Question
We opted for our 15 year old to work through a MRI viewed and diagnosed ACL tear and Tibula/Fibia bruise with PT rather than the surgery at this point.  My son's knee is still swollen, he does PT 2x per week and spends about 12min. per visit on the eliptical machine as part of his therapy-I wonder what the average charge is and if I should just buy a machine vs paying maybe $70 per wk to use the PT's time and machine for this?  How long does this alternative solution take to recover from ACL damage?  It has been nearly 2 months so far.

Answer
Hello Marie,

   Some tears can heal. Glucosamine and Chondroitin are the only known supplements to help heal the cartilage and joints (take 1500mg per day).  Instead of the elliptical your some may want to try stationary biking (Less stress on the knee) 30 min. per day with little to no resistance.  This combination may greatly increase his healing time.

Have a great day,
Dr. Brendon O'Brien D.C.