When 27-year-old Joe Squeo tore his anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) after a fall while dirt biking, he knew he had a long road to recovery ahead of him. His brother had undergone ACL reconstruction (ACLR) years prior but still experienced pain on a daily basis. Joe knew he would be able to return to sport successfully but was concerned about whether he would have a similar outcome as his brother. As an avid athlete who also competes in CrossFit, Joe wanted to pick a surgery that would enable him to get back to his high level of activity.

Having heard about the BEAR Implant through a coach at his CrossFit gym, Joe was introduced to Dr. Molly Tatum, an orthopedic surgeon at Orthopedic Institute of Dayton in Dayton, Ohio, to discuss ACL surgery options. Joe and Dr. Tatum spoke with us about why Joe ended up choosing the BEAR Implant, what his overall experience was like compared to his brother’s ACLR surgery and how he is doing two years post-surgery.

Q: How did you tear your ACL?

Joe: I tore my ACL after a dirt bike accident. A car almost backed into me as I was pulling into a parking lot, and it caused me to fall on my side with the bike slipping out under me. Since I was straddling the dirt bike, the fall pinned my leg against the ground. Even though I was in shock as I walked 100 feet back to my apartment, I knew something was wrong. I felt super lightheaded, and as I tried do some squats and leg exercises to test my mobility, my knee felt weak and unstable. I saw an orthopedic doctor the following week and the ACL tear was confirmed on an MRI two and half weeks later.

Q. What treatment options did you explore and why did you choose to move forward with the BEAR Implant?

Joe: I knew traditional ACL surgery was an option since that’s what my brother had. I spoke with a coach/physical therapist at my CrossFit gym who worked with Dr. Tatum’s outpatients and mentioned there was a newer treatment for ACL tears. After meeting Dr. Tatum and hearing about the differences between the BEAR Implant and ACLR, I decided to look more into the data. I trusted the science after seeing how well patients were doing two-years post-surgery.

The two factors that solidified my choice to get the BEAR Implant were that it would be less invasive than ACLR and I could get back to sport at a similar timeframe. I was willing to take a chance on the BEAR Implant, especially since I saw my brother still struggling with knee pain after ACLR. The medical field is advancing quickly, and I thought a newer treatment option had to be an improvement.

Q: Why was Joe a good candidate for the BEAR Implant and why do you recommend it for patients like him?

Dr. Tatum: Joe was a great candidate because he was motivated to get back to his high-level athletic activities and was willing to abide by postoperative rehabilitation guidelines. Our bodies want to heal themselves, and the BEAR Implant now gives the ACL the environment it needs to do so.

Q: How was your rehab experience?

Joe: The first three months of rehab were harder than I thought it would be. Just prior to tearing my ACL, I had moved to Ohio from New York, started living on my own and adopted a dog. Getting around on crutches while walking the dog was really difficult. The physical part of rehab went as I expected – what was challenging was the mental aspect. I am very motivated, and it was hard not to push my physical limits during those initial months. Getting my strength and confidence back took longer than I thought. The first six months, I lacked full range of motion and was focused on breaking up scar tissue. In the back of my mind, there was the thought of not ever getting my mobility back to 100%. I focused on slowly adding in more things to my repertoire and progressing each week.

Q: Can you tell us about your return to sport experience?

Joe: I have been doing CrossFit for three years and have been working out for over 12 years with a history of training for races and strength events. I was cleared to return to sport at nine months and decided to join a CrossFit open gym competition that following month. My goal was to be able to do all the workouts without having to scale or change it to accommodate my knee – and I’m happy to say I accomplished that. Prior to the competition, I was nervous because it would be the first time I’d be under pressure and pushing myself at that level. During the heat of the moment, I didn’t think about my knee or any limitations. Although I was able to compete without adjustments, I knew I still had more healing ahead of me.

At the one-year mark, I finally stopped noticing my knee and once my squat strength returned, I felt I was back to my pre-surgery self. I have since hit several personal bests that exceeded my records prior to surgery. I can now squat 335 pounds, up from 305 pounds pre-surgery; deadlift 435 pounds, up from 405 pounds; and do clean and jerks at 255 pounds, up from 225 lbs. I’m stronger than I was prior to tearing my ACL. I just know I am at 100% plus some and my knee isn’t an issue at all.

Q: How does Joe’s case compare to other ACLR patients who have returned to sport in similar timeframe?

Dr. Tatum: When Joe was released back to full activities at nine months, he seemed much more confident in his BEAR Implant knee than many ACLR patients at the same time point.

Q: How was your BEAR Implant recovery compared to your brother’s ACLR recovery?

Joe: My brother had ACLR with a patellar tendon graft. Although our return to sport timelines were similar, my recovery at the six-month mark was a little quicker, and the scarring on my BEAR Implant knee was very minimal compared to his scars following ACLR. My brother also has pain on a daily basis in normal activities, whereas I have been able to return to 100% capacity in the gym without any pain.

Q: What differences do you notice in your knee from when you were first cleared to return to sport/activities to where you’re at now, two years post-surgery?

Joe: When I was first cleared to return to sport, I noticed my leg with the BEAR Implant was a bit weaker than my other leg. Because I had a little more stiffness in that knee, I had to warm up that leg more and was more cognizant about being careful to protect that knee, especially if I was doing single leg squats or box jumps. Now that I’m two years out, I don’t really think about my BEAR Implant knee at all, and activities are second nature to me. I’m at the point where I don’t notice any differences, and my range of motion, flexibility and strength are the same for both knees.

Q: In your opinion, what is most notable about the BEAR Implant? How has it impacted how you treat ACL tears?

Dr. Tatum: The BEAR Implant restores the patient’s own ACL without requiring a tendon and asking it to work as a ligament. I offer it now to all my patients who have recently torn their ACL as an option for treatment, as I have the confidence it is working well for my patients after performing over 45 BEAR Implant surgeries.

Q: How has getting the BEAR Implant changed your life, and do you have advice for others who have torn their ACL?

Joe: Getting the BEAR Implant helped me return full capacity to the life I had pre-injury in all my daily activities and sports. My advice for others who have torn their ACL is to get multiple opinions when it comes to treatment options. It’s important not only to talk to the surgeons you’re considering working with but also the physical therapists, as they are the ones who will help you through rehab and recovery. Make sure you understand the full recovery process and what to expect after surgery and even years later.

Q: Now that you’re two-years post-surgery, would you still recommend the BEAR Implant to others and why?

Joe: Yes, I would recommend the BEAR Implant because it’s a less invasive surgery than ACLR, which requires you to cut into multiple parts of your body. I have been very happy with my recovery and I’m happy to say I don’t have any stiffness or underlying pain in my knee today.

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 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.

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 www.miachortho.com for complete product information, including Instructions for Use.

ML-1183 Rev A 5/2024