After an ACL injury, people often worry if they can return to sport or get back to their level of pre-injury activity. This community features interviews with BEAR Implant recipients who share their comeback stories. The discussions include why they chose the BEAR Implant over traditional ACL reconstruction and their experience with healing their own ACL, including rehabilitation and returning to an active lifestyle. We also hear from their orthopedic surgeons on why the BEAR Implant was a good option.
Be sure to bookmark this page and come back often to see more inspiring stories from real BEAR Implant recipients. If you’re interested in sharing your comeback story, submit your information below.
Submit Your Comeback Story“I saw an MRI of my BEAR Implant knee during rehab. It was crazy to see the inside of my knee and how my body actually grew a new ACL!”
Read More“My goal during rehab was to continue to do the exercises until they became easier and easier. I started with getting back to afternoon walks and by 10 months post-surgery, I was able to return to hiking.”
Read More“It feels great to be able to get back to the track after getting the BEAR Implant. Returning to pole vaulting felt like home to me.”
Read More“My advice to others getting the BEAR Implant is to follow the rehab protocol to hit your benchmarks so you can get back to the sport you love as quickly as possible.”
Read More“It’s unimaginable to me to not have skiing in my life. I trust the science, and I trust that my knee is strong. I know that with the BEAR Implant, I can do things that I might not otherwise have been able to do.”
Read More“I’m an active mom with athletic kids, and I’m not willing to sit on the sidelines. I never considered not returning to sports. At one year, I was back to 100%.”
Read More“Going into my first game back, I was really excited to play again and wasn’t nervous at all. I felt confident and strong.”
Read More“I chose the BEAR Implant because I wanted to be able do everything I was able to do before my injury. Today, I have full confidence in my knee and no concerns about strength or range of motion.”
Read More“Athletes typically say they feel different after an ACL surgery, but I feel like I am the same player today. In fact, I sometimes forget which knee had the BEAR Implant because it feels even stronger in some ways than my non-injured knee.”
Read MoreThe BEAR Implant is available in select cities across the U.S., with more cities coming soon. Learn more about the BEAR Implant or find a surgeon in your area.
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.
The BEAR Implant was cleared by the U.S. Food & Drug Administration and is indicated for skeletally mature patients at least 14 years of age with a complete rupture of the ACL, as confirmed by MRI. Patients must have an ACL stump attached to the tibia to construct the repair.