After tearing her ACL during competitive cheerleading practice, Molly came to Children's Hospital of Philadelphia for surgery. https://www.chop.edu/acl

Tears of the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) are among the most common sports injuries – especially among children and adolescents involved in competitive sports that require a lot of running, jumping and quickly switching directions. A quick pivot can tear or rupture the ACL, one of the core ligaments inside the knee which, along with the posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) controls the stability of the knee.

While there are multiple ways to treat an ACL injury, children and teens who are still growing require specialized care, treatment and rehabilitation. ACL surgery in a child or teen should account for the fact that bones are still growing.

Molly's pediatric orthopaedic surgery, Ted Ganly, MD, and a team of others at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, helped her return to her sport.