https://resources.merrittsurgery.com/blog/Knee and hip injuries, surgery and recovery.https://resources.merrittsurgery.com/blog/acl-rehab-after-clearance-super-knee/https://resources.merrittsurgery.com/blog/acl-rehab-after-clearance-super-knee/Tue, 06 Oct 2026 15:00:00 -0700A new randomized trial (SUPER-Knee) shows supervised strengthening helps people still struggling one to three years after ACL surgery — and doesn't harm cartilage.https://resources.merrittsurgery.com/blog/mcl-injury-dallas-goedert/https://resources.merrittsurgery.com/blog/mcl-injury-dallas-goedert/Thu, 01 Oct 2026 15:00:00 -0700Most MCL tears heal without surgery. Why the MCL is different from the ACL, realistic return-to-sport timelines by grade, and the few situations where I do operate.https://resources.merrittsurgery.com/blog/meniscus-trim-vs-repair-recovery/https://resources.merrittsurgery.com/blog/meniscus-trim-vs-repair-recovery/Wed, 09 Sep 2026 15:00:00 -0700One pro was back in six weeks, the other is out six months. The trim-versus-repair decision that drives meniscus recovery, and why I repair whenever the tissue allows.https://resources.merrittsurgery.com/blog/acl-tears-on-day-one-of-camp/https://resources.merrittsurgery.com/blog/acl-tears-on-day-one-of-camp/Tue, 04 Aug 2026 15:00:00 -0700Most ACL tears happen with no one touching the athlete, and the first days back after a break are the riskiest. Why, and what actually lowers the risk.https://resources.merrittsurgery.com/blog/bear-implant-acl-repair/https://resources.merrittsurgery.com/blog/bear-implant-acl-repair/Tue, 21 Jul 2026 15:00:00 -0700The BEAR implant repairs your own ACL instead of replacing it. What the newest registry data shows about re-tear rates, the FDA arthritis label, and who is a good candidate.https://resources.merrittsurgery.com/blog/do-prp-injections-work-for-knee-arthritis/https://resources.merrittsurgery.com/blog/do-prp-injections-work-for-knee-arthritis/Tue, 23 Jun 2026 15:00:00 -0700A new meta-analysis of 18 controlled trials says PRP works for knee arthritis — with a catch: platelet concentration. Who benefits, how long it lasts, and what to ask.https://resources.merrittsurgery.com/blog/let-cuts-acl-retear-risk-in-high-risk-athletes/https://resources.merrittsurgery.com/blog/let-cuts-acl-retear-risk-in-high-risk-athletes/Tue, 09 Jun 2026 15:00:00 -0700A study of 1,003 elite athletes found that adding a lateral extra-articular procedure to ACL reconstruction cut re-tears from 14% to 5%. The question every young athlete should ask their surgeon.https://resources.merrittsurgery.com/blog/why-i-add-let-to-acl-reconstruction/https://resources.merrittsurgery.com/blog/why-i-add-let-to-acl-reconstruction/Tue, 26 May 2026 15:00:00 -0700Lateral extra-articular tenodesis (LET) cuts graft failure in high-risk ACL patients. What it is, what the STABILITY trial showed, and who I recommend it for.https://resources.merrittsurgery.com/blog/which-acl-graft-is-best/https://resources.merrittsurgery.com/blog/which-acl-graft-is-best/Tue, 19 May 2026 15:00:00 -0700Patellar tendon, hamstring or quad tendon? A new meta-analysis of randomized trials finds similar outcomes. The real tradeoffs of each graft and how I choose.https://resources.merrittsurgery.com/blog/glp1-ozempic-and-knee-arthritis/https://resources.merrittsurgery.com/blog/glp1-ozempic-and-knee-arthritis/Tue, 12 May 2026 15:00:00 -0700GLP-1 drugs were linked to far fewer knee replacements, may protect cartilage directly, and lower infection risk before surgery. What the research shows and how I use it.https://resources.merrittsurgery.com/blog/can-we-cure-arthritis-arpa-h/https://resources.merrittsurgery.com/blog/can-we-cure-arthritis-arpa-h/Tue, 14 Apr 2026 15:00:00 -0700Three federally funded teams regrew cartilage — and in one case a whole knee — in animal studies, with human trials planned. Why this feels different, and the honest caveats.https://resources.merrittsurgery.com/blog/acl-surgery-over-50/https://resources.merrittsurgery.com/blog/acl-surgery-over-50/Tue, 24 Mar 2026 15:00:00 -0700New research on 155 patients over 50 shows high satisfaction and low failure rates after ACL reconstruction. Activity level, not age, should drive the