Advanced Surgery Helps Athletes Return to Competitive Soccer

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 L to R: Sydney Loesing, Ashley Long and Lauren Mathews

When Lauren Mathews, Sydney Loesing, and Ashley Long tore their ACLs (anterior cruciate ligament) playing soccer for their club and high school teams last year, they, like most athletes, thought their soccer careers were over. But thanks to Dr. Frank Noyes, CEO and Medical Director of Cincinnati SportsMedicine & Orthopaedic Center, and the advances of ACL surgery, these athletes were able to return to their club soccer team (the Cincinnati Soccer Alliance) and help their team place 3rd at the National Championships.

The athletes and families knew where to go after the injuries occurred. A previous teammate tore her ACL, had it reconstructed by Dr. Noyes, and made a full recovery. Ashley, a center back, tore her ACL on May 1, 2011 followed by Lauren a week later. Both were recovering from their respective surgeries when Sydney tore her ACL while playing for her Anderson High School team. Lauren’s mother Kerri mentioned Lauren missed her senior year playing for Badin but was able to return to her club team this year. “Lauren is playing the best soccer of her life now,” commented Kerri. “She’s made a full recovery and the staff at Cincinnati L to R: Sydney Loesing, Ashley SportsMedicine was so amazing.” Long, Lauren Mathews.

The procedure to reconstruct the ACL has made great strides over the years thanks to the efforts of Dr. Noyes and many orthopaedic surgeons who value the best outcomes for their patients. “Graft choice and proper placement is critical in helping athletes return to cutting sports,” explained Dr. Noyes. “It takes a skilled surgeon, but also a good physical therapy team and a program like Sportsmetrics to give the athletes the best odds of returning to their activity and preventing further problems.” (Sportsmetrics is a nationally recognized injury prevention program that has a “Return to Play” component for someone recovering from surgery). The time and research Dr. Noyes has spent improving surgical techniques has benefitted many athletes such as Lauren, Sydney, and Ashley. For his dedication on advancing knee procedures such as ACL surgery, Dr. Noyes has been inducted in the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine (AOSSM) Hall of Fame and has been voted “Best Doctor in America®” for the past 21 consecutive years.

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Lauren Mathews after ACL surgery

When Lauren and Ashley were asked what they’d recommend to others about to go through knee surgery, both recommended do what the therapist and surgeon says. Lauren commented the toughest time was when she initially injured her knee knowing she would miss her senior year, but with being highly motivated, knew she’d make a full recovery and return. She was confident her and her family picked the right surgeon and would return to the sport she loves All 3 girls continued their soccer career at the collegiate level. Lauren played at Miami University, Sydney at Indiana State University, and Ashley at NKU. Lauren Mathews after ACL surgery[/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container]