Is You Season Over After An ACL Tear?

Is You Season Over After An ACL Tear?

Dr. William Sterett, M.D.
Videos, Knee Surgery

One question that I hear quite a bit is "can I finish my sports season on a torn ACL?" Quick answer: yes you can, but you are putting yourself at risk if you do.

And, while it's not unheard of for athletes to continue playing with a torn ACL and even going through an entire career without getting the injury fixed, it's not recommended and it can lead to major problems down the road. 

Video: Can I finish the season with a torn acl?

Next question, which often follows on the heels of the first; will an ACL tear heal on its own? The short answer is no. Here's another very quick video on the topic.

Video: Does an ACL tear heal without surgery?

Will an ACL tear end my career?

I hope you didn't tear your ACL, but if you did, make sure to see your doc to find out what your best options are. In this day and age, an ACL tear is not the career-killer it used to be, so you can expect to be back to doing your sport of choice soon even after surgery.

Dr. William Sterett, M.D.
Videos, Knee Surgery
Dr. William Sterett, M.D.

Dr. Bill Sterett is the Head Team Physician for the US Women’s Alpine Ski Team and has been since 1997, with athletes over the years such as Picabo Street, Kristina Koznick, Caroline LaLive, Julia Mancuso and Mikaela Shiffrin. He has served as a US Olympic Committee Team Physician for the past four Winter Olympic Games, with the US Olympic Committee entrusting the care of their athletes to Dr. Sterett in Salt Lake City, Torino, Vancouver and Sochi.

Dr. Sterett is Board Certified by the American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery, a member of the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine, a member of the Arthroscopy Association of North America, and is one of the few physicians who have earned a Certificate of Added Qualification in Sports Medicine.

Dr. Sterett has published more than 30 peer-reviewed articles and has lectured regionally, nationally and internationally on hundreds of occasions over the past twenty years. He currently holds patents on orthopedic devices involved in Joint Preservation and works as a consultant to Arthrex and Biomet sports medicine companies.

Dr. Sterett started the Athletic Training Fellowship Program in Vail, Colorado, and served as its Fellowship Director for 15 years. Additionally, he has served as the Medical Director for the Eagle County School District for 14 years, making daily return-to-play decisions and treating local student athletes. Currently, he serves as the Medical Director for the Vail Valley Surgery Centers and has for the past 12 years.

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How to get back to skiing after an acl tear

How to get back to skiing after an acl tear
Podcast: Talking Biologics with Dr. Sterett!

Podcast: Talking Biologics with Dr. Sterett!