[{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/2017\/04\/partial-acl-tear-ariana\/#Article","mainEntityOfPage":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/2017\/04\/partial-acl-tear-ariana\/","headline":"Recovery from Partial ACL Tear: Ariana’s Story","name":"Recovery from Partial ACL Tear: Ariana’s Story","description":"During a basketball game her freshman year of high school, Ariana awkwardly planted her foot and fell to the floor. ","datePublished":"2017-04-05","dateModified":"2019-12-11","author":{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/www.upmc.com\/services\/sports-medicine-regions","name":"Sports Medicine","url":"https:\/\/www.upmc.com\/services\/sports-medicine-regions","sameAs":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/sports-medicine\/","parentOrganization":"UPMC"},"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"UPMC HealthBeat","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/UPMC-HealthBeat-Logo.png","url":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/UPMC-HealthBeat-Logo.png","width":600,"height":60}},"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/Ariana-patient-story.jpg","url":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/Ariana-patient-story.jpg","height":527,"width":791},"url":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/2017\/04\/partial-acl-tear-ariana\/","about":["Sports Medicine"],"wordCount":341,"keywords":["acl tear","back to school","orthopaedic surgery","physical therapy","sports injury","sports medicine"],"articleBody":"During a basketball game her freshman year of high school, Ariana awkwardly planted her foot and fell to the floor.\u201cThere was a loud pop, and I knew automatically it wasn\u2019t right. I had never felt that in my life,\u201d she said.Learn more about UPMC Sports MedicineTwo days after her injury, Ariana\u2019s parents scheduled an appointment at the UPMC Rooney Sports Complex. During her appointment, Ariana met with a primary care sports medicine doctor, had an MRI on her knee, and was able to be seen by orthopaedic surgeon\u00a0Volker Musahl, MD, who diagnosed her with a partial ACL tear.\u201cUPMC was great. It all fell into place that day. She got her MRI, and it just happened to be that Dr. Musahl was there and saw her,\u201d said Ariana\u2019s mother, Tania.\u201cIt was amazing and a blessing because he was there and able to fit her in.\u201dBefore surgery, Dr. Musahl worked with Ariana\u2019s physical therapist to develop a comprehensive recovery plan so that she would be able to return to playing soccer \u2014 her primary sport \u2014 in the fall.Immediately following surgery, Ariana began physical therapy close to home and was given a traction machine to help slowly bend her knee. Her knee also was stabilized with a brace, and she was restricted to walking with crutches for about two months. After the first few weeks, Ariana continued her physical therapy at the UPMC Rooney Sports Complex, under the care of Andrew Lynch, PT, Ph.D.She met with Andrew three times a week, early in the morning, and worked on regaining strength. Her training incorporated jumping and sudden movements so that she would be ready for soccer season. Nine months after surgery, Ariana had regained strength in her knee and the confidence to play on the field again.\u201cI feel really good. It\u2019s not that I was hurting, I just had to get used to my knee. I have gotten used to it and have gotten my confidence back to play again.\u201d"},{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"2017","item":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/2017\/#breadcrumbitem"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"04","item":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/2017\/\/04\/#breadcrumbitem"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"name":"Recovery from Partial ACL Tear: Ariana’s Story","item":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/2017\/04\/partial-acl-tear-ariana\/#breadcrumbitem"}]}]