Third Time`s a Charm

PATIENT PROFILE
Third Time’s a Charm
AFTER A LOCAL ORTHOPEDIC PRACTICE MISDIAGNOSES ACL TEARS IN BOTH
HIS KNEES, BRONSON GREEN SCORES A WIN WITH ORTHOCAROLINA.
By Sandi Constantino-Thompson
Often the difference between a full recovery and a
debilitating injury depends on finding the right medical
specialist. For Bronson Green, finding that right person after
two missed anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tears proved
life-changing.
An electrical technician at Carolina Innovations, school
baseball coach, and dad to toddlers Gavin (3) and Brielle(1),
Bronson lives in Rock Hill, SC with his wife and childhood
sweetheart Cynthia. Their courtship reads like a fairy tale. At
age 13, he was her brother’s best friend. She was the pesky
10-year-old sister. Four years later, they started dating and
have been together ever since, marrying in 2009.
AN EXCEPTIONAL AND LIFELONG ATHLETE,
BRONSON ATTENDED INDIAN LAND HIGH
SCHOOL WHERE HE EXCELLED IN VIRTUALLY
EVERY VARSITY SPORT INCLUDING FOOTBALL,
BASEBALL AND BASKETBALL. AFTER
GRADUATION, HE PLAYED SEMI-PRO FOOTBALL
AS A WIDE RECEIVER AND QUARTERBACK FOR
THE CAROLINA BULLDOGS UNTIL NOVEMBER
2011 WHEN AN INJURY THREATENED HIS CAREER.
continued
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PATIENT PROFILE
An exceptional and lifelong athlete, Bronson attended Indian
Land High School where he excelled in virtually every
varsity sport including football, baseball and basketball.
After graduation, he played semi-pro football as a wide
receiver and quarterback for the Carolina Bulldogs until
November 2011 when an injury threatened his career.
office, and Bronson was randomly assigned to Dr. Scott
O’Neal. Turned out that was the best thing we could have
done. Dr. O’Neal is so intelligent with a wonderful bedside
manner, and the entire staff was easy to work with.”
“RIGHT AWAY, I KNEW WE MADE A GOOD
DECISION BECAUSE THE OTHER DOCTOR ONLY
SPENT TWO MINUTES EACH TIME AND NEVER
ORDERED AN X-RAY OR AN MRI. AND THE MRI
SHOWED I HAD TORN ACLS IN BOTH KNEES.”
“We were playing at Joe Collins Stadium in Chester [SC],”
he begins, “and as I took off down the field, I heard a pop
in my left knee. When I got up, it seemed okay so I finished
the game before heading to a doctor. It never swelled, but it
just didn’t feel right.”
A local orthopedic practice diagnosed Bronson with
a sprained medial collateral ligament (MCL) and
recommended six weeks rest. Bronson returned to play in
February 2012, and within a week felt a pop in his other
knee. He returned to the orthopedist, and was again told he
had an MCL sprain which required rest.
“When we walked in, he said it looked like I had a torn
ACL in the right knee, and he suspected the left knee might
have a tear as well,” Bronson recalls. “But first he needed an
MRI to confirm the diagnosis. Right away, I knew we made
a good decision because the other doctor only spent two
minutes each time and never ordered an X-ray or an MRI.
And the MRI showed I had torn ACLs in both knees.”
Cynthia, an OB/GYN nurse at CMC Pineville, decided they
needed a second opinion. “We Googled doctors in the area,
and OrthoCarolina immediately came up,” she recounts. “I
knew they had good surgeons, so we called the Ballantyne
Since the MRI revealed Bronson’s left knee had residual
cartilage damage from a previous injury, Dr. O’Neal decided
they’d tackle that one first. “Bronson’s left ACL had been
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PATIENT PROFILE
torn for so long and the cartilage had deteriorated so Dr.
O’Neal created a micro fracture to help cartilage regenerate,”
Cynthia explains. “They drilled a small hole in the bone so
that it would sense an injury and naturally form new tissue
to support the joint.”
After surgery, Bronson began rehabilitation to regain
stability before the other knee could be corrected. Six
months later, Dr. O’Neal repaired Bronson’s right ACL and
lateral meniscus, followed by another six months of therapy
to restore full range of motion and strength for competitive
sports.
