- Akbar Medical center, Clinic 311A third floor Peshawar.
- +92 313 5735713
- Haleem Medical Centre Peshawar Road, Charsadda.
- +92 313 8822446
- Department of Orthopaedics Lady Reading Hospital MTI, Peshawar.
- 091-9211430
ACL Reconstruction
Surgery in Peshawar
A torn ACL does not always announce itself with drama — but left untreated, it ends athletic careers and quietly destroys knee joints. Dr Muhammad Inam at OAIC performs fellowship-trained arthroscopic ACL reconstruction, helping patients across KPK return to sport, work, and an active life with a stable knee.
- A "pop" felt or heard at the moment of injury
- Immediate swelling of the knee within hours
- Knee feels unstable or "gives way" when walking
- Pain and difficulty bearing weight after a twist or fall
- Unable to return to sport after a knee injury
The anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) is one of the four major ligaments that hold the knee together. It runs diagonally through the middle of the joint, controlling rotational stability and preventing the tibia from sliding forward relative to the femur. When it tears — typically during a sudden pivot, landing from a jump, or a direct blow to the knee — the joint loses its primary stabiliser.
ACL injuries are common across all age groups in Pakistan: cricketers, footballers, wrestlers, and ordinary people injured in road accidents or falls. What differs is whether the tear is partial or complete, and whether the patient needs surgery to regain the stability required for their activity level. Dr Inam’s dedicated Fellowship in Arthroscopy, Sports Medicine, and Orthobiologics in Greece means this assessment is made with subspecialty precision — not general orthopaedic approximation.
25+
9–12
3
90%+
Does Your Knee Need ACL Reconstruction?
Not every ACL tear needs surgery — but every ACL tear needs proper assessment. The right treatment depends on the degree of tearing, your activity demands, and whether other structures are injured. Here is how different presentations are typically approached at OAIC.
Surgery Likely Needed
Complete ACL tear in an active person
If you play cricket, football, or any sport involving running and turning — a full ACL tear almost certainly requires reconstruction. The knee will continue to give way and secondary cartilage damage accumulates without surgery.
Surgery Likely Needed
Knee giving way during daily activities
If your knee buckles when walking on uneven ground, descending stairs, or changing direction — you have functional instability. This will not resolve with physiotherapy alone when the ACL is completely torn.
uires rest and load management; rarely needs surgery.
Surgery Usually Needed
ACL tear with meniscal or cartilage damage
When an MRI shows an ACL tear alongside a meniscal injury or cartilage damage, combined arthroscopic surgery addresses all structures at once — preventing long-term joint deterioration that leads to early-onset arthritis.
Assess Individually
Partial ACL tear
Partial tears that retain some ligament continuity can sometimes be managed without surgery — with physiotherapy, a functional brace, and activity modification. Outcome depends on the degree of tear and the patient’s stability demands.
May Not Need Surgery
Older or low-activity patients
Patients over 50 with a sedentary lifestyle who have no instability symptoms may not benefit from reconstruction. Structured rehabilitation and activity counselling can restore acceptable function in carefully selected cases.
Urgent Assessment
Child or adolescent with knee injury
ACL injuries in skeletally immature patients (open growth plates) require specialist management to avoid disrupting normal bone development. Delayed treatment in young patients significantly worsens long-term outcomes — early review at OAIC is strongly advised.
Non-Surgical vs Surgical ACL Treatment — The Decision
The decision is not simply “do you want surgery?” It is a clinical judgement based on the degree of injury, the patient’s physical demands, and the knee’s functional stability. Here is what determines the right path.
- Partial ACL tear with preserved ligament continuity
- Older patients with a low-demand, sedentary lifestyle
- No instability during functional assessment and daily activities
- Patient unwilling or medically unfit for anaesthesia
- Children with open growth plates — managed carefully to protect development
- Complete ACL tear confirmed on MRI in an active person
- Functional knee instability — giving way during daily activities
- Young patients or competitive athletes who want to return to sport
- Combined injury — ACL tear with associated meniscal or cartilage damage
- Failure of a structured rehabilitation programme to restore stability
The Four Stages of Degenerative Joint Disease
Treatment at OAIC is staged to match the severity of joint damage. Knowing your stage determines which treatments are appropriate — and which to avoid wasting time and money on.
1
Anaesthesia & Positioning
2
Graft Harvest
3
Arthroscopic Assessment
4
Tunnel Drilling & Graft Placement
5
Fixation
6
Wound Closure & Recovery
ACL Graft Options — Comparison
Dr Inam discusses graft selection individually with each patient. The best graft is the one matched to the patient’s activity level, anatomy, and surgical history — not a one-size-fits-all default.
ACL Recovery Timeline — What to Expect in Peshawar
ACL reconstruction rehabilitation is as important as the surgery itself. The graft must undergo a biological process called “ligamentisation” before it reaches full strength — which is why returning to sport too early is one of the main causes of re-tear.
Swelling management & early movement
Progressive weight-bearing & range of motion
Strengthening & neuromuscular control
Running & sport-specific movement
Return-to-sport testing
Return to competitive sport
A note on PRP and Orthobiologics:
Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injections can be used at OAIC to support the biological healing of the ACL graft during the early phase of ligamentisation — particularly in patients with concurrent cartilage or meniscal involvement. Dr Inam completed specific training in orthobiologics as part of his Sports Medicine Fellowship in Greece, and uses these treatments selectively where the evidence supports their benefit.
Am I a Good Candidate for ACL Surgery?
Good surgical candidacy is about more than age or fitness level. Here is a practical guide to the factors Dr Inam considers when assessing whether reconstruction is right for you.
