Treating ACL Injuries in Glenview

The ACL, or anterior cruciate ligament, is one of the stabilizing ligaments in the knee, preventing translation of the tibia relative to the femur or thighbone. A torn ACL causes the tibia to buckle, damaging the meniscus, cartilage, or smooth lining of the knee, resulting in pain and locking of the knee.

An expert at treating ACL injuries in Glenview, Dr. Greg Portland has a particular thought process when deciding what the proper treatment method should be. Unlike with many injuries where surgery is the last resort following other measures like physical therapy, bracing, or stabilizing, it is often more conservative to perform ACL reconstruction surgery. In Glenview facility the Ravine Way Surgery Center, Dr. Portland has performed a number of successful ACL reconstructions.

For Dr. Portland, the decision boils down to the risks versus the rewards of surgical reconstruction versus bracing and physical therapy, since the ACL is a ligament that does not heal once it is torn.

Candidates for ACL Reconstruction Surgery in Glenview

Dr. Portland often recommends ACL reconstruction surgery in Glenview's Ravine Way Surgery Center for the following candidates:

Athletes involved in high risk activities (re: twisting, pivoting, or jumping)
Heavy laborers involved in high risk activities
Individuals experiencing buckling in daily activity even after physical therapy and bracing
Candidates with a torn meniscus that can also be repaired
Candidates with more than one torn ligament

A younger, higher demand individual most often is the one that requires surgery. The risk of the knee being worse after surgery is negligible, and most of the time improvement is shown. Treating ACL injuries in Glenview by using bracing and therapy is usually more often recommended for older patients who do not engage in demanding physical activity on a regular basis.

To learn more, please watch our reconstruction video in the Patient Education section of the site.