“Looking back, the left knee was definitely harder to
rehab due to weight-bearing issues in the right knee,”
Bronson notes. “But I love OrthoCarolina’s physical therapy
department and got a solid workout every time. They have
a great atmosphere for working out, and I really liked the
balance exercises and resistance weights.” He pauses with a
slightly mischievous grin. “But the planks and leg bending
machine? I won’t miss those.”
Chris Gabriel, Bronson’s primary therapist, weighs in.
“Bronson’s therapy went smoothly because he was diligent
with his exercises here and used weights at home—a good
combination. The fact that he got his strength back quickly
is a testament to his determination and attitude. It’s pretty
amazing that he finished in just over a year.”
SO MANY ACL INJURIES; SO LITTLE TIME.
These days virtually everyone knows someone
who has had a torn ACL, not to mention
professional athletes suffering the injury
annually. Chris Gabriel, PT of OrthoCarolina
explains that ACL injuries have become more
prevalent because many athletes train too
strenuously and too fast. As they work out,
they increase muscle around the ACL, but the
ligament itself remains the same size. With
added pressure, the ligament gives way creating
the tear.
“BRONSON’S THERAPY WENT SMOOTHLY
BECAUSE HE WAS DILIGENT WITH HIS EXERCISES
HERE AND USED WEIGHTS AT HOME—A GOOD
COMBINATION. THE FACT THAT HE GOT HIS
STRENGTH BACK QUICKLY IS A TESTAMENT
TO HIS DETERMINATION AND ATTITUDE. IT’S
PRETTY AMAZING THAT HE FINISHED IN
JUST OVER A YEAR.”
In most cases, a patient undergoes six months
of physical therapy after surgery, but Chris
emphasizes that it takes at least a year to
recover. “Studies show that there are delays in
certain muscle groups after being damaged. For
a torn ACL, you need a full year to get back in
shape to play a sport and two years to be at
100%. There are plenty of professional athletes
who return to their sport too soon only to reinjure their ACL within weeks of play. It’s worth
letting things heal fully.”
Dr. O’ Neal adds, “Usually it takes about a year to heal after
one ACL reconstruction, so Bronson’s case and recovery
were exceptional. Once an athlete finishes physical therapy,
he or she can be released to activity. But it really takes a year
to heal completely.”
Despite surgery and a year of physical therapy, Bronson only
missed a week of work and welcomed daughter Brielle along
the way. He smiles. “Therapy was hard, but not as difficult
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PATIENT PROFILE
as Cynthia’s job running after our son while she was
pregnant. She really kept things going so I could concentrate
on getting better.”
hired Bronson as an assistant coach where he excelled,
helping the team reach the Upper State playoffs in spring
2014. In 2015, Bronson will move to head baseball coach for
Indian Land Middle School.
Today, Bronson’s back on the football field, easing from
flag football to more strenuous contact games. “I’m still a
quarterback,” he confirms, “but I’ve learned to play smarter.
Before, I would run unnecessarily. Now I let everyone else
run around like crazy.” He also plays church softball with
Pleasant Hill United Methodist Church and recreational
basketball with Carolina Courts in Indian Trail. “I love
playing sports,” he says enthusiastically. “I’d be out there
no matter what. If I was wheelchair-bound, I’d find a
wheelchair league.”
Dr. O’Neal praises Bronson’s success. “We couldn’t be happier
to get Bronson back on his feet. He was very diligent with
physical therapy, which contributed to a good outcome. His
knees should be stable for many years to come. That’s what
makes an orthopedic surgeon’s job so rewarding . . . seeing
patients return to the things they enjoy.”
“I really owe everything to OrthoCarolina,” Bronson
concludes. “And we were lucky to find Dr. O’Neal. He’s
awesome and so easy to work with. We couldn’t have found
a better doctor. I tell all of my friends and players to go to
OrthoCarolina because these guys know what they’re doing.
I’ll never go anywhere else.”
He continues, “The hardest part was realizing that my
contact football career might be over. But my injury led to
coaching baseball at Indian Land High School. When I had
to take time off from playing ball, I missed being on the
field. So I asked Coach Mayer [the school’s football coach]
if they’d give me a shot coaching one of their teams. The
baseball coach [Coach LeRoy] responded first. LeRoy soon
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