ACL Series Professor Evangelos Pappas The ACL decision What are the options?

In this episode, host Carolyn Kent interviews Professor Evangelos Pappas, an expert in musculoskeletal health and ACL injuries. Professor Pappas is the Director of the MedTech Research and Innovation Hub and a Professor of Musculoskeletal Health at the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT).

 

Topics Covered:

Why women's football players are at higher risk of ACL injuries (00:01:27)

Surgical options for ACL tears, including hamstring grafts and bone-patellar tendon-bone grafts (00:07:18)

Non-surgical management approaches, including the "CrossBrace" protocol and bridge-enhanced ACL repair (00:14:03)

The long-term consequences of ACL injuries, including increased risk of early-onset osteoarthritis (00:18:34)

Importance of injury prevention programs and educating athletes about return-to-sport risks (00:20:39)

Decision-making tools to help patients choose surgical vs. non-surgical treatment (00:26:09)

Where to Find Professor Evangelos Pappas:

Twitter: @EVPappas

 

Key Terms & References:

ACL (Anterior Cruciate Ligament)

ACL injury prevention programs

"CrossBrace" protocol

Bridge-enhanced ACL repair

Post-traumatic osteoarthritis

Return-to-sport risks after ACL injury

ACL Decision-Making Tool for Adults

ACL Decision-Making Tool for Children/Adolescents