The Sports Docs Podcast
Sports medicine is a constantly evolving field, with hundreds of new articles published each month on the topic. This ever-growing wealth of information can make it challenging to stay updated on the newest approaches and techniques, and to know which data should actually change your practice. Join orthopedic surgeons, Dr. Catherine Logan and Dr. Ashley Bassett, as they chat about the most recent developments in sports medicine and dissect through all the noise.
On each episode of The Sports Docs podcast, the hosts will tackle a specific injury – from ACL tears to shoulder instability – and review the top research from various high-impact journals that month, including The American Journal of Sports Medicine, Arthroscopy: The Journal of Arthroscopic and Related Surgery, Sports Health, Journal of Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons, and more. The Sports Docs will also be joined by experts in the field of sports medicine – orthopedic surgeons, nonoperative sports medicine specialists, athletes, physical therapists, athletic trainers and others – to provide a fresh and well-rounded perspective based on their unique experiences.
The Sports Docs – Dr. Logan & Dr. Bassett – are friends & former co-residents from the Harvard Combined Orthopaedic Residency Program, who went onto esteemed sports medicine fellowships at The Steadman Clinic and The Rothman Institute, respectively. Dr. Logan practices in Denver, CO, and serves as Team Physician for Men's USA Lacrosse & as a Team Physician for U.S. Ski & Snowboard. Dr. Bassett is the director of the Women’s Sports Medicine Center at the Orthopedic Institute of New Jersey and practices across northern NJ, primarily in Morris and Sussex Counties.
Together, they will bring monthly conversations on how to care for athletes of all ages and levels of play, with a healthy mix of cutting-edge science and real-world application.
The Sports Docs Podcast
172: ACL 2.0: Playbook for Reducing Retear Risk
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Live from the Arthrex Team Physician Controversies Conference
In this episode of The Sports Docs Podcast, Dr. Ashley Bassett and Dr. Catherine Logan sit down LIVE from the Arthrex Team Physician Controversies with two leading ACL experts—Dr. Pat Smith and Dr. Aaron Krych—to discuss strategies to reduce failure after ACL reconstruction.
The conversation highlights the evolution of ACL surgery, focusing on graft selection, fixation, biologic augmentation, and mechanical protection, with an emphasis on optimizing outcomes in young, high-risk athletes.
Graft: Autograft vs Allograft
Strong evidence shows higher failure rates with allograft in young athletes
MOON data: ~4–6x increased risk of failure in patients <25 years
Allograft best for:
- Older, lower-demand patients
- Revision or multi-ligament cases
Autograft Selection
Graft choice depends on:
- Age, sex, sport, and anatomy
BTB:
- Preferred for high-level pivoting athletes
- Strong fixation, less graft elongation
Quadriceps tendon:
- Increasingly utilized
- Larger graft diameter
- Less donor-site morbidity vs BTB
- Particularly useful in younger and female athletes
Key insight:
Grafts <8 mm are associated with higher failure risk
Internal Brace (IB)
Indications:
- Young athletes
- Hyperlax patients
- Revision ACL
Benefits:
- Decreased graft elongation and cyclic displacement
- Reduced postoperative laxity
- Lower rerupture rates (~1% at 5 years in some studies)
- Faster return to sport and improved rehab confidence
Lateral Extra-Articular Tenodesis (LET)
Strong evidence supports reduced failure rates:
- Primary ACLR: ~11% → 4% (high-risk patients)
- Revision ACLR: ~21% → 5%
Benefits:
- Decreased pivot shift
- Improved return to pre-injury sport
- Cost-effective in high-risk populations
Indications for LET
- Age ≤25 years
- High-grade pivot shift
- Knee hyperextension
- Return to cutting/pivoting sports
- Revision ACL reconstruction
LET Surgical Technique Pearls
IT band graft (7–8 cm x 1 cm)
Passed under or near LCL depending on technique
Fixation near lateral epicondyle
Pearls:
- Fix in neutral rotation and ~30–60° flexion
- Avoid overconstraint
- Close IT band defect
Featured Guests
Dr. Pat Smith – Hospital for Special Surgery Naples
Dr. Aaron Krych – Mayo Clinic, Team Physician for the Minnesota Timberwolves
Stay Connected
Follow us on Instagram for more insights on cutting-edge sports medicine, athlete recovery, and performance
https://www.instagram.com/thesportsdocspod/
Our Hosts:
Catherine Logan, MD, MBA
https://www.cloganmd.com/
Ashley Bassett, MD
https://orthopedicnj.com/physicians/ashley-bassett
www.thesportsdocspod.com