- Complete ACL tear confirmed on MRI
- Age under 45 and physically active lifestyle
- Knee instability affecting sport, work, or daily function
- Associated meniscal or cartilage injury requiring treatment
- Strong motivation to return to sport or demanding physical work
- Willing to commit to 9–12 months of structured rehabilitation
- Age over 45 — surgery still possible but decision is nuanced
- Significant pre-existing knee arthritis — may affect outcome
- Chronic (old) ACL tear with secondary cartilage degeneration
- Partial tear — may manage conservatively depending on stability
- Medical conditions affecting anaesthetic risk — full assessment needed
- Children with open growth plates — specialist paediatric protocol required
Why Patients Across KPK Choose OAIC for ACL Surgery
Peshawar has many orthopaedic surgeons. Very few combine formal arthroscopy fellowship training with the clinical volume and international credentials that Dr Muhammad Inam brings to ACL reconstruction at OAIC.
🏅 Fellowship-Trained in Arthroscopy
Dr Inam completed a dedicated Fellowship in Arthroscopy, Sports Medicine, and Orthobiologics in Greece — one of the few surgeons in KPK with formal subspecialty training specifically in knee arthroscopy and ligament reconstruction.
🎓 FCPS · FRCS UK · FACS
Three of the most rigorous surgical qualifications in the world — Pakistan, UK, and USA — held simultaneously by Dr Inam. This level of international credentialling is uncommon among orthopaedic surgeons practising in Peshawar.
🔬 Orthobiologics Capability
PRP (platelet-rich plasma) and orthobiologic treatments are available at OAIC to support graft healing, manage concurrent cartilage injuries, and treat partial tears non-surgically — extending the treatment options beyond surgery alone.
🏥 Full Hospital Access
ACL reconstruction surgery is performed at Lady Reading Hospital MTI Peshawar, providing OAIC patients with full anaesthetic, nursing, and post-operative care infrastructure for complex or combined procedures.
📍 Accessible for All of KPK
Patients from Charsadda, Mardan, Nowshera, Swabi, and across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa attend OAIC for specialist knee surgery — avoiding the cost and inconvenience of travelling to Lahore or Islamabad for the same standard of care.
🗣️ Clear, Honest Diagnosis
Dr Inam tells patients plainly whether they need surgery or not — and if not, what the non-surgical pathway looks like. Many patients have been told they need surgery elsewhere and been given a different, accurate assessment at OAIC.
Clinic Locations & Booking
Akbar Medical Centre
Haleem Medical Centre
Lady Reading Hospital MTI
Frequently Asked Questions
Q 1 Who is the best ACL surgeon in Peshawar?
Dr Muhammad Inam Khan at OAIC is one of Peshawar’s most experienced ACL reconstruction surgeons. He holds FCPS, FRCS UK, and FACS, and completed a dedicated Fellowship in Arthroscopy, Sports Medicine, and Orthobiologics in Greece. He performs arthroscopic ACL reconstruction at Lady Reading Hospital MTI and sees patients at Akbar Medical Centre, Peshawar, Monday to Friday from 4:00 PM.
Q 2 Does every ACL tear need surgery?
No. Partial ACL tears in older or low-activity patients can sometimes be managed with physiotherapy and bracing. However, complete tears in active individuals — especially those whose knee continues to give way — almost always require surgical reconstruction to restore lasting stability. Dr Inam assesses each case individually and gives an honest, clear recommendation without pressure.
Q 3 What is arthroscopic ACL reconstruction?
Arthroscopic ACL reconstruction is keyhole surgery performed through 2–3 small incisions around the knee. Using a tiny camera (arthroscope) and fine instruments, the torn ACL is replaced with a tendon graft. This minimally invasive approach results in less pain, a shorter hospital stay, and faster recovery than open knee surgery.
Q 4 How long is recovery after ACL surgery in Peshawar?
Most patients walk normally within 2–3 weeks and can drive within 4–6 weeks. Return to non-contact physical activity is typically possible by 4–6 months. Full return to competitive sport — cricket, football, or contact sport — requires 9–12 months of structured rehabilitation and passing return-to-sport criteria. Returning early significantly increases the risk of re-tear.
Q 5 What graft is used for ACL reconstruction at OAIC?
The most commonly used graft is the hamstring tendon (gracilis and semitendinosus) from the patient’s own leg, which provides reliable long-term stability with a small incision. For high-demand athletes, the patellar tendon graft may be preferred. The choice is discussed and agreed with each patient before surgery based on their age, sport, and knee anatomy.
Q 6 Is ACL surgery available in Peshawar?
Yes. Arthroscopic ACL reconstruction is performed in Peshawar at OAIC by Dr Muhammad Inam Khan at Lady Reading Hospital MTI. Patients from across KPK — including Charsadda, Mardan, Nowshera, Swabi, Swat, and Dir — attend OAIC for specialist knee ligament surgery without needing to travel to Lahore or Islamabad.
Q 7 Can I have ACL surgery if I have a meniscal tear as well?
Healing time depends on the bone, fracture type, patient age, and general health. Simple fractures in younger adults may heal in 4–6 weeks. Complex or large-bone fractures can take 3–6 months to fully consolidate. Surgical fixation often allows earlier mobilisation. Dr Inam provides each patient with a specific recovery timeline and monitors progress with follow-up imaging.
ACL Injury? Get the Right Answer in Peshawar
Early, accurate assessment determines whether you need surgery — and gets you back to full activity faster. Do not wait months to find out.
Peshawar Clinic: Mon–Fri 4:00 PM – 7:30 PM · Sunday 12:00 PM – 4:00 PM | Charsadda: Saturday 9:00 AM – 7:00 PM