ACL Injury Repair:

DMC Sports Medicine Specialists

Joel Snover was an accomplished high school athlete, who found his dream of playing college football in question after the first play of his homecoming game. Playing defense, Joel was engaging an opposing lineman when one of his teammates tripped and fell into Joel.

Joel got up and hopped off the field, but it was clear something was wrong. The pain was extreme, and he was unable to put any weight on his injured leg.

DMC Certified Athletic Trainer Kerrie Walker works with the team and was on hand for the injury. She examined Joel and suspected a torn Anterior Cruciate Ligament, or ACL. “At halftime we did some special tests and it caused a lot of pain,” says Walker. “We definitely knew that it was the ACL, and probably something else.”

Joel was taken to the DMC Sports Medicine Institute, which specializes in the treatment of athletic injuries, from assessment through rehabilitation. He saw Dr. Stephen Lemos, one of the team doctors for the Detroit Tigers and Detroit Pistons, and director of the DMC Sports Medicine Institute. Lemos confirmed the ACL tear.

The ACL, which prevents the shinbone from slipping forward out of place, would need to be reconstructed, or Joel would run a high risk of serious re-injury. Prior to surgery, Joel underwent six weeks of physical therapy with a team of therapists at a DMC Rehabilitation Institute of Michigan satellite center.

“It’s important to make sure they have full range of motion before the surgery,” says Dr. Lemos. “He had some swelling still, and even though his motion was good, it still was not perfect.”

For the reconstruction of the ACL, Dr. Lemos took the middle one-third of the patellar (kneecap) tendon to replace the ligament. It was minimally invasive, done through an arthroscope. Dr. Lemos then re-approximated the ACL, so that it could grow as strong as the original. Finally, the new ACL was positioned and secured with screws.

Joel was walking after one week, and six months later, was ready to get back on the field, and his dream of college ball is back on track. “I know I won’t have to worry about it in the future,” says Joel. “I know that I can just go out and play. It’s just great. Dr. Lemos is a great doctor, and he did a great job.”

To schedule an appointment with Dr. Lemos, call 888-DMC-2500.