Katie R.

Having grown up near Buffalo, I'm no stranger to the cold, the snow, or clipping into my skis and hitting the slopes.

Just last February, some friends and I ventured on a winter ski trip to Keystone, CO. Long story short... second run on the mountain, I fell, ski stayed on, right knee popped (yes, the POP is real), and I was in the emergency room with a Grade 3 ACL tear. Surgery was next...

I panicked. Wasn't this something pro athletes, much sportier than I, did during intense games? How long would I be out of commission and in this big brace? What would I do about work and NYC commuting? And what about yoga!?

Not knowing much about the surgery and preoccupied with "just getting it fixed ASAP", I booked an appointment on ZocDoc...not a great idea. Had I opted for the typical ACL surgery, I would be sooo far behind my progress today.

I thank my lucky stars for meeting Dr. DiFelice, a coworker's husband, who has invented a new type of ACL repair surgery that I happened to be a great candidate for (based on the type of tear...because not all ACL injuries are equal)! Unlike most operations, his technique is less invasive and does not involve reconstruction or grafts. I was off the pain medicine within a few days and immediately started physical therapy. After surgery, I was back to work in two weeks and out of the brace in two months. By mid-April, I was easing back into the activities I love, like yoga and Pilates.

At four months post-op and nearing the end of PT, I spoke to Dr DiFelice and my physical therapist, Ethan Burger, about going on a yoga retreat. I felt ready! The pics here are from that trip. Overall, I had really no problems with my knee (other than occasional clicking or pressure when kneeling or going up/down stairs) which was incredibly satisfying and reassuring.

I continue to work on strengthening with at-home exercises and, at eight months post-op, I'm back to doing the things I love- yoga, Pilates, hiking, dancing, riding bikes...all with added caution, of course, but I know that I am in good hands. I would highly, highly recommend Dr. DiFelice for ACL repairs and sound, speedy recoveries.