Born without ACL's in both knees?!

[AN-Soccer]

Just looking for some feedback on a bizarre situation. I am a youth soccer coach and I have a player, an 11 year old boy, who has been having knee problems (a very talented player by the way!).

I have had 2 menisectomies and one ACL reconstruction in the past, and my other ACL is ruptured. I have also trained in Sports Therapy, so I looked at his knee and gave him some exercises for strength and flexibility of muscles around the knee.

His right knee was regularly locking and he felt a nipping pain. I suspected a meniscus tear and recommended his parents see a knee surgeon, which they did.

He has not had an MRI on both knees. His meniscus had a tear on his right knee - BUT, the MRI showed that he was BORN WITHOUT ANTERIOR CRUCIATE LIGAMENTS!!

Obviously, his parents are working with the surgeon to work out a suitable treatment plan for this particularly rare birth defect.

I was wondering if anyone knew of a similair situation or could recommend how I might help his recovery. It looks like he will have to have 2 ACL Constructions performed (not reconstructions of course, as they were never there!)

Also, his parents are considering whether to have both knees done at the same time (probably 6 weeks apart) or to do one and then wait a while for the other.

Any advice or ability to shed some light would be appreciated. Thank you.

[Cora]

Wow, wish I had some advice. Good for you in helping him out while he is young and will heal better. Keep us posted!

[mjaffe]

Hello, I realize this is a long shot as I am replying to a post you made EIGHT years ago on the Kneegeeks webpage. I found your questions on a thread I was searching about being born without ACLs. You wrote that you had coached an 11 year old boy who was born without them. I have a five year old daughter who also was born without them. The doctors at the hospital had never encountered this situation and therefore have not criteria for proceeding with treatment or knowledge on how a child generally develops without this important ligament. I have been searching for years to find another family who has a child in this condition. I was wondering if you by any chance still have the contact information on the boy you coached? If you do, would you be willing to give them my information so that, if they are willing, they could tell me how they and their child have managed over the years? My daughter is now five. The laxity in her knees, her surgeon believes, allowed her to get into quite a twisted position en utero so that when she was born, her knees with bending the opposite way which also caused her hips and feet to be dislocated. She has had surgery to realign her feet and major hip surgery. We know she will not be a candidate for knee surgery until she is done growing at around 14 years of age. Despite all of her challenges...she is one tough cookie.

Thank you for taking the time to read this and possibly for your help.

Megan