Torn ACL: What it means for your favorite athlete

Star cornerback Darrelle Revis tore the ACL in his left knee this past weekend and will require season ending surgery. Sports fans are no doubt familiar with this diagnosis and what it unfortunately means for their favorite athletes. The ACL or anterior cruciate ligament is an important stabilizing ligament in the knee that prevents rotational instability. For athletes who participate in cutting and pivoting sports it is necessary to reconstruct the ligament to provide stability to the knee and prevent further damage to the surrounding structures. The operation has a very high success rate and most athletes are able to compete in 7-9 months after the surgery with a full return to pre-injury level at approximately 12 months.