QUESTION: About 25 years ago, I had a ligament repair but soon tore it again playing badminton, which I then had to give up.
My knee now feels unsteady I can walk, though not long distances. I will soon be 80 and feel I might not be able to recover from major surgery. What are my other options?
Hazel Cardoza, Richmond, London.
ANSWER: The good news is that, in recent years, the techniques for repairing ligaments have been further developed and refined, and I urge you to reconsider surgery.
The ligament you ve torn is the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), a major component within the knee joint that connects the thigh bone (femur) to a bone in the lower leg (the tibia).