Dewayne Vance, age 39, tore his ACL in July 2023 during what started as a simple moment of play with his dog. For someone whose job requires constant climbing, kneeling and lifting, the injury raised a critical question: Would he be able to return to work at full capacity? Advances in ACL treatment continue to change how surgeons approach ligament injuries, especially for patients whose livelihoods depend on physical strength and knee stability.

In this inaugural story in our new BEAR at Work series, we spoke with Dewayne about how the BEAR Implant helped him return to his physically demanding role as an Area Field Manager at U-Haul, where his knees are put to the test every day. We also connected with his surgeon, Dr. Molly Tatum, an orthopaedic surgeon at the Orthopaedic Institute of Dayton in Dayton, Ohio, to discuss how the BEAR Implant has impacted the way she treats ACL tears and why it was the right option for Dewayne.

Q: How did you tear your ACL?

Dewayne: I was playing with my dog and as I was chasing him, he darted to the side. In an effort not to hit him, my forward momentum took me down. There was a significant popping sound. I immediately knew something was wrong and thought I had broken my leg. Once I calmed down, I went to the ER where they initially thought it was a medial collateral ligament (MCL) tear. I actually went to work the next day while using crutches and wearing a brace, it was rough. Two weeks later, I saw Dr. Tatum and she confirmed it was an ACL tear through an MRI.

Q: How did you learn about the BEAR Implant and what made you choose it?

Dewayne: Dr. Tatum told me there were two different surgeries for ACL tears — one which used a tendon from somewhere else and then there was also the BEAR Implant. I ended up choosing the BEAR Implant simply because the thought of having my own ACL heal itself was more appealing than having a second incision and using another tendon from my body. I also liked that the BEAR Implant had a similar recovery timeline as traditional ACL reconstruction (ACLR).

Q: Did you ever think about whether your ACL tear would impact your ability to return to work?

Dewayne: I have a very physical job — lots of climbing, pulling, pushing and lifting heavy things — and that played a role into why I wanted to heal my natural ACL with the BEAR Implant. I would rather have my original parts intact versus taking a tendon and weakening another part of my body while trying to recover from the ACL tear.  

Q: What, in your opinion, is most notable about the BEAR Implant? How has this technology impacted or changed the way you treat ACL tears?

Dr. Tatum: The BEAR Implant is applicable to a majority of patients with an ACL tear, and it has transformed how we approach these injuries. I now can offer a way for the patient to heal their own ACL. Our bodies want to heal itself, and this gives it the environment it needs to do so.

Q: Why was Dewayne a good candidate for the BEAR Implant? Why do you recommend the BEAR Implant for your patients like Dewayne?

Dr. Tatum: All patients are eager to get back to their pre-injury level of activities no matter what that was. For a patient like Dewayne who needs to work for his livelihood, the BEAR Implant was something I could offer that was less invasive and less morbidity than the traditional ACL reconstruction surgery.

Q: Tell me about your job.

Dewayne: I’ve been with U-Haul for 17 years. As Area Field Manager now, I manage all the independent dealer network locations — places that rent from U-Haul — and I’m in charge of opening, maintaining, and making sure the locations are successful. I drive trucks with 2,000–3,000-pound trailers on top, and on a daily basis I have to climb up a 13 feet ladder to strap down the trailers. It’s a very physically demanding job, especially when it comes to my knees and legs, as I’m pushing them hard every day.

Q: What unique considerations are there when it comes to the BEAR Implant vs. ACL reconstruction for patients like Dewayne who use their knee heavily at work, with a lot of bending, climbing and lifting?

Dr. Tatum: The BEAR Implant does not require a graft harvest so there is less morbidity, less incisions and no concerns of decreased strength related to the graft harvest.

Q: What is your opinion on long-term kneeling pain with ACL reconstruction when compared to the BEAR Implant?

Dr. Tatum: Unlike the BEAR Implant, kneeling pain is definitely a challenge that can arise after a bone-patellar-bone autograft is performed during an ACL reconstruction and can often be a long-term issue.

Q: Tell us about the rehab experience.

Dewayne: Rehab was hard at first — but my physical therapy team was very caring, and they did an amazing job. I was the only BEAR Implant patient at the clinic, so everything was a learning process. Dr. Tatum was in close contact about what I could and couldn’t do. I was very unsure of myself at physical therapy in the beginning and felt like I wasn’t capable of doing a lot of the things I was asked. With time, rehab did get better. I think when you’re younger, your body is like Gumby, and you bounce back quicker. But when you’re older like me, things are a little slower and you have to put in more work. By the end of the first month, things started kicking into place. I was approved to go back to work at two months with a lot of restrictions to ensure I didn’t push my body too much, and then fully cleared at seven months.

Q: When Dewayne was first cleared to return to work at two months, what were the restrictions he needed to observe? What were the criteria used to fully clear him at seven months?

Dr. Tatum: At two months, Dewayne was able to stand and walk but could not do any climbing or squatting activities. He was also on a 10-pound lifting restriction. Dewayne progressed through a rehabilitation program with our physical therapists who knew what his job duties were, and they made sure to mimic them during rehab. Once he was able to start doing some twisting and pivoting comfortably at seven months, he was ready to be cleared for work without restrictions.

Q: Was there anything notable about Dewayne’s rehab or recovery?

Dr. Tatum: Going back to work at two months after any ACL surgery and to be able to stand and walk for full workdays was impressive. Many times, patients aren’t able to do this until close to three months post-surgery.

Q: How does the return-to-work timeframe differ following the BEAR Implant vs. ACL reconstruction?

Dr. Tatum: My return to work or return to play timeline does not differ much between the BEAR Implant and ACL reconstruction. However, it is noticeable that the BEAR Implant patients have less pain and progress better in the earlier stages of rehabilitation.

Q: Can you tell us more about your return to work?

Dewayne: When I first went back to work, I couldn’t do anything that required climbing or squatting or lifting anything over 10 pounds to allow my knee time to heal. I started with getting readjusted to the day in and day out aspect, but my mental block was still there. It was weird having thoughts in my head that normally wouldn’t be there, such as how I get in and out of my rig or how much pressure I should put on the gas pedal since that was my BEAR Implant leg. I was very cautious with my movements because I didn’t want to retear my ACL and go through rehab again. After completing seven months of rehab, I was finally cleared without restrictions. I was back to lifting the 2,000–3,000-pound trailers and conducting any repairs the trucks needed. I was pulling off 250-pound tires daily, and my knee felt fine without any problems or instability.

It’s been almost 2.5 years since I received the BEAR Implant, and today I still spend about 40% of my workday in a kneeling or crouching baseball position. At the end of the day, there is some swelling and aching in my knees due to the heavy physical demands of my job, but I don’t feel a whole lot of pain other than normal arthritis pain due to my age. I wore a knee brace consistently for the first full year back to work since I do a lot of pivoting, and I still periodically use my brace for additional support.

Q: How does your BEAR Implant knee feel today? What is your level of confidence?

Dewayne: My BEAR Implant knee feels easily 98% back to normal. That 2% remains because post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) after an injury is real. There is still that mental aspect where I am more careful as I’m climbing up and down. I’m also hesitant to run after my dog, I walk briskly towards him now! However, the confidence in my knee is there, and it feels pretty comparable to my other uninjured knee.

Q: Do you have any advice for patients who have torn their ACL? 

Dewayne: I think it’s important to keep in mind that there’s a chance you’ll have PTSD even after completing the rehab process. Honestly speaking, the first year back to work was really rough for me and I was hyper focused on how to not reinjure myself. If you have that mental block like I did after going back to work, therapy is a great option. It’s possible to talk to somebody who can help you learn techniques to bypass that way of thinking. Even though the mental aspect can be way more daunting than the physical recovery, you will be able to get back to your normal life.

Q: How has the BEAR Implant changed or impacted your life?

Dewayne: If I had gotten ACLR at my age, I think having to rehab multiple parts of my body at the same time would have been substantially harder. I made the right choice to get the BEAR Implant because it allowed me to heal my original ACL while avoiding a second incision and having to work out my quads or hamstrings. I’m proud to share that for the past two years since returning to work, I have been named “Area Field Manager of the Year” at U-Haul, amongst 801 of my colleagues in the same position. Having the BEAR Implant has made me more conscious of how I move day to day. I am confident that without the surgery, I would not be able to do such a physically demanding job effectively.

Learn more about the BEAR Implant and find a surgeon

The BEAR Implant is available across the U.S. Learn more about the BEAR Implant or find a surgeon in your area. If you’re a parent considering the BEAR Implant for your child, click here for more information. If you’re a BEAR Implant patient and would like to share your story, click here.

The BEAR Implant from Miach Orthopaedics was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in December 2020. It is indicated for adults, adolescents and children with a complete or partial rupture of the ACL, as confirmed by MRI. Patients must have an ACL stump attached to the tibia to construct the repair. Children with open physes must have sufficient bone in the femoral and tibial epiphyses on either side of the intended tunnel locations to avoid disruption of the growth plates. In patients 14 years and older who have an ACL injury with concomitant knee injuries, ACL restoration with the BEAR Implant reduces the risk of developing post-traumatic knee osteoarthritis (Kellgren-Lawrence grade 2 or higher), at 6-years post-surgery, compared to ACL reconstruction (ACLR) surgery using hamstring tendon autograft.

It is important to follow the BEAR Implant physical therapy program. Your surgeon can explain the program details.

Be sure to discuss your individual symptoms, diagnosis and treatment with your surgeon. The BEAR Implant has the same potential medical/surgical complications as other orthopedic surgical procedures, including ACL reconstruction. These include the risk of re-tear, infection, knee pain, meniscus injury and limited range of motion.

Visit miachortho.comfor complete product information, including Instructions for Use.

ML-1400 Rev A 02/2026