decision.https://resources.merrittsurgery.com/blog/acl-prevention-for-girls-in-sports/https://resources.merrittsurgery.com/blog/acl-prevention-for-girls-in-sports/Tue, 10 Mar 2026 15:00:00 -0700Girls tear their ACL three to six times more often than boys, and prevention programs like FIFA 11+ cut that risk by 50–80%. What parents can do right now.https://resources.merrittsurgery.com/blog/meniscus-transplant-alternatives/https://resources.merrittsurgery.com/blog/meniscus-transplant-alternatives/Tue, 03 Feb 2026 15:00:00 -0700For the knee that lost its meniscus years ago, a transplant isn't the only answer. Why I often start with alignment correction (osteotomy) instead, and when a transplant makes sense.https://resources.merrittsurgery.com/blog/same-day-knee-and-hip-replacement/https://resources.merrittsurgery.com/blog/same-day-knee-and-hip-replacement/Tue, 13 Jan 2026 15:00:00 -0700Same-day joint replacement is now the standard of care for the right patient. Who qualifies, what the safety data shows, and why it has become possible.https://resources.merrittsurgery.com/blog/stanford-cartilage-regeneration-study/https://resources.merrittsurgery.com/blog/stanford-cartilage-regeneration-study/Tue, 09 Dec 2025 15:00:00 -0700A Science study regrew true hyaline cartilage in older mice by blocking an aging enzyme. What it found, what it doesn't show, and whether you should wait for it.https://resources.merrittsurgery.com/blog/meniscus-root-and-ramp-tears/https://resources.merrittsurgery.com/blog/meniscus-root-and-ramp-tears/Tue, 11 Nov 2025 15:00:00 -0700Root tears make the knee behave as if the whole meniscus is gone, and ramp tears hide behind ACL injuries. Why I repair them whenever the tissue allows.https://resources.merrittsurgery.com/blog/thunderbirds-captain-mcl-reconstruction/https://resources.merrittsurgery.com/blog/thunderbirds-captain-mcl-reconstruction/Tue, 21 Oct 2025 15:00:00 -0700The Seattle Thunderbirds documentary following their captain from a severe MCL tear and reconstruction back to the ice — and what recovery from a serious knee injury really takes.https://resources.merrittsurgery.com/blog/protein-speeds-surgical-recovery/https://resources.merrittsurgery.com/blog/protein-speeds-surgical-recovery/Tue, 30 Sep 2025 15:00:00 -0700Most surgical patients eat far too little protein. How much you actually need before and after surgery, which kind works best, and why I also recommend creatine.https://resources.merrittsurgery.com/blog/anterior-hip-replacement-approach/https://resources.merrittsurgery.com/blog/anterior-hip-replacement-approach/Tue, 09 Sep 2025 15:00:00 -0700How the direct anterior approach spares muscle, why most patients skip hip precautions, the honest tradeoffs like thigh numbness, and what to ask your surgeon.https://resources.merrittsurgery.com/blog/patellar-dislocation-what-to-know/https://resources.merrittsurgery.com/blog/patellar-dislocation-what-to-know/Tue, 12 Aug 2025 15:00:00 -0700About one in four people who dislocate a kneecap will do it again. Who is at risk, what new research says about early surgery, and how I treat patellar instability.https://resources.merrittsurgery.com/blog/regrowing-cartilage-in-japan/https://resources.merrittsurgery.com/blog/regrowing-cartilage-in-japan/Tue, 08 Jul 2025 15:00:00 -0700iPS-cell cartilage in Japan and AMIC in Germany are real — but not yet available here. What's actually happening abroad, why the US is slower, and what I can offer you today.https://resources.merrittsurgery.com/blog/acl-advice-for-parents-of-young-athletes/https://resources.merrittsurgery.com/blog/acl-advice-for-parents-of-young-athletes/Tue, 17 Jun 2025 15:00:00 -0700Year-round single-sport specialization is behind many of the teen ACL tears I see. What the research says about specialization, injury and burnout, and what I tell parents.https://resources.merrittsurgery.com/blog/why-women-tear-their-acl-more-often/https://resources.merrittsurgery.com/blog/why-women-tear-their-acl-more-often/Mon, 31 Mar 2025 15:00:00 -0700Female athletes tear their ACL three to six times more often than men. The four reasons why — anatomy, hormones, landing mechanics and muscle control — and what actually lowers the risk.