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Published on: 24-May-2022

In this week’s episode of the Sport’s Medicine Weekly Podcast, Dr. Brian Cole is joined by UCLA Beach Volleyball athlete Lindsey Sparks to discuss her comeback from a cartilage injury to the underside of her patella (knee cap), as well as a torn medial patellofemoral ligament (MPFL).

Lindsey is an academic senior, studying psychology, with the hopes of pursing a master’s degree while she continues playing beach volleyball at UCLA. Dr. Cole and Lindsey discuss her studies, which are concentrated in eating disorders and body dysmorphia, and her aspirations to help fellow athletes who struggle with these conditions.

In the summer of 2021, during a grass volleyball tournament, Lindsey suffered a patellar dislocation, which resulted in cartilage being displaced from the underside of her patella and a torn MPFL. Shortly after, Lindsey went through a sequence of surgeries to repair both her damaged cartilage and a torn MPFL. To repair her damaged cartilage, Lindsey underwent an innovative procedure called “MACI,” which stands for matrix-induced autologous chondrocyte implantation.

Be sure to check out this week’s episode of the Sports Medicine Weekly podcast to learn more about the MACI procedure and Lindsey’s recovery!