Sideline Scoop
Insights from sports medicine and orthopedic surgery.
Long-form patient education on the conditions Dr. Dewan treats most often — ACL, meniscus, patellar instability, knee replacement, rotator cuff, shoulder labral repair, and how to choose the right orthopedic surgeon for your case. Written in the same plain language he uses in clinic, kept current with each year’s review.
29 articlesBy Ashvin K. Dewan, MDReviewed 2026
Topic
ACL & Knee Ligaments
6 articles
When Can I Actually Return to Sport After ACL Surgery? The Real Timeline
The single most-asked question after ACL reconstruction is “when can I play again?” The real timeline is built on readiness, not the calendar — and the evidence on what happens when you rush it is sobering.
2026Read→
Should Your ACL Surgery Add a Second Ligament? A Surgeon's Read on the New Lancet RCT
A new 5-year randomized trial in The Lancet's European journal shows adding a small lateral-side ligament reconstruction to your ACL surgery cuts re-tear risk by more than half — especially in patients under 25. Here is what the study really shows, where the gaps are, and how a working surgeon uses this evidence in clinic.
2026Read→
Choosing the Best ACL Graft
Patellar tendon, hamstring, quadriceps, allograft — the trade-offs between ACL graft options explained by an orthopedic surgeon.
2016Read→
ACL Reconstruction Surgery: Recovery, Grafts & Timeline
A Sugar Land knee surgeon explains ACL reconstruction: graft choices, the week-by-week recovery timeline (desk work in ~1–2 weeks), and how to decide whether you need surgery.
2016Read→
ACL Surgery: Top 5 Questions Patients Ask
Do I need surgery? Which graft? How long to recover? When can I play again? Answers to the five questions every ACL patient asks.
2016Read→
Smoking Increases the Risk of Complications After ACL Surgery
Why nicotine compromises graft healing and what the orthopedic literature says about smoking cessation before ACL reconstruction.
2016Read→
Topic
Meniscus & Cartilage
3 articles
When Does Knee Arthroscopy Actually Help? A Surgeon's Critical Read of the 10-Year FIDELITY Data
A landmark Finnish trial just published 10-year follow-up showing arthroscopic meniscectomy offers no benefit — and possibly some harm — for middle-aged adults with degenerative meniscus tears. Here is what that means, what it doesn't mean, and how a working orthopedic surgeon uses this evidence in clinic.
2026Read→
Arthroscopic Bucket-Handle Lateral Meniscus Repair
A look inside the arthroscopic repair of a displaced bucket-handle meniscus tear — when this tear pattern is fixable and what it takes.
2018Read→
Torn Meniscus: Do You Really Need Surgery?
Most torn menisci never need surgery. A Sugar Land knee surgeon explains what percentage actually require an operation, when arthroscopy is (and isn't) necessary, and how repair differs from trimming.
2016Read→
Topic
Patellar Instability
2 articles
Patellar Instability — The "J Sign"
What a J-sign tells your orthopedic surgeon about how unstable your kneecap really is.
2018Read→
Patellar Instability: Anatomy and Function of the Kneecap
The anatomy that keeps the kneecap centered — the MPFL, the trochlear groove, the Q-angle — and how dysfunction leads to dislocation.
2017Read→
Topic
Knee Replacement
8 articles
How Long Does Pain Really Last After a Knee Replacement?
Most of the sharp pain after a knee replacement settles within about 6 weeks, and most day-to-day pain by 3 months — with slower gains out to a year. A surgeon's honest, week-by-week read on what the evidence actually shows.
2026Read→
Do I Actually Need a Knee Replacement? When Is It Time?
“Bone on bone” on an X-ray does not automatically mean it's time for a knee replacement. A surgeon's plain-language read on what the evidence says about timing — and the questions that actually decide it.
2026Read→
Cemented vs. Cementless Knee Replacement: Which Is Right for You?
Cementless knee replacements are marketed as the more durable, “biologic” option — but the registry data says the right answer depends on your bone, your age, and your sex. A surgeon's plain-language read on how the implant should attach to your bone.
2026Read→
When Can I Kneel Again After a Knee Replacement? What the Evidence Actually Says
Kneeling is the single worst-rated activity after a knee replacement — but the research shows most patients who say they can't kneel actually can. A surgeon's plain-language read on what's really stopping you, and how to get it back.
2026Read→
The Implantable Knee Shock Absorber: A Surgeon's Honest Read on the MISHA System
An FDA-cleared device sits outside the knee joint and offloads 30% of the force on the inner cartilage with every step. The marketing is loud and the evidence is real, but a careful read shows where the gaps still are — and which patients should actually consider it.
2026Read→
How Long Does a Knee Replacement Actually Last? The Honest Numbers Behind the Question
About 4 in 5 modern total knee replacements are still working at 25 years — but the headline number hides large differences by age, weight, and how the implant is put in. A surgeon's plain-language read on what to actually expect from your knee.
2026Read→
Total Knee Replacement Recovery: A Patient Video Journal
What the first weeks after total knee replacement actually look like — narrated through a real patient's recovery.
2019Read→
Total Knee Replacement: Top 5 Questions Patients Ask
Am I a candidate? How long does it last? How long is recovery? The five questions every total knee replacement patient should ask.
2016Read→
Topic
Rotator Cuff
3 articles
Do I Really Need Surgery for My Rotator Cuff Tear? What the Evidence Actually Says
A torn rotator cuff on MRI doesn't automatically mean surgery. Two landmark trials disagree about who benefits — and the 2025 AAOS guideline sits right in the middle. A surgeon's plain-language read on how the decision actually gets made.
2026Read→
Will I Sleep Through the Night Again After Rotator Cuff Surgery?
Lost sleep is what finally pushes most people to fix a torn rotator cuff. A surgeon's plain-language read on the real recovery timeline — why it often gets worse before it gets better, and when the night pain actually goes away.
2026Read→
Rotator Cuff Tears: Symptoms, Causes, and Treatment Options
A shoulder surgeon's guide to rotator cuff tears — what causes them, the symptoms to watch for, how they're diagnosed, and the nonsurgical and surgical treatments that get shoulders working again.
2016Read→
Topic
Shoulder Labrum & Instability
3 articles
Shoulder Instability: Labral Repair vs Latarjet Bone-Block
When a labral repair is enough — and when bone loss makes the Latarjet bone-block the better choice for recurrent shoulder instability.
2016Read→
Shoulder Labral Repair and Rehabilitation
How arthroscopic labral repair works, the recovery timeline, and the rehab milestones that get you back to overhead activity.
2016Read→
Shoulder Labral Tears: Relevant Anatomy and Function
The anatomy of the shoulder labrum and why tears cause instability, pain, and clicking.
2016Read→
Topic
Choosing a Surgeon
2 articles
7 Questions Your Orthopedic Surgeon Doesn't Want You to Ask
Volume, complication rate, double-booking, second-opinion policy — the seven questions that separate a good orthopedic surgeon from a great one.
2017Read→
9 Clever Ways to Find the Best Orthopedic Surgeon Near You
Beyond Google reviews — how to vet an orthopedic surgeon's training, fellowship, hospital affiliation, and clinical fit.
2016Read→
Have a question these don’t answer?
The best answer to a specific clinical question is an evaluation — imaging in hand, history reviewed, plan personalized.