New from Active Sports Therapy
🎓 In this clip, Dr. Jaron Sullivan shares key insights on managing ACL injuries in pediatric athletes, specifically around how graft selection plays a critical role in long-term success.
We wish we could give you the full two hours of his expertise—but even in one minute, you’ll see why we’re so thankful for his participation in this year’s conference. 🙌 These are the conversations that move the profession forward.
Pediatric ACL Graft Selection: What Families Need to Know
Active Sports Therapy leads the Greater Nashville area in advanced, patient-focused rehabilitation for young athletes. We specialize in helping pediatric patients recover from ACL injuries with evidence-based graft selection and comprehensive rehab. As the best chiropractic and rehabilitation therapy clinic in Hendersonville, TN, our goal is faster, safer returns to play and lifelong performance.
What this topic means
Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries in pediatric athletes present unique challenges compared with adults. Growth plates, activity levels, and long-term knee health all influence decisions about graft choice and timing of surgery. Graft selection refers to which tissue is used to reconstruct the torn ACL — options commonly include patellar tendon, hamstring tendon, or allograft tissue. Each choice affects stability, recovery timelines, and the potential for re-injury, so understanding the trade-offs is essential for families focused on performance and wellness.
Why it matters for patients in Hendersonville and Nashville
Young athletes in Hendersonville, TN and the broader Nashville area want to return to sport and avoid chronic knee problems later in life. Proper graft selection and coordinated rehabilitation reduce the risk of persistent instability and future surgeries. As the best rehabilitation therapy Hendersonville TN offers, Active Sports Therapy works closely with pediatric surgeons, families, and schools to design individualized plans that protect growth plates, prioritize safe progression, and support both short-term recovery and long-term performance.
How our experts diagnose and treat it
Evaluation begins with a thorough history, functional movement screening, and collaboration with orthopedic specialists. Our team uses validated functional tests to assess knee stability, hip and ankle mechanics, and neuromuscular control — all critical when planning post-operative rehab. While our clinic does not perform surgery, our therapists specialize in prehab to optimize strength and mobility before reconstruction and evidence-based rehab protocols afterward. We emphasize proprioception, progressive strength training, and sport-specific movement retraining to minimize compensations that can contribute to back pain or other injuries.
Advanced techniques or equipment used
Active Sports Therapy integrates advanced modalities and objective measurement tools that support superior outcomes. We use force-plate testing for jump and symmetry analysis, handheld dynamometry for precise strength tracking, and video movement analysis to refine cutting and pivoting mechanics. Our sports rehab Nashville TN expertise and in-clinic performance training facilities allow us to tailor progressive loading protocols based on objective milestones rather than arbitrary timelines, which is crucial when managing pediatric ACL graft recovery.
Patient success stories and real-world examples
One teenage soccer player from Hendersonville began targeted prehab two weeks after diagnosis, improving quad strength and single-leg stability ahead of reconstruction. After hamstring-autograft repair and a structured rehab plan at our clinic, she regained symmetric jump performance and returned to club play within a staged, criteria-driven timeline. Another adolescent basketball player opted for patellar tendon grafting after discussion of activity demands; a focused rehabilitation approach minimized anterior knee pain and restored explosive power for jumping and sprinting. These examples reflect our commitment to individualized care and to being the clinic families search for when they type “chiropractor near me” or “sports rehab Nashville TN.”
Prevention and long-term recovery strategies
Preventing re-injury means addressing the whole athlete: strength imbalances, movement quality, fatigue management, and sport-specific demands. Our prevention programs include neuromuscular training, landing mechanics education, and ongoing performance monitoring to reduce risk. For long-term wellness, we collaborate with parents, coaches, and school trainers to implement maintenance programs that support healthy knees and overall athletic development without putting growth plates at risk.
“If you’re dealing with pediatric ACL injuries, the best chiropractic and rehabilitation therapy team in Hendersonville, TN, is here to help you recover faster and perform better.”
“Make sure to watch this video for a deeper look at how our team helps patients overcome pediatric ACL injuries and return to full strength.”
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