Vail Ski Patroller Recovers from ACL Tear
Vail ski patroller Allie Parker was skiing with another patroller when she took a fall. It wasn’t a significant fall, but her ski didn’t release and it torqued her knee. She heard a pop and felt a little pain. As a trained EMT, she knew she had torn something, but she wasn’t sure what. “I thought maybe it was my MCL,” recalls Allie. She skied down the rest of the mountain and decided to seek medical treatment immediately.
Allie needed to decide on an orthopedic practice to go to. “I knew about VSO from growing up in the Valley and many of my fellow patrollers (who also had ACL repairs) suggested VSO as well. I wanted the best possible chance of having a successful surgery and recovery.” She went online to research the best knee surgeons in the Valley and landed on Dr. Bill Sterett.
The Head Team Physician for the US Women’s Alpine Ski Team and Medical Director of Vail Valley Surgery Centers diagnosed Allie with a Grade III ACL tear. “Dr. Sterett laid out all my options, but as a previous patroller himself, he knew I wanted it fixed ASAP.” As one of the few physicians in the country to have done fellowships in both Sports Medicine & Orthopedic Trauma Surgery, Dr. Sterett is experienced at taking care of complex athletic injuries and returning athletes to their chosen sport.
“My first experience with Dr. Sterett and his athletic trainer was honestly comforting. In an environment that allows for little time with each patient, I truly felt like Dr. Sterett gave me a chance to relay all my concerns.”
As someone who “likes to move”, Allie wanted to get back to doing all her activities as soon as possible. “Every type of physical activity, whether yoga, running, or dancing, all give meaning to my life. My favorite sport really depends on the season, it is so hard to compare skiing and trail running when they stimulate totally different senses. I do something outside and active every day, otherwise I feel like I missed an opportunity.”
Surgery was scheduled and Allie started to weigh her options as to what type of ACL graft she would choose. Dr. Sterett had explained that ACL reconstruction can be done with several different graft choices. The most common options include patellar tendon, hamstring tendon, and donor tissue (allograft). Each of these choices has advantages and disadvantages. Allie chose a hamstring graft because of her age.
“After the surgery, I spent most of my time with Shannon, my therapist at Axis Physical Therapy. Dr. Sterett’s team continuously checked in on my progress.” Ally says the communication between the two disciplines - PT and ortho - cohesively led to her successful recovery and eventual return to the outdoors. “VSO sets the standard high. With each appointment and phone call, I was impressed by the efficiency of the VSO team without compromising my quality of care.”
“The experience taught me trust and humility. After my injury, I realized the most fulfilling part of my life was now in the hands of those healthcare providers involved in my surgery and recovery. Trust in those with greater knowledge and experience to restore meaning to your life is a big commitment to make. I am thankful for trusting the expertise of Sterett’s team and would not do it differently.”
During the tedious progression of her recovery, Allie says she adopted the motto ‘the progress is small, but it is still progress’. “To those going through a similar injury, I recommend repeating this phrase each and every day. Some people lose the ability to walk and never have the opportunity to regain it back--be grateful and humbled by the experience. Know that no matter how stellar you are with physical therapy, biology is biology and the body needs time and rest to heal.”
