The ACL Study Group meets every two years to update the latest knowledge on ACL injuries and treatments. This year’s meeting was at the base of the Hahnenkamm ski race in Kitzbuhel Austria—the most famous downhill ski race on the World Cup circuit. One hundred and fifty of the world’s top ACL surgeons watched 30 of the world’s bravest ski racers hurtle down the ice-crusted hill at 140 km/h (84 mph). The outcome of the race was predictable: The Austrians dominated. The outcome of the scientific meeting, however, was less conclusive; the ACL is still a tough problem to solve.

At Stone Clinic we’re often asked, “What can I do to preserve my knees?” The answer: don’t get hurt. Knees can go forever, providing their cartilage and ligaments stay intact. “But how do I not get hurt?”

Which are you: a statistic or a person with a problem? If you ask the government, or many of the “managed” health care plans, you are seen as a “life”—as in, how many “lives” will be treated and at what cost? If you ask a doctor who has your best interests at heart, you are a person. But if he or she says they must follow a guideline for your arthritis care, walk out. Here is why.

The choice to operate—or not to operate—is a daily decision that all surgeons go through and that all injured patients face. At times, operative care can actually be more conservative than non-operative care, notably in cases where the injury is only going to get worse. Here are some of the typical choices our patients will face during this upcoming ski and winter sports season.

Bone bruises are often the first, middle, or last step in the development of arthritis. The old thinking was to just let them heal. The new thinking tells us to treat both the bruise and the cause of it before it gets worse. Here is how.

The shoulder can dislocate or just subluxate—i.e., move partially in and out of the joint. The causes for these are most commonly a torn ligament or a lax capsule. The repair steps have improved dramatically and are worth doing early.

“Doc, my knee popped, it now catches and gives way.” Whether it is the knee, the ankle, the hip, or the shoulder, catching and giving way—especially after hearing a pop—is bad news.

Every surgeon has a different skill set—and it’s important that their preferences align with yours.

Joint health and flexibility affect not only our mobility, but our quality of life.

The humble bone spur may be an ally in treating this painful condition.

Recent news stories proclaiming meniscus surgery to be useless miss the point, due to outdated information. And they can do considerable harm by convincing people that leaving a torn meniscus in the knee is a good choice when, in fact, it destroys the knee.

Curvature of the leg bones don’t always need dramatic surgical operations. Replacing and repairing the missing shock absorbers makes more sense.

Arthritis is preventable. Yet until recently most people thought it was inevitable. Here are some examples of how to best treat your injured knee.

Hard to reach, the Posterior Cruciate Ligament was often ignored or left ruptured after injury. New techniques now permit effective reconstruction.

Though usually self-healing in the young, a tongue-twisting condition called Osteochondritis Dissecans (OCD) can mean more serious trouble for adolescents. Advances in knee surgery may move this injury, like many others, into the “curable” realm.