ACL injury: Should a child have surgery?

We are looking for 5 patients with knee pain who want to get significantly better in the next 30 days. Click this link to let me know you're interested and learn more.

https://www.drdavidgeier.com/work-wit...

As more and more kids play youth sports, more injuries occur. In fact, injuries that used to just occur in adults now occur in kids as young as 10 years old. ACL injuries are a good example.

Please note: I don't respond to questions and requests for specific medical advice left in the comments to my videos. I receive too many to keep up (several hundred per week), and legally I can't offer specific medical advice to people who aren't my patients (see below). If you want to ask a question about a specific injury you have, leave it in the comments below, and I might answer it in an upcoming Ask Dr. Geier video. If you need more detailed information on your injury, go to my Resources page: https://www.drdavidgeier.com/resources/

The content of this YouTube Channel,    / drdavidgeier   (“Channel”) is for INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY. The Channel may offer health, fitness, nutritional and other such information, but such information is intended for educational and informational purposes only. This content should not be used to self-diagnose or self-treat any health, medical, or physical condition. The content does not and is not intended to convey medical advice and does not constitute the practice of medicine. YOU SHOULD NOT RELY ON THIS INFORMATION AS A SUBSTITUTE FOR, NOR DOES IT REPLACE, PROFESSIONAL MEDICAL ADVICE, DIAGNOSIS, OR TREATMENT. You should consult with your healthcare professional before doing anything contained on this Channel. You agree that Dr. Geier is not responsible for any actions or inaction on your part based on the information that is presented on the Channel. Dr. David Geier Enterprises, LLC makes no representations about the accuracy or suitability of the content. USE OF THE CONTENT IS AT YOUR OWN RISK.

In the past, orthopedic surgeons recommended that young kids hold off on surgery until they were done growing. We would advise parents to hold their children out of sports for the few years until they went through their growth spurts. Then they had surgery, once the growth plates had closed, to avoid damage to their growth plates that could lead to one leg being longer than the other or having an angle (knock kneed) not present on the opposite side.

In this video, I share my thoughts and some data on why that treatment has largely changed. More and more skeletally immature patients undergo ACL reconstruction each year. What are the challenges and risks of delaying surgery, and what can be done to safely treat these young athletes?

Please remember, while I appreciate your questions, I cannot and will not offer specific medical advice by email, online, on my show, or in the comments at the end of these posts. My responses are meant to provide general medical information and education. Please consult your physician or health care provider for your specific medical concerns.