• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Howard J. Luks, MD

Howard J. Luks, MD

Orthopedic Surgeon Sports Medicine Specialist

  • Topics
    • Joint Pain
    • Longevity
    • Metabolic Health
    • Sports Medicine
    • Training
    • Top Articles
      • Zone 2 Training
      • Shoulder Pain Lifting Arm
      • Knee Injury Serious?
      • Medial Meniscus Tears
      • Front Of Knee Pain
      • Shoulder Snaps & Pops
    • All Articles
  • Newsletter
  • Podcast
  • Book
  • About
  • Consultation
ACL

Why Did I Tear My ACL Again ?

Avatar photo

Howard J. Luks, MD Updated Sep 17, 2021 Read time: 3 mins

ACL surgery

Did I Just Tear My ACL Again?

You remember that horrible pop and you vividly remember the anxiety laden  trip to the operating room.  You remember thinking  how could that small cut on the front of my knee hurt so much.  The months of grueling rehabilitation and exercises  are etched in your memory forever… and you thought you had put it all behind you.

You anxiously return to the playing field, you twist and turn in pursuit — POP :-(  Your heart is pounding, your mind is racing … and that feeling at the bottom of your stomach is telling you that you may have injured your ACL once again.

Why Did I Tear My ACL Again !!

ACL surgeryThere are many potential reasons why you find yourself on the examing room table of your Orthopedic Surgeon once again.   Let’s review them with the hope that you will never have to deal with this horrific injury ever again.

  1. The scientific literature is fairly clear on many of the reasons why some of you are at risk for developing an ACL tear.  In many it has to do with your landing mechanics, the orientation of their leg, and in women it has to do with their hormonal variations during their ovulation.  In many of you it was simply an injury that was going to happen — your mechanics are simply off.
  2. You weren’t ready to return yet.  Many people are under the misconception that simply having the surgery and having your wounds and incisions heal is all that is necessary to enable you to return to sports after ACL surgery.  Nothing could be further from the truth.   By far the most important part of the ACL process is rehabilitation.  The most important people to work with during the ACL recovery process are your physical therapist and your athletic trainer.  Regaining your normal strength is only a  small part of the overall recovery process.  You will need to learn proper landing mechanics, jumping and pivoting mechanics and the entire lower half of your body will need to be properly educated to minimize the risk of another injury.  The psychological or emotional part of the recovery can not be ignored and plays a huge role in the successful return to the playing field.
  3. Technical issues … or surgical failure.  An ACL reconstruction is a technically challenging procedure.  It requires attention to detail and a lot of experience.  We have discussed how to choose your ACL surgeon previously. Much of our recent literature on ACL injuries has focused on how ACL surgery should be performed and what tissue should be utilized to replace your ruptured ACL.  ACL surgery is not as simple as it may seem.  It is technically difficult and requires a significant amount of experience.  Volume matters.  You need to be under the care of a surgeon who performs many each year.  Unfortunately the average surgeon only performs a handful of ACL surgeries each year. Talk to your local trainer to see who they recommend.
  4. Poor graft choice — The use of allografts or cadaveric grafts in young athletes is very controversial and most of us avoid it.  The re-injury rate is higher when compared to using your own tissue.   When you’re considering ACL surgery you will have many options about which tissue to use to surgically replace your torn ACL.  Choices include autograft or your own tissue, as well as allograft or cadaveric tissue.  No one particular graft is the right choice for everyone.  In women who tend to be quadriceps dominant and hamstring deficient, a hamstring tendon graft may not be the proper choice.  In an older athlete with relatively low functional demands an allograft might be a great choice.  A bone-patella tendon-bone graft is considered the gold standard by many for high level contact athletes.

There are many reasons why you may have re-injured your ACL.  Unfortunately the research shows that a very high percentage of athletes with an ACL tear will go on to re-tear the same knee or injure the ACL in the other knee.  There is a lot of science to support a strong ACL tear prevention program and more and more schools and clubs are starting to institute them.  A ounce of prevention is clearly worth it’s weight in gold.

Do you have questions regarding an Orthopedic injury or longevity? 

Do you want to talk to an expert who can listen to you for 45-60 minutes and explain the options in detail? 

Dr. Howard Luks offers remote guidance sessions to review your X-ray or MRI images and explain your options. 

Dr. Luks has also received hundreds of requests for educational sessions on the topics discussed in his book, Longevity Simplified.

Schedule Remote Session

Categories: ACL Tags: ACL, ACL Injury, ACL Recovery, ACL Rehab

Disclaimer:  this information is for your education and should not be considered medical advice regarding diagnosis or treatment recommendations. Some links on this page may be affiliate links. Read the full disclaimer.
Dr. Howard J. Luks

Howard J. Luks, MD is a leading orthopedic surgeon & sports medicine specialist. An expert in shoulder, knee, and other sports injuries, and author of Longevity... Simplified.

About · Contact · Private Consultation

Remote Guidance Sessions
  • Facebook
  • X
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • YouTube

Like what you're reading?

Join the thousands of followers who rely on Dr. Howard J. Luks, a board-certified orthopedic surgeon specializing in Sports Medicine, with tools, tactics, and techniques for simplifying longevity.

Further Reading:

return to sports after ACL surgery
ACL Recovery – 4 tips for the first 4 weeks: Setting the Stage for a Great Rehab
ACL Surgery
Can I Return to Sports After My ACL Reconstruction?
Should I return after ACL surgery
Why Some Athletes Never Return to Sports After ACL Surgery
ACL Recovery
How Long Does It Take To Recover From ACL Surgery?

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Jeff

    Aug 4, 2015 at 6:24 pm

    Great Share Dr. Howard. I remember when I tore my ACL during a football game. It was everything you described and hurt like crazy. The rehabilitation is where most need to be patient at. If you go to soon you risk the chance at re-injuring. Thanks for sharing your wisdom!

Primary Sidebar

Dr. Howard J. Luks

Howard J. Luks, MD is a leading orthopedic surgeon & sports medicine specialist. An expert in shoulder, knee, and other sports injuries, and author of Longevity... Simplified.

About · Contact · Private Consultation

Remote Guidance Sessions
  • Facebook
  • X
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • YouTube

Top Articles

The importance of VO2 Max

VO2 Max. It’s not just about your mitochondria

Walking is exercise

Walking IS Exercise: Why All Movement Matters

Zone 2 heart rate training

Zone 2 Heart Rate Training For Longevity and Performance

Do I have a serious knee injury

Is My Knee Injury Serious? 5 Signs to Look For.

Newsletter

Join the thousands of followers who rely on Dr. Howard J. Luks, a board-certified orthopedic surgeon specializing in Sports Medicine, with tools, tactics, and techniques for simplifying longevity.

Read the Book

An easy-to-read guide that tosses out the myths and clears up the truth behind living longer. As you read this book, you will:

  • Understand the science behind the recommendations for living a longer and healthier life.
  • Understand that all our bodies’ systems are interconnected and rely on one another.
  • Connect the dots to poor metabolic health and take steps to reverse this path.
  • Recognize that fear doesn't need to be your reality.
  • Recognizing that most people view “exercise” as unpleasant work.
  • Stop going down “rabbit holes” of false information.
  • Realize you don't have to change as much as you think.
Find Out More
Read Reviews
Longevity... Simplified: Living A Longer, Healthier Life Shouldn’t Be Complicated

Available at:

Bookshop
Amazon
Barnes & Noble

Trending Now

  1. Zone 2 heart rate training
    Featured
    Zone 2 Heart Rate Training For Longevity and Performance
  2. The importance of VO2 Max
    Featured
    VO2 Max. It's not just about your mitochondria
  3. Reframe why exercise is important. Not to lose, but to gin.
    Muscle and Strength
    We Exercise To Gain, Not To Lose.
  4. Seasoned Doctors Want to Leave Medicine.
    Sports Medicine
    Seasoned Doctors Want to Leave Medicine.

Howard J. Luks, MD

Orthopedic Surgery & Sports Medicine

128 Ashford Avenue
Dobbs Ferry, NY 10522

(914)-559-1900
[email protected]
Book Private Consultation

Topics

  • Joint Pain
  • Longevity
  • Metabolic Health
  • Sports Medicine
  • Running
  • Training

Browse All Articles

Joint Pain

  • Ankle
  • Elbow
  • Hip
  • Knee
  • Osteoarthritis
  • Shoulder

More Orthopedic Education

  • Topics
  • Newsletter
  • Podcast
  • Book
  • About
  • Consultation

© 2025 · Howard J Luks, MD · Disclaimer & Terms · Privacy Policy
The information on this site is not intended or implied to be medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
This site should be used for informational purposes only.