[{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/2020\/01\/megan-acl-story\/#Article","mainEntityOfPage":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/2020\/01\/megan-acl-story\/","headline":"Megan\u2019s Story: A Physician Assistant\u2019s Journey from ACL Injury to Recovery","name":"Megan\u2019s Story: A Physician Assistant\u2019s Journey from ACL Injury to Recovery","description":"\u201cI definitely saw improvements every single week. I\u2019m just so grateful that they were able to help me get back to doing my own thing at the gym.\u201d \u2013 Megan An ACL Injury Resurfaces More than a decade after undergoing surgeries to repair bilateral anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) and meniscal tears in her right knee, […]","datePublished":"2020-01-30","dateModified":"2023-04-17","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\/2019\/10\/hiking_blg.jpg","url":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/hiking_blg.jpg","height":1333,"width":2000},"url":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/2020\/01\/megan-acl-story\/","about":["Health Topics A-Z","Sports Medicine","UPMC Stories"],"wordCount":631,"articleBody":"\u201cI definitely saw improvements every single week. I\u2019m just so grateful that they were able to help me get back to doing my own thing at the gym.\u201d \u2013 MeganAn ACL Injury ResurfacesMore than a decade after undergoing surgeries to repair bilateral anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) and meniscal tears in her right knee, Megan noticed that the knee just wasn\u2019t as strong as it was the first few years after the operations.Megan considers herself \u201cyour general, average Jane\u201d who works out in the gym and runs an occasional 5k race. But she also is a physician assistant for UPMC Orthopaedic Care.In the summer of 2018, when occasional jogs in the park led to fatigue, instability, and pain in her knee, she knew something wasn\u2019t right.\u201cIt affected me more as time went on,\u201d Megan says. \u201cIt got to the point where I was walking down the stairs and almost falling every time.\u201dBecause of her work in health care, Megan knew Volker Musahl, MD at UPMC Sports Medicine was the right doctor to assess her problem.Dr. Musahl examined Megan\u2019s knees and ordered an MRI. The results of the MRI confirmed his diagnosis. Megan\u2019s ACL graft had failed, and she needed surgery to regain the full function of her knee.Planning Surgery Around LifeMegan decided to have the surgery, but she was concerned about timing.\u201cWe were going on a long-overdue honeymoon to Ireland for two weeks, so I stressed to Dr. Musahl how important it was for me to hike and be really active on that trip,\u201d says Megan.In April 2019 \u2014 five months before her honeymoon \u2014 Dr. Musahl performed outpatient ACL reconstruction surgery on Megan\u2019s knee. She went home on crutches the same day.\u201cI had wonderful pain management,\u201d says Megan. \u201cI felt like the staff members were extremely skilled and polite. Everybody made my comfort their goal.\u201dAlthough she was still regaining strength, Megan had recovered enough range of motion by September 2019 \u00a0that she was able to hike with minimal assistance on her honeymoon.Modernized Physical TherapyDuring the three-month physical therapy phase of her recovery, Megan had regular appointments with two physical therapists at the UPMC Freddie Fu Sports Medicine Center.\u201cBoth physical therapists were absolutely fantastic,\u201d she says. \u201cThey each had different skills and expertise to bring to the table.\u201dTo improve her range of motion and strength, she did single-leg squats, step-ups, and bicycle exercises.\u201cI definitely saw improvements every single week, and I\u2019m just so grateful that they were able to help me get back to doing my own thing at the gym,\u201d adds Megan.The physical therapists also helped her develop a home therapy program. She was able to track her gym workouts on the UPMC Rehabilitation Institute app. The app allowed Megan to see her progress while her physical therapists kept track of the exercises she was doing and how often she did them.Megan says the app was extremely helpful.\u201cIn a way, it was like having an accountability buddy,\u201d she says.Just Like Everyone ElseWhen asked what advice she\u2019d give someone in a similar position, Megan stressed that recovery is not always a straight line. Having experienced a few setbacks herself, Megan wants others to keep in mind that they can happen to anyone \u2014 even health care professionals.\u201cIt was completely different being on the patient side because it reminded me how humbling it can be,\u201d explains Megan. \u201cDespite the fact that I have knowledge about this process, I\u2019m no different than anyone else. I experienced the same emotions, I got frustrated, and I had setbacks. Going through recovery is a process \u2026 and you have to keep chugging along. My knee is certainly in much better shape now.\u201d"},{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"2020","item":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/2020\/#breadcrumbitem"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"01","item":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/2020\/\/01\/#breadcrumbitem"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"name":"Megan\u2019s Story: A Physician Assistant\u2019s Journey from ACL Injury to Recovery","item":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/2020\/01\/megan-acl-story\/#breadcrumbitem"}]}]