Armando Vidal, MD

03/27/2026

A revision ACL reconstruction is performed when a previous ACL surgery fails. Unfortunately, children and teens have the highest re-tear rates of any age group, even when surgery is done perfectly.

Why do ACL reconstructions fail?
🔹 Technical factors – Tunnel placement must precisely match anatomy
🔹 Biologic factors – Cadaver (allograft) tissue has a 3–4x higher failure rate in kids
🔹 Other ligament injuries – Untreated instability puts stress on the graft
🔹 Alignment issues – Bone shape and slope can increase risk
🔹 Meniscus damage – Plays a key role in knee stability
🔹 Rehab gaps – Incomplete recovery = higher re-injury risk

Revision surgery is more complex. Identifying why the first surgery failed is critical to getting it right the next time.

Choosing an experienced team can make all the difference for a young athlete’s future.

What causes an ACL tear in children? ACL injuries in children and teens are on the rise in the United States and are one of the most common injuries in pediatric sports medicine. Everyone’s perception is that these injuries result from a direct impact to the knee – but most of these

03/26/2026

MYTH: A knee dislocation is just a temporary injury.
REALITY: Most knee dislocations require surgery.

Why?
➡️ Risk to blood vessels and nerves
➡️ Multiple ligament tears
➡️ Ongoing instability if untreated

A full evaluation is critical to avoid serious complications.

This is not an injury to ignore.

What is a dislocated knee? It sounds horrible and can be quite painful but luckily, knee dislocations are fairly uncommon. When they do happen, however, this complex knee injury is extremely serious. A dislocated knee occurs when the femur (thigh bone) and tibia (shin bone) are forced out of their c...

03/24/2026

Think of your knee like a car tire.

If alignment is off, pressure isn’t distributed evenly, which wears down one side faster.

Bow-legged or knock-kneed alignment alone isn’t usually harmful.
But if cartilage or meniscus damage occurs in the overloaded area…

That’s when problems start.

Fixing the injury without fixing alignment often leads to failure.

Sometimes the issue isn’t just the damage, it’s the load.

What is Malalignment of the knee? Malalignment is a complex topic and can occur in and of the three (X,Y Z) planes. For this section, we will focus on the most common malalignment – the coronal or frontal plane. In the ideal setting, if we drew a line from the center of your hip to the center

03/19/2026

If you’ve had a complete tear of your medial patellofemoral ligament (MPFL) or conservative treatments haven’t worked, Dr. Vidal can replace the ligament with a tendon (from you or a donor). This creates a new ligament that restores knee stability and patients of all ages can benefit!

Recovery highlights:
· Brace for ~6 weeks, weight-bearing allowed immediately
· Physical therapy begins right away with gentle motion, progressing to strengthening
· Return to sports in 4–7 months

What is the MPFL? The MPFL is an acronym for the medial patellofemoral ligament. Similar to a strong rubber band, the ligament possesses elastic-like qualities and helps stabilize the kneecap as the knee moves. Its job is to prevent the kneecap from moving or dislocating to the outside of the knee (...

03/18/2026

Orthopedics has evolved beyond surgery! Biologic treatments like platelet rich plasma, stem cells & bone marrow aspirate help regenerate tissue, treat conditions with no other options, and enhance recovery. Learn more 👇

What is a Biologic Treatment? In the past, orthopedic advances have centered on surgical techniques, new joint materials and new methods of operating, such as arthroscopic surgery. Today, biologic treatments have become the cutting edge of orthopedic treatment. Due to their regenerative properties,....

03/17/2026

Medial vs. Lateral Meniscus Injuries – Which Is More Common?
🔹The medial meniscus is 3x more likely to tear because it’s less mobile and firmly attached to the knee capsule.
🔹 The lateral meniscus is more flexible and usually only tears when the ACL is injured.

Understanding this helps with early recognition and treatment!

Where is the lateral meniscus? The lateral meniscus is one of the most critical structures in the knee – arguably more critical than its medial counterpart! The lateral meniscus is the meniscus located on the outside of the knee joint. It is so critical because it occupies 70% of the surface of th...

03/12/2026

“Leaving a child’s meniscus injury untreated can lead to early arthritis.”

Dr. Vidal, pediatric orthopedic surgeon, emphasizes careful evaluation: location, severity, and blood supply determine treatment. Advanced techniques like meniscus transplantation can protect the growth plate and restore function.

Early action = healthier knees.

What is a Meniscus Tear? The knee is made up of three bones, the femur (thigh bone), tibia (shin) and patella (kneecap). The knee has soft tissue that connects these bones and holds them in place. Between the femur and the tibia are two C-shaped discs of cartilage called the meniscus. They act as sh...

03/11/2026

Knee pain when you run? Don’t let it stop you! Expert-backed tips can keep you running pain-free on roads and trails. Learn how to protect your knees, improve form, and strengthen key muscles to stay active longer.

To help you stay on the road and trails (and out of the doctor's office), follow these expert-backed tips.

03/10/2026

Is your child experiencing shoulder pain or instability? Common symptoms of shoulder instability in kids and teens include:
· Popping, grinding, or crunching sounds
· Shoulder “giving way” or popping out
· Chronic pain with lifting or overhead motion
· Limited range of motion
· Numbness, tingling, or tenderness
· Weakness & decreased sports performance

What is shoulder instability in children? The upper arm bone (humerus) sits in a shallow socket in the main part of the shoulder joint called the glenoid. The shoulder capsule and ligaments hold the bones of the shoulder securely in place. An injury to the ligaments or shoulder capsule can cause the...

03/06/2026

When treating meniscus tears, preservation is the priority.

Repair (stitching the tear) is ideal when the knee is healthy, stable, properly aligned, and the tear pattern is favorable.

But since not every tear can be saved, partial meniscectomy remains common.

Understanding the type of tear matters.

What is the anatomy of a meniscus? Each knee has two menisci which are wedge-shaped fibrocartilage discs that act as shock absorbers. The peripheral third of each meniscus has a blood supply which facilitates healing and influences our decision on whether repair or resect the torn portion. The inner...

03/05/2026

Gen Z athletes are rewriting the Olympic playbook.

From prioritizing mental health to training with AI and sharing it all live from the Village...the Games will never be the same.

Today’s athletes aren’t just chasing medals. They’re prioritizing mental health, training with AI, challenging gender norms, and broadcasting it all from inside the Village.

03/03/2026