3 Videos For Parents of Kids and Teens with ACL Tears

Pediatric
Written By Dr. William Sterett, M.D.

Nobody wants to deal with their child being hurt or injured. But, as I know from personal experience, having kids and teens who are active in competitive sports creates a potential for injuries, one of the scariest being ACL tears.

The good news is, we're miles and miles ahead of where we used to be in terms of our knowledge and experience treating this injury, both in adults and in the pediatric category. 

If you are a parent of a child or teen with an ACL tear, you'll find these three videos useful as you begin to evaluate your options.

1. What is the biggest risk of operating on a child's ACL?

When we treat the pediatric ACL, we face the risk of disturbing the growth plates.
 

2. Why do we still recommend pediatric ACL surgery despite the risk?

Even though there is a risk to the growth plates, we often recommend pediatric ACL sugery to avoid the chance of early-onset arthritis.
 

Should my Teenager get ACL Surgery and What is The Risk?

Visit a specialist to get an expert opinion on your situation.

As always, we recommend visiting an orthopaedic sports medicine specialist to give you guidance on your child's specific injury. 

Good luck!

Dr. Sterett

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.

http://www.drsterett.com
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