ACL Repair

ACL repairs are a standard orthopaedic procedure these days. It’s common for athletes to have had at least one (or more) if they are involved in sports that have high impact and agility (e.g. lots of running, jumping, speed and direction changes such as netball or football).

But which repair should you go with? Hamstring or patella tendon? Surgeons tend to have their preference of technique and there are pros and cons for each. For example patella tendon graphs can tend to increase your risk of developing patella tendinopathy, particularly if you are involved in sports that put a lot of load on this area. They can also be uncomfortable to kneel on post op (something that should be considered if your job involves a lot of this - for example plumbing). But some claim that patella tendon graphs are stronger than hamstring graphs so risk of re-injury is lower. And of course hamstring graphs can be equivalent to having a small tear in the muscle. So you will not only have to rehab the knee but also the hamstring muscle.

There are pros and cons for both. You should talk them over with your surgeon before you decide which is best for you. Ultimately your outcome will depend on how well you rehab as well.