Patient Stories

Division I soccer players are known for being physically and mentally tough — and that resilience is never more important than when an injury leaves them on the sidelines.

“I got injured in the summer of 2024, going into my senior season,” said Clemson University midfielder Renee Lyles. “I tore my medial collateral ligament (MCL) going into a 50-50 tackle.”

That collision and subsequent injury led Renee to orthopedic surgeon Steven L. Martin, MD (Clemson, SC), head team physician for Clemson Athletics.

“Renee came to me with a grade 3 tear of her MCL off the tibia bone, which in some cases can heal without surgery,” Dr. Martin said. “But for such a high-level athlete, and in particular a soccer player, the inside of the knee has to be very stable.”

Dr. Martin repaired Renee’s MCL using Arthrex Knee FiberTak® anchors and the InternalBrace™ technique. After four months of dedicated rehab, Renee says she feels even stronger than she did before the surgery.

“I feel very confident in my knee,” Renee said. “It feels strong, and I am excited and ready to compete again as a fifth-year senior.”

Renee says part of what helped her sail through the surgery and rehabilitation process was experiencing it all alongside her roommate and best friend, fellow Clemson soccer player Layne St. George. Layne, believe it or not, also ended up having knee surgery in 2024 with Dr. Martin.

“My injury was more of an overuse problem because of how my knee tracks based on my anatomy,” Layne said. “I started experiencing pain during my junior season, and it just got worse.”

Dr. Martin diagnosed Layne with instability of her patellofemoral joint, caused by intoeing when she walks and runs.

“The issue actually starts in her hips and that creates instability in the knee,” Dr. Martin said. “We correct the problem by reconstructing the medial patellofemoral ligament (MPFL) using Knee FiberTak anchors on the patella and a FastThread™ interference screw on the femur.”

Determined to return to playing soccer during her senior year, Layne jumped into a six-month rehab program. The two roommates say being able to lean on each other made all the difference.

“Surgery is hard, and sports injuries can be isolating,” Layne said. “We were there for each other when things got tough.”

And today, as she leaves soccer behind and prepares for law school in 2026, Layne says the surgery gave her back her life.

“I love to run, hike, lift, do yoga and so many active things that would not be possible without the surgery,” she explained.

For Renee, the knee injury turned out to be a blessing in disguise.

“I didn’t know how strong I was until I recovered from this injury,” Renee said. “I have the gift of being able to play another season at Clemson to continue developing my skills before pursuing a professional career in the National Women’s Soccer League.”

Dr. Martin says he sees no limitations in Renee’s future following her knee surgery.

“In my experience, the InternalBrace technique helps cut the rehab time significantly in injuries like this,” ^¹,² he said. “The newer Knee FiberTak anchors and other equipment make what we do as surgeons easier, and contribute to a more successful outcome.”

Renee says she can’t wait to see where the future leads her.

“I never doubted I’d be back to soccer,” she said. “I knew this was a bump in the road that would ultimately help me come back more physically and mentally tough. I’m excited for the future.” 

References:

1. Noonan BC, Bachmaier S, Wijdicks CA, Bedi A. Independent suture tape reinforcement of tripled smaller-diameter and quadrupled grafts for anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction with tibial screw fixation: a biomechanical full construct model. Arthroscopy. 2020;36(2):481-489. doi:10.1016/j.arthro.2019.06.036
2. Bodendorfer BM, Michaelson EM, Shu HT, et al. Suture augmented versus standard anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction: a matched comparative analysis. Arthroscopy. 2019;35(7):2114-2122. doi:10.1016/j.arthro.2019.01.054

Disclaimers:

This is not medical advice and is not meant to be a substitute for the advice provided by a surgeon or other qualified medical professional on the use of these products. You should talk with your physician or health care provider for more information about your health condition and whether Arthrex products might be appropriate for you. The surgeon who performs any surgical procedure is responsible for determining and using the appropriate techniques for surgical procedures on each individual patient. Arthrex recommends that surgeons be trained on the use of any particular product before using it in surgery. A surgeon must always rely on their own professional medical judgment when deciding whether to use a particular product when treating a particular patient. A surgeon must always refer to the package insert, product label, and/or directions for use before using any Arthrex product. Postoperative management is patient-specific and dependent on the treating professional’s assessment. Individual results will vary and not all patients will experience the same postoperative activity level or outcomes. Products may not be available in all markets because product availability is subject to the regulatory approvals and medical practices in individual markets. Please contact Arthrex if you have questions about the availability of products in your area.

The InternalBrace surgical technique is intended only to augment the primary repair/reconstruction by expanding the area of tissue approximation during the healing period and is not intended as a replacement for the native ligament. The InternalBrace technique is for use during soft tissue-to-bone fixation procedures and is not cleared for bone-to-bone fixation.

These real patients were compensated for the time they took to share their experiences.

Physician is a paid consultant of Arthrex, Inc.