What you have probably been told

An ACL tear usually comes with a choice: reconstruct the ligament surgically, or manage without surgery through rehabilitation and bracing, sometimes called “prehab and rehab” or a non-operative pathway. You may have been given a recommendation based on your age, activity level and which sports you want to return to, or you may have been left to choose between the two yourself without much explanation of the trade-offs. Some people are also told they have other damage alongside the ACL, such as a meniscus tear, which changes the picture.

What a second opinion looks at

Professor Lee reviews your MRI and any clinic letters, takes a history of how the injury happened and what your knee does now (whether it gives way, for example), and examines the knee’s stability directly. He considers what you actually want to get back to: competitive pivoting sport, recreational activity, or simply a knee that does not give way during daily life, since the right answer genuinely differs by goal. He also looks for associated injuries, such as meniscus or cartilage damage, that change the reconstruction decision or the timing of it.

The realistic range of outcomes

Outcomes vary by what you want and what is found. They can include: confirmation that reconstruction is the right route for your goals, with a clear explanation of graft choice and timing; a case for a structured non-surgical pathway instead, with defined criteria for revisiting surgery if that does not work; identification of an associated injury, such as a repairable meniscus tear, that should be addressed alongside or before the ACL decision; or reassurance that your current plan, surgical or not, is reasonable as it stands. None of these is a wrong or unusual outcome.

There is time to get this right

Unlike some orthopaedic emergencies, an ACL decision is rarely something that has to be made in days. Most people have weeks to think it through, get a second opinion if they want one, and decide on a plan that fits their goals, whether that is a return to competitive sport, recreational activity, or simply a stable knee for daily life. Getting a second opinion does not delay your options unnecessarily, and if your original plan is confirmed, you have lost nothing by checking.

Questions worth asking

Given what I want to return to, what does the evidence say about surgery versus rehabilitation for someone like me?
Is there any other damage in the knee that changes this decision?
If I have surgery, what graft options are there and why would one suit me better?
If I do not have surgery, what would tell us it is not working?
What does a realistic return-to-sport timeline look like either way?

What to bring

Bring your MRI (on disc or via a secure link) and its written report, any clinic letters, and a note of how the injury happened and what your knee has done since, including any episodes of giving way. See preparing for your appointment for a full checklist.

ACL injury