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I am really, really upset over the results of my ACL repair. I tend to have loose joints anyway. But the repaired knee seems looser than the other side. This doesn't seem right to me. Should I complain?

Joint laxity or looseness can be a difficult problem to balance with surgery. And this is especially true for patients who are already hypermobile. Hypermobile joints have excess motion. If the joint isn't unstable, then the joint laxity may not be a problem. But if it feels like your knee is giving out unexpectedly or with certain activities, then the instability must be addressed. In some cases, the positioning of the graft used in the reconstruction of the ACL is the main cause of this problem. Good positioning and good alignment are needed for control of knee stability. If this was not achieved during surgery, then rehab may help you recover your function. And if rehab is unsuccessful in restoring normal strength, proprioception (joint sense of position), and kinematics (joint movement), then revision surgery may be needed. Talk with your surgeon about your observations and concerns. Find out what are your options before assuming this is your final result.

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