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Armando Vidal, MD

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Vail, CO
Armando Vidal, MD

Dr. Armando Vidal is an orthopedic surgeon who specializes in sports medicine, as well as shoulder, Armando F.

Vidal, MD is one of the top Orthopaedic surgeons in the nation specializing in complex knee reconstructions, shoulder surgery and sports medicine at the world renowned Steadman Clinic in Vail, CO. Dr. Armando Vidal's practice is one of the only in the country that specializes in complex cartilage restoration, osteotomies, ACL reconstruction and complex revision knee surgeries. Dr. Vidal has a vast experience in sports medicine includes his role as head team physician for the NBA’s Denver Nuggets (since 2017). Dr. Vidal also served as head team physician for the University of Colorado men’s basketball program and the University of Denver’s NCAA Division. He has been with the national championship men’s hockey team for 11 seasons. Dr. Vidal has also been voted a “5280 Top Doc” in Orthopaedic Sports Medicine since 2012.

04/10/2026

How do injuries present?

Most children report pain, swelling, stiffness, and sometimes a sensation of the knee “giving out” or locking.

The key distinction is that mechanical symptoms (locking/catching) often signal more significant cartilage damage.

What is the Articular Cartilage? Articular cartilage is a complex, living tissue that lines the bony surface at the end of a joint. Its job is to make the bones glide smoothly against each other while moving or bearing weight. In children, articular cartilage injuries are usually caused from trauma....

04/08/2026

What are the options for joint preservation?
1️⃣ Articular Cartilage Repair/Restoration – tailored to lesion size, location, and bone involvement.
2️⃣ Osteotomy (Tibial/Femoral) – realigns the knee to reduce stress on damaged cartilage.
3️⃣ Meniscus Transplant – restores shock absorption, lowering load on repaired cartilage.
4️⃣ Ligament Reconstruction – stability is key for any repair to succeed.

At the The Steadman Clinic, we combine decades of surgical experience with cutting-edge regenerative medicine to optimize outcomes.

What is knee arthritis? Arthritis is the leading cause of disability among adults in the US today. It is estimated that 70 million Americans will have some form of arthritis in the next 25 years. Arthritis is a degenerative joint condition, causing pain, swelling and limited movement. Osteoarthritis...

04/07/2026

The Posterior Cruciate Ligament (PCL) is a key stabilizer in your knee. When injured, it’s classified into three grades:
• Grade 1: Mild sprain (small or partial tear) with minimal knee instability
• Grade 2: Partial tear causing increased looseness in the knee
• Grade 3: Complete tear—often involves other ligaments and significant instability

👉 Most Grade 1 and 2 PCL injuries are treated without surgery
👉 Grade 3 injuries often require surgical intervention due to complexity

Knowing the grade helps guide the best treatment plan and recovery!

What and where is the PCL? The PCL, also known as the Posterior Cruciate Ligament, is located on the back and middle of the knee. The PCL connects the femur (thigh bone) to the tibia (shin bone). It is the strongest ligament in the knee, giving it the advantage of being injured less often than the

04/03/2026

Posterolateral corner (PLC) injuries are some of the most complex knee injuries I treat. They rarely happen in isolation, only about 28% are isolated, and they often involve other ligaments like the ACL or PCL.

In Dr Vidal's practice, he takes a comprehensive approach: every patient with a PLC injury undergoes a full evaluation to assess the entire knee, including associated ligaments, cartilage, and joint stability. Understanding the mechanism of injury, whether from contact sports, falls, or car accidents, is key to designing a precise treatment plan.

Early recognition and careful planning not only restore stability but also reduce long-term complications and help athletes return safely to their sport. It’s not just about fixing one ligament; it’s about protecting the knee as a whole.

What is the posterolateral corner of the knee? Not too long ago, the posterolateral corner of the knee, also called PLC, was referred to as the dark side of the knee. This was because of the limited understanding of the biomechanics, structures and treatment options for this area of the knee. In rec...

04/01/2026

Did you know after an ACL injury, the chance of tearing the other knee is ~3% in the first 2 years.

Dr. Vidal’s research highlights the importance of addressing biomechanics in recovery, not just the repaired knee.

Proper training, landing technique, and targeted strength work help reduce future injury risk. Prevention is possible, but it requires a proactive, year-round approach.

Do I have an ACL Tear? It’s the phrase no athlete wants to hear: “You’ve torn your ACL.” Those dreaded three letters sends shivers down any athlete’s spine. In the recent past, a torn ACL meant a career-ending injury, early osteoarthritis and knee problems for the future. Thankfully, techn...

