This weekend, Derrick Rose underwent surgery to repair his torn left ACL.
Rose had a season full of injuries, the most recent of which happened on April 28 during the Bulls’ first playoff game against the 76ers. Rose came down hard on his leg and collapsed in pain.
We’ve already reported on how this injury was likely the result of longstanding ankle instability. Now that the surgery is over, let’s discuss what an ACL repair consists of.
Dr. Silverman Comments
Rose did not undergo an ACL repair. No one repairs the ACL. You cannot sew a ligament like the ACL back together as it will never heal. Instead, doctors take allograft (human donor tissue) or autograft (the patient’s own tissue) and recreate the major function of the ACL to prevent abnormal movement about the knee joint.
An ACL reconstruction is most commonly done arthroscopically, where small cameras and instruments are placed through small incisions in the skin. Metallic or absorbable screws are placed in the bone tunnels to hold the grafts rigidly in place. After surgery, pain is controlled with strong narcotics. Weight-bearing and rehabilitation through range of motion of the knee joint can start immediately after surgery.
Rose will undergo intensive physical therapy to return him to his best. He has every potential of playing again despite his other problems (ankle instability and chronic turf toe/hallux rigidus). The question on everyone’s mind is: “When will Derrick Rose return to basketball?” The answer is about 6 months after surgery.
The bone blocks heal in 6 weeks. Rehabilitation of the knee may take about 3-4.5 months at the most. So why are athletes held for 6 months? Because the ligament itself needs to strengthen. It needs to be completely replaced by new tissue. That takes anywhere from 18 to 24 months.
I hope his rehabilitation includes ankle stabilizing exercises and better bracing if the doctors choose not to fix his ankle ligaments. Unlike ACL surgery, ankle ligament reconstruction allows patients to return to sport 8-12 weeks post operatively.
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