BE A VERY FREAK ACCIDENT. BUT USUALLY IT HAPPENS WHEN YOU’RE PLAYING SPORTS CALLED A NON-CONTACT INJURY. IT USUALLY YOU PLANT YOUR FOOT, YOU’RE TRYING TO TWIST AND YOU FEEL A POP IN THE KNEE, AND THEN IT SWELLS UP IMMEDIATELY. THAT’S TYPICALLY THE WAY THE INJURE YOUR ACL. ALL RIGHT, DOCTOR SLAYBAUGH, THANKS SO MUCH FOR JOINING US. REALLY APPRECIATE IT. HAVE A GREAT REST OF YOUR DAY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. ALL RIGHT. AND IF YOU HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTI
Woman’s Doctor: ACL Injuries and what to know
Updated: 1:46 PM EST Feb 17, 2024
Jennifer Franciotti speaks with Mercy Medical Center Dr. Mark Slabaugh about ACL injuries and what you should know before jumping into surgery.
BALTIMORE —
Jennifer Franciotti speaks with Mercy Medical Center Dr. Mark Slabaugh about ACL injuries and what you should know before jumping into surgery.
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