03/31/2026

Who is more prone to discoid meniscus problems?
✅ Higher prevalence in Asian populations
✅ Wrisberg type = 20% chance in both knees
✅ Kids
✅ Females with BMI >32 = higher symptom & cartilage damage risk

What is Discoid Meniscus? The knee has two wedge-shaped pieces of cartilage called menisci that sit between the bones of the knee and acts as a cushion to protect the bones during movement. If this cartilage is oval, or disc-shaped instead of c-shaped and it is thicker than normal, it is called a di...

03/27/2026

A revision ACL reconstruction is performed when a previous ACL surgery fails. Unfortunately, children and teens have the highest re-tear rates of any age group, even when surgery is done perfectly.

Why do ACL reconstructions fail?
🔹 Technical factors – Tunnel placement must precisely match anatomy
🔹 Biologic factors – Cadaver (allograft) tissue has a 3–4x higher failure rate in kids
🔹 Other ligament injuries – Untreated instability puts stress on the graft
🔹 Alignment issues – Bone shape and slope can increase risk
🔹 Meniscus damage – Plays a key role in knee stability
🔹 Rehab gaps – Incomplete recovery = higher re-injury risk

Revision surgery is more complex. Identifying why the first surgery failed is critical to getting it right the next time.

Choosing an experienced team can make all the difference for a young athlete’s future.

What causes an ACL tear in children? ACL injuries in children and teens are on the rise in the United States and are one of the most common injuries in pediatric sports medicine. Everyone’s perception is that these injuries result from a direct impact to the knee – but most of these

03/26/2026

MYTH: A knee dislocation is just a temporary injury.
REALITY: Most knee dislocations require surgery.

Why?
➡️ Risk to blood vessels and nerves
➡️ Multiple ligament tears
➡️ Ongoing instability if untreated

A full evaluation is critical to avoid serious complications.

This is not an injury to ignore.

What is a dislocated knee? It sounds horrible and can be quite painful but luckily, knee dislocations are fairly uncommon. When they do happen, however, this complex knee injury is extremely serious. A dislocated knee occurs when the femur (thigh bone) and tibia (shin bone) are forced out of their c...

03/24/2026

Think of your knee like a car tire.

If alignment is off, pressure isn’t distributed evenly, which wears down one side faster.

Bow-legged or knock-kneed alignment alone isn’t usually harmful.
But if cartilage or meniscus damage occurs in the overloaded area…

That’s when problems start.

Fixing the injury without fixing alignment often leads to failure.

Sometimes the issue isn’t just the damage, it’s the load.

What is Malalignment of the knee? Malalignment is a complex topic and can occur in and of the three (X,Y Z) planes. For this section, we will focus on the most common malalignment – the coronal or frontal plane. In the ideal setting, if we drew a line from the center of your hip to the center

03/19/2026

If you’ve had a complete tear of your medial patellofemoral ligament (MPFL) or conservative treatments haven’t worked, Dr. Vidal can replace the ligament with a tendon (from you or a donor). This creates a new ligament that restores knee stability and patients of all ages can benefit!

Recovery highlights:
· Brace for ~6 weeks, weight-bearing allowed immediately
· Physical therapy begins right away with gentle motion, progressing to strengthening
· Return to sports in 4–7 months

What is the MPFL? The MPFL is an acronym for the medial patellofemoral ligament. Similar to a strong rubber band, the ligament possesses elastic-like qualities and helps stabilize the kneecap as the knee moves. Its job is to prevent the kneecap from moving or dislocating to the outside of the knee (...

03/18/2026

Orthopedics has evolved beyond surgery! Biologic treatments like platelet rich plasma, stem cells & bone marrow aspirate help regenerate tissue, treat conditions with no other options, and enhance recovery. Learn more 👇

What is a Biologic Treatment? In the past, orthopedic advances have centered on surgical techniques, new joint materials and new methods of operating, such as arthroscopic surgery. Today, biologic treatments have become the cutting edge of orthopedic treatment. Due to their regenerative properties,....

03/17/2026

Medial vs. Lateral Meniscus Injuries – Which Is More Common?
🔹The medial meniscus is 3x more likely to tear because it’s less mobile and firmly attached to the knee capsule.
🔹 The lateral meniscus is more flexible and usually only tears when the ACL is injured.

Understanding this helps with early recognition and treatment!

Where is the lateral meniscus? The lateral meniscus is one of the most critical structures in the knee – arguably more critical than its medial counterpart! The lateral meniscus is the meniscus located on the outside of the knee joint. It is so critical because it occupies 70% of the surface of th...

Address

181 West Meadow Drive Suite 400
Vail, CO
81657

Opening Hours

Monday	8am - 5pm
Tuesday	8am - 5pm
Wednesday	8am - 5pm
Thursday	8am - 5pm
Friday	8am - 5pm

Telephone

+19704018940

Website

https://armandovidalmd.com/

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