I recently had my right ACL repaired. My orthopedist said everything looked great. If my rehab continues to go well, does this mean I won't have problems in the future?
Unfortunately, there is no way to predict the long term outcome for you. Sometimes, people who tear a knee ligament also bruise the knee bone. This damage may or may not go away completely. Even though the ACL may have been repaired successfully, the joint may still become arthritic if the bone damage doesn't completely resolve. This is because the initial bone bruise can cause the bone underneath the cartilage to harden. The joint loses its ability to absorb shock, so the cartilage takes the brunt of the forces on the joint. Scientists are working to figure out how to predict and prevent these kinds of problems.
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