BONEZONE Spotlights Breakthrough InternalBrace Research in Young Athletes
A recent article in BONEZONE (September 23, 2025) has highlighted the growing body of research supporting the InternalBrace technique in reducing reinjury rates for young athletes in pivoting sports such as football, rugby, basketball and netball. With ACL tears among high school athletes increasing by more than 25% over the past 15 years, and re-tear rates in adolescents reported as high as 30%, these findings come at a crucial time.
The article drew attention to a landmark five-year follow-up study led by Patrick A. Smith, M.D., a member of the Internal Brace International Study Group (IBISG). Dr. Smith’s research focused on 114 athletes under the age of 19 who underwent ACL reconstruction with a bone-patellar tendon-bone (BPTB) graft, comparing traditional techniques with those augmented by the InternalBrace.
The results were highly encouraging:
- Zero revision surgeries in the InternalBrace group (compared to five in the control group).
- Over 85% of athletes successfully returned to their sport at full capacity.
- Reconstructed ligaments maintained stability over a full five years, even under the demands of pivoting sports.
“These findings are particularly noteworthy given the high reinjury risk in younger populations,” Dr. Smith explained. “The fact that these young InternalBrace patients had intact ACL stability up to five years, while actively participating in sports, underscores its long-term protective benefits.”
At The Mackay Clinic, we are proud to see members of IBISG leading research that strengthens the evidence base for the InternalBrace technique. This work demonstrates its potential to transform outcomes for young athletes — reducing the risk of reinjury, improving stability, and enabling a safer return to sport.