Concierge orthopaedics · UK
Internal Brace ligament augmentation, by a consultant who does it every week.
A suture-tape seat belt for a repaired or reconstructed ligament — knee, ankle, elbow, hand or foot. Matched to a UK consultant who uses InternalBrace routinely, not occasionally.
Why patients choose us
- 01
A consultant surgeon who actually uses it
InternalBrace is a technique, not a booking category. We match you to a knee, ankle, elbow or hand specialist who does it every week — not once a quarter.
- 02
Repair-versus-reconstruction, discussed honestly
Sometimes an augmented repair is the right call. Sometimes a full reconstruction still is. We say which before you commit.
- 03
Independent, and free
We are paid by no clinic, so the recommendation is impartial and costs you nothing.
Indicative pricing
What InternalBrace-augmented ligament surgery costs privately in the UK.
Indicative ranges across our partner clinics. Send the details and we quote firm figures — including the InternalBrace surcharge — across two or three options.
In short
A Broström-Gould + InternalBrace ankle in our network: £8,000–£12,000, back to sport in 3–4 months.
| Procedure | Indicative range | Typical duration | Discharge |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ankle Broström + InternalBrace | £8,000–£12,000 | 60–90 min | Same-day discharge |
| ACL repair with InternalBrace (primary) | £10,000–£14,000 | 75–120 min | 1 night |
| ACL reconstruction + InternalBrace augment | £11,000–£15,000 | 90–120 min | 1 night |
| MCL repair with InternalBrace | £9,000–£13,000 | 60–90 min | Same-day discharge |
| UCL elbow repair with InternalBrace | £10,000–£14,000 | 75–120 min | Same-day discharge |
| Lisfranc InternalBrace (foot) | £9,000–£13,000 | 60–90 min | Same-day discharge |
| Thumb UCL InternalBrace (Stener lesion) | £4,500–£7,500 | 45–60 min | Same-day discharge |
| Consultation and MRI review | £250–£450 | 45 min | Same visit |
Prices vary by hospital, by which consultant does the case, and by whether a full reconstruction or a repair-with-InternalBrace is planned. The suture tape and anchors themselves add roughly £800–£1,500 on top of the base procedure. We come back with a firm quote within one working day.
The problem
The right surgeon, the right ligament decision, and honest tension.
InternalBrace is a technique that rewards frequency. Booked with the wrong surgeon, tensioned wrongly, or used on the wrong tear pattern, it does not work. We fix all three before you commit.
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Repair or reconstruct?
For some tears, an augmented repair is the modern choice. For others, a full reconstruction is still safer. We say which — before you book.
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Who actually does it?
Not every knee, ankle or elbow consultant uses InternalBrace routinely. We match you to one who does — with published outcomes where possible.
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Is the rehab realistic?
Faster than a plain repair, but ankle 3–4 months, ACL 4–6 months, UCL 6–9 months is still real work. We plan the physio route before surgery, not after.
The journey
From enquiry to return-to-sport — what happens, in order.
One clinician-led plan from first message to final physio milestone.
Phase 1 · Before your procedure
Concierge, off-stage for you
Phase 2 · On the day
A day case or one-night stay
Phase 3 · After
Concierge, back on
- 01
Before
You tell us what is torn
A short, confidential form. Which ligament, how it happened, whether you have had a scan, and what you need to get back to.
- 02
Before
We come back with a recommendation
Within one working day: the right surgeon, whether an InternalBrace-augmented repair fits, or whether reconstruction is safer. An indicative price with both options.
- 03
Before
Consultation and MRI review
A face-to-face or virtual consultation, imaging reviewed, a clear plan agreed. Prehab exercises started if there is time.
- 04
On the day
Arrival at the hospital
Arrival, consent and a chat with the surgeon and anaesthetist. Almost always a general anaesthetic with a regional block.
- 05
On the day
The procedure itself
45 to 120 minutes. Arthroscopic or open depending on the ligament. Suture tape anchored on each side of the repair with SwiveLock anchors — tensioned as a seat belt, not a cast.
- 06
On the day
Home the same day or next morning
Most InternalBrace cases go home the same day with a brace and crutches. Written aftercare and a physio plan in hand.
- 07
After
Rehab and return to sport
Earlier motion and weight-bearing than a plain repair. Ankle 3–4 months, ACL 4–6 months, elbow UCL 6–9 months — protocol led by your surgeon and physio.
Typical end-to-end: 2–3 weeks from enquiry to surgery. Return to sport: 3–9 months depending on ligament.
When it helps
When InternalBrace augmentation is the right step.
The ligament injuries we see most, plus the one red flag that means an emergency rather than an appointment.
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ACL tear in an active adult
Proximal avulsions in younger patients may suit InternalBrace-augmented