What is the ACL?
The anterior cruciate ligament ACL is a ligament in the knee that controls your leg from unnatural movement. It and other ligaments in the knee allow the leg to bend and extend without additional stress.

Houston Sports Medicine Walter R. Lowe M.D.
ACL Injury
An anterior cruciate ligament injury can be caused by abnormal rotational stress placed on the knee. An ACL injury will undoubtedly lead to ACL reconstruction if the patient wants to return to their active lifestyle. ACL reconstruction is one of the most common knee injury treatment that Dr. Lowe performs.  Dr. Lowe is a Houston sports medicine physician that specializes in the reconstruction of an anterior cruciate ligament injury.


ACL Surgery
ACL surgery is a knee injury treatment that allows the ligament to be reconstructed and replaced by what is known as Autografts. Autografts are used in ACL reconstruction by using the patient’s own patellar tendon or hamstring in place of the torn ligament.

After ACL surgery there is a chance that the ACL could be re-injured. If this does occur there could be up to two more knee surgeries to complete ACL reconstruction. If the ACL is re-injured the screws that held the previous reconstructed ACL in place might leave holes in the bone that are too loose and too wide for the new screws in the second reconstruction. Under these circumstances a bone grafting is necessary in order for the knee injury treatment to be completed. The bone grafting allows the widened holes from the prior ACL surgery to be filled so that when the second reconstruction is performed the screws have a tight fit.