[{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/2025\/05\/cree-story-acl\/#Article","mainEntityOfPage":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/2025\/05\/cree-story-acl\/","headline":"Cree’s Story: Meniscus and ACL Repairs in Northwest Pa.","name":"Cree’s Story: Meniscus and ACL Repairs in Northwest Pa.","description":"

After tearing the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in her right knee, Cree visited Dr. Donald Campbell at Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine Associates \u2013 UPMC.<\/p>","datePublished":"2025-05-30","dateModified":"2025-08-07","author":{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/www.upmc.com\/services\/orthopaedics-regions","name":"UPMC Orthopaedic Care","url":"https:\/\/www.upmc.com\/services\/orthopaedics-regions","sameAs":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/orthopaedic-surgery\/","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\/2025\/05\/GettyImages-1653138748-e1748016431291.jpg","url":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/GettyImages-1653138748-e1748016431291.jpg","height":866,"width":2000},"url":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/2025\/05\/cree-story-acl\/","about":["Health Topics A-Z","Orthopaedics","Rehabilitation"],"wordCount":979,"articleBody":"After tearing the meniscus in her right knee twice, Cree Norris was no stranger to knee injuries.But when she tore the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in the same knee, the pain was much more severe.\u201cThe meniscus tears were a breeze compared to this,\u201d says Cree, 48, of Franklin, Pa.Luckily, Cree knew where to go. She visited Donald Campbell, DO, orthopaedic sports medicine surgeon, Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine Associates \u2013 UPMC (OSMA).Dr. Campbell had performed both surgical repairs on Cree’s meniscus, and in February 2025, he surgically reconstructed Cree’s ACL.Over a month after her surgery, Cree is progressing through her recovery and is thankful to Dr. Campbell for his care.\u201cDr. Campbell\u2019s a great doctor,\u201d she says. \u201cHe\u2019s gone in, fixed things, and made them right. I trust him.\u201dA Pair of TearsCree tore her right meniscus for the first time in 2023. The meniscus is a crescent-shaped piece of cartilage that provides cushioning in the knee joint. Cree’s sitting posture put stress on the meniscus, eventually leading to a tear.\u201cI sit on my feet a lot,\u201d Cree says. \u201cThat eventually led to tearing my meniscus.\u201dThe tear caused a popping sensation in Cree’s knee when she walked, and the knee often locked in an unnatural position.\u201cEveryday walking, just going up and down steps, I was having issues with the knee getting stuck,\u201d she says.Cree visited Dr. Campbell for an evaluation at OSMA’s location in Franklin. He ordered a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) exam, which confirmed the torn meniscus.Dr. Campbell explained the tear would require surgery. But he also expected a short recovery time.\u201cHe was very informative and told me exactly what he was going to be doing prior to the surgery,\u201d Cree says. \u201cHe was clear about what was going to happen and what my estimated recovery time was going to be.\u201dDr. Campbell repaired Cree’s meniscus tear in February 2023. Within a month, she felt well enough to resume her activities.\u201cI like to be outside doing yard work, lawn care, and stuff like that,\u201d she says. \u201cIt was at two weeks that I didn\u2019t need crutches. I did everything he asked me to do as far as laying low, keeping the leg elevated, and taking the meds as I was supposed to. The recovery time was a snap.\u201dIn early 2024, however, Cree tore her meniscus again \u2014 also because of her sitting posture.\u201cI was feeling the same issues that I did the first time: the clicking, the stiffness,\u201d she says. \u201cMy knee would get stuck in a certain position, and I would have to manipulate my leg to unstick.\u201dAnother visit to Dr. Campbell and another MRI confirmed the torn meniscus. Dr. Campbell repaired Cree’s meniscus again in February 2024.Once again, the recovery was quick. And Cree learned one thing from the experience.\u201cI don\u2019t sit on my feet anymore, needless to say,\u201d she says.A Severe TearIn August 2024, about six months after her second meniscus repair, Cree tore her ACL. She was standing on a wooden spindle trying to fix a garage light.\u201cI went to step down, and I looked through my bifocals, so it looked closer than what it (actually) was,\u201d she says. \u201cWhen I landed, it was immediate radiating pain, severe, up and down my leg.\u201cI immediately knew I did something wrong.\u201dOnce again, Cree visited Dr. Campbell, and an MRI showed a torn ACL.ACL tears are severe knee injuries that often require surgery and months of recovery time. Dr. Campbell told Cree her recovery could take a year.Because she needed someone to stay with her during her recovery, Cree delayed her surgery until February 2025. Dr. Campbell recommended that Cree wear a brace to stabilize her knee until he could repair it.\u201cIt made a huge difference,\u201d she says. \u201cI was able to get up and down the steps without feeling that wobble in my leg. Because it was just shifting \u2014 my knee was not stable at all, and we didn\u2019t want to tear anything else.\u201cIt was a blessing that he suggested those braces to me because it kept me going until I was able to have the surgery.\u201dThough the brace helped stabilize Cree’s knee, the injury hampered her ability to manage routine activities.\u201cI couldn\u2019t mow the grass anymore,\u201d Cree says. \u201cI couldn\u2019t bend down or kneel down to do any of the gardening work with my flowers or plants. I couldn\u2019t walk my dog. She\u2019s a big dog to be walking around, and I knew I couldn\u2019t do it anymore.\u201dDr. Campbell performed Cree’s ACL reconstruction on Feb. 12, 2025.\u201cHe made me feel very assured that he was going to take care of me, and he did,\u201d Cree says.A Slow, Steady RecoveryCree says she couldn’t do much in the first couple of weeks after her surgery. She spent a lot of time on the couch, icing her knee and keeping it elevated as Dr. Campbell recommended.After a couple of weeks, Cree could get around without crutches \u2014 although she’s still wearing a brace for support. She has also started physical therapy, working to strengthen her knee.Cree says she’s listening to Dr. Campbell’s recovery instructions to avoid setbacks.\u201cI don\u2019t want to push anything because that\u2019s where things happen, more tears and things like that,\u201d Cree says. \u201cSo, I\u2019m just following his guidelines.\u201dCree says Dr. Campbell has helped her greatly. She describes him as laid-back, always willing to answer questions and listen to his patients.\u201cHis bedside manner is great,\u201d she says. \u201cI would definitely recommend Dr. Campbell, which I have to a couple of other people I know who are possibly going in for reconstructive surgery or knee surgery.\u201dSources"},{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"2025","item":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/2025\/#breadcrumbitem"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"05","item":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/2025\/\/05\/#breadcrumbitem"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"name":"Cree’s Story: Meniscus and ACL Repairs in Northwest Pa.","item":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/2025\/05\/cree-story-acl\/#breadcrumbitem"}]}]