Returning to Skiing After An ACL TEAR: 5 BEAR® Implant Comeback Stories
Approximately 20,000 skiing-related ACL injuries happen every year, making it one of the most common knee injuries in skiers. Even with gear maintenance, proper warm-up and strengthening exercises, ACL tears still happen to skiers of all levels and ages.
The BEAR® Implant enables the body to heal its own torn ACL and restores the natural function of the knee, instead of replacing it with a graft in an ACL reconstruction (ACLR). To date, more than 600 patients with snow-related injuries have been treated with the BEAR Implant. Read on for a round-up of patient stories detailing a successful return to the slopes following ski-related ACL injuries and BEAR Implant treatment.
1. Kelsey Wittels, Big Mountain
Kelsey is a competitive big mountain skier who tore her ACL after a bad landing jumping off a cliff at the beginning of the winter 2023 ski season. She was concerned about how ACL treatment would affect her skiing career, as many people within her ski community weren’t able to fully return to competing following ACLR. Since returning to mountain skiing at the nine-month mark, Kelsey placed sixth overall in her first competition at 13-months post-surgery.
“Ultimately, having a smaller incision site, not having to take a graft and rehab another part of my body and giving my body the opportunity to regrow my own ACL helped me come to the decision to move forward with the BEAR Implant,” she says.
2. Tim Braun, Downhill
Tim is a downhill skier who has been skiing for over 47 years and tore his ACL after twisting his right knee during a fall on a heavy wet snow day. Tim completed his rehab alongside other ACLR patients and had a significant difference in his progress and ability to jump and perform more strenuous activities by the six-month mark. Tim is back to the level of confidence and challenging ski terrain he’s used to after returning to skiing nine months post-surgery.
“After going through rehab and recovery, I have even more stability and strength and my BEAR Implant knee is performing even better than my left knee with no injury,” he says.
3. Holly Reitsema, Freestyle
Holly is a freestyle skier and coach at Woodward Copper snowboard and ski training camp who tore her ACL falling after hitting a jump. She was hesitant to get ACLR because she didn’t feel any pain from the ACL tear, but knew she would have pain after getting the graft. Holly was cleared to ski advanced terrain at nine months post-op. Today she’s focused on getting more kids into the terrain park and supporting young women to pursue freestyle skiing, a primarily male-dominated sport.
“I had so much grief when I lost skiing after tearing my ACL. At times, it was challenging to stay on track during rehab, and it wasn’t a linear experience of healing. These days, once I properly warm up [before skiing], I feel like I did before I got injured,” she says.
4. Tory Waldstein, Downhill
Tory tore her ACL after an intense fall while downhill skiing. She wanted an option that could maintain the natural anatomy of her knee and ultimately chose the BEAR Implant because the overall recovery timeline was similar to ACLR. Tory continues to be very active, and in addition to skiing, she has gotten back to tennis and pickleball.
“My goal was to return to sports within the 9–12-month timeframe [my surgeon] outlined. My aspirational goal was to be able to ski by January the following year with the BEAR Implant, and I accomplished that,” she says.
5. Victor Rossin, Downhill
Victor fell and tore his ACL while skiing icy terrain after a big snowfall and had initially considered ACLR because that’s the treatment option his wife chose following the same injury a few years prior. Victor returned to skiing at the one-year anniversary of his injury. Although his ski competition days are now over, Victor continues to live an active lifestyle through hiking, running, cycling and skiing.
“I felt that the BEAR Implant offered more benefits over reconstruction, such as maintaining the natural alignment of my knee to ensure the best possible stability, and that’s why I chose it. My surgeon also said he felt that this is a great option for skiers,” he says.
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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.
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