Armando Vidal, MD

01/30/2026

Myth or Fact? Women are more likely to tear their ACL than men.

✅ Fact. Female athletes are 3–5x more likely to sustain an ACL injury.
Why? Not because of effort or toughness—but largely due to biomechanics: how the body moves, lands, and decelerates.

The good news? Biomechanics are modifiable, and that matters for both recovery and prevention. https://armandovidalmd.com/acl-reconstruction-orthopedic-surgeon-vail-aspen-denver-colorado/

What is an ACL? Those 3 dreaded letters….ACL. Every athlete fears hearing them but regrettably ACL injury is part of sporting activities. Thankfully techniques to repair and reconstruct the ACL have advanced considerably in the past few years and as such, our ability to return an athlete to sport ...

01/28/2026

MD-PhD or MD only?

For students drawn to discovery and patient care, dual-degree programs open doors, but they also influence specialty choice, training length, and career flexibility.

Is the research-focused path right for you?

About 3% of residents have MD-PhD degrees. Learn how this track affects specialty choice, GME-application strategy and long-term career opportunities.

01/27/2026

Not all knee pain in kids is “growing pains.” Patella instability can cause:
• Front knee pain
• A kneecap that slides out of place
• Swelling or popping
• A sense of instability

If symptoms keep returning, it may be time for a closer look.

What is patella instability in children? The patella, or kneecap, is a small bone that rests in a groove at the end of the femur (thigh bone). When the knee straightens and bends, the patella moves up or down within the groove. If the groove the patella sits on is shallow or if an accident forces

01/23/2026

Understanding and managing knee injuries means looking at the knee as a complete system: cartilage, menisci, bone, ligaments, tendons, and biomechanics all work together.

Think of your cartilage like the treads on a tire. If your tire wears unevenly and you replace it without fixing alignment, the new tire will wear the same way.

The same is true for your knee: repairing cartilage without addressing why it wore down in the first place often leads to failure. Choosing the right repair technique is critical, but understanding and correcting the underlying cause is just as important, sometimes even more so.

What is knee arthritis? Arthritis is the leading cause of disability among adults in the US today. It is estimated that 70 million Americans will have some form of arthritis in the next 25 years. Arthritis is a degenerative joint condition, causing pain, swelling and limited movement. Osteoarthritis...

01/21/2026

15 Consecutive Years of Trust and Care!

We’re honored to share that Dr. Armando Vidal, MD, has been named a Castle Connolly Top Doctor for in 2026.

For Dr. Vidal, this recognition is about the patients who trust him with their care every day. From complex knee and shoulder injuries to advanced sports medicine, his goal has always been to help people regain strength, mobility, and confidence to return to the life they love.

Castle Connolly Top Doctors are chosen by peers through a careful, independent review of professional achievements which is a process that fewer than 7% of U.S. physicians achieve annually. Being recognized year after year reflects not only technical skill, but a consistent commitment to thoughtful, patient-centered care.

Dr. Vidal is grateful for the trust of his patients and colleagues alike, and he remains dedicated to helping each person move, recover, and thrive safely. https://armandovidalmd.com/dr-armando-vidal-recognized-as-a-castle-connolly-top-doctor-for-2026/

01/21/2026

After a climber tragically fell, rescuers battled high winds to save his partner. She spent hours on a precarious ridgeline, but after dark, one simple tool helped responders locate and rescue her. 🧗‍♀️

Rescuers battled high winds to reach the sole surviving climber, who spent several harrowing hours on a precarious, rocky ridgeline. After dark and out of options, one simple tool helped responders find her.

01/20/2026

Being bow-legged (varus) or knock-kneed (valgus) is usually normal and not a risk for arthritis.

Alignment matters when there’s an injury. A line from hip to ankle shows which part of the knee bears the most load: medial (inside) or lateral (outside). Treating a cartilage or meniscus injury without correcting alignment often leads to repair failure which is the most common reason cartilage repairs fail.

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

01/16/2026

How did Charles “Peanut” Tillman change the game? His famous Peanut Punch revolutionized defensive play in the NFL. Today, stars like Fred Warner and others have adopted and refined his technique, proving its lasting impact on football.

The Peanut Punch has changed defensive football, and has been adopted and refined by the likes of Fred Warner.

01/15/2026

"I saw Dr. Vidal a few years ago, and he wasn’t able to do my procedures due to discrepancies in his specialty vs what I actually needed. But I would like to say publicly that this man knows what he’s doing. I’d actually like to thank him for what he’s done for me, and that’s the purpose of this review.

He was able to diagnose a problem with the anatomy of my knees that no one else could. I’ve been to more orthopedic surgeons than I’d like to count. I’ve had a pretty significantly botched surgery, as well, on top of more knee surgeries than I can count without looking at my record. Not one of those guys could accurately diagnose my issue, nor did they know how to fix it.

Dr. Vidal took one look at my scans and was able to tell me exactly what was going on and what would fix the problem. I needed very complex procedures through a very specialized surgeon. I highly recommend this gentleman. He is truly an expert in his field." -Amber DeMoss

01/14/2026

The knee may look simple, but it relies on a complex system of ligaments to function properly. The main knee ligaments are:
· Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) – forms ½ of an “X” with the PCL ligament, traveling from the front of the tibia to the back of the femur.
· Posterior Cruciate Ligament (PCL) forms the other ½ of an “X” with the ACL, travels from the back of the tibia to the front of the femur.
· Medial Collateral Ligament (MCL) travels down the inside of the knee.
· Fibular Collateral Ligament (FCL or LCL) travels down the outside of the knee.
· Posterolateral Corner – Complex of small structures on the outside, back part of the knee that help control rotation.
· Medial Patellofemoral Ligament (MPFL) – Thick structure on the inner part of the knee cap that keeps the kneecap from dislocating.

What are Knee Ligaments? Knee Ligaments are bands of tough, elastic connective tissue that surround a joint. Ligaments connect the bones in the body, giving support to a joint and limiting the joint’s movement. If a knee ligament is damaged, the knee joint may become unstable. Often, ligament dama...

01/11/2026

Fear, adventure, and self-discovery 🌏

Will Smith’s “Pole to Pole” takes him from deserts to polar ice, exploring the extremes of the world and himself.

In his new docuseries, 'Pole to Pole,' the actor travels through jungles, deserts, and polar ice. Outside sits down with Smith to talk about how filming the show pushed him to reckon with self-discovery and facing fear.

01/10/2026

Female athletes are 3–5x more likely to tear their ACL than males. Biomechanical factors play a key role. Understanding and addressing these risks, both for the repaired knee and the opposite knee, is critical for long-term success. Here is what else you should know ⬇️

What is an ACL? Those 3 dreaded letters….ACL. Every athlete fears hearing them but regrettably ACL injury is part of sporting activities. Thankfully techniques to repair and reconstruct the ACL have advanced considerably in the past few years and as such, our ability to return an athlete to sport ...