Pet Forum

For Tiger Woods, the 2008 PGA golf season is over. On June 18, Tiger Woods announced to the world, though his caddie, that his gold season was over for the year since he must now have reconstructive surgery to repair his ACL. While Tiger Woods takes a break from golf, and the PGA, he will also have a double stress fracture in his left foot repaired. Tiger Woods had arthroscopic surgery to repair his knee shortly before his amazing win the the 2008 US Open, but his obvious pain during the tournament showed that his knee required further medical attention.



The anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) is the major stabilizing ligament of the knee. The ACL is located in the center of the knee joint and runs from the femur (thigh bone) to the tibia (shin bone), through the center of the knee. In this position, it functions to prevent a buckling type of instability of the knee. Usually the tearing of the ACL occurs with a sudden direction change or when a deceleration force crosses the knee. The patient often feels or hears a popping sensation, has the rapid onset of swelling, and develops a buckling sensation in the knee when attempting to change direction.

An ACL tear most often occurs during sporting activities when an athlete suddenly pivots causing excessive rotational forces on the ligament. Other mechanisms that can cause an ACL tear include severe trauma and work injuries. Individuals who experience ACL tears usually describe a feeling of the joint giving out, or buckling--patients also often say they hear a "pop."

There are three main treatment goals. The first goal is to stabilize the knee if it is unstable-or at least stabilize it enough to suit your lifestyle. The second goal is to return your knee to normal or almost normal functioning. The third goal is to reduce the likelihood of further damage to the knee. Treating ACL injuries may also help to reduce pain, prevent osteoarthritis, and prevent loss of strength and decreased movement in the knee. Initial treatment of an acute ACL injury consists of using first aid steps to stabilize your knee and reduce swelling and pain. Later treatment may include several months of rehabilitation or surgery with rehabilitation. Not all ACL tears require surgery. Further treatment is nearly always a decision you and your health professional make between rehabilitation only and surgery plus rehabilitation.

There are complications associated with ACL surgery that are risks of all surgical procedures. The most significant is the risk of infection. This is especially concerning in patients who receive a donor graft. Recently, there have been several reports of patient deaths because of infected donor grafts after ACL reconstructive surgery. These cases have been addressed, and the provider of the graft has been shut down, but this is a potential risk with a donor graft. There are also risks of anesthesia. These should be discussed with the anesthesiologist before ACL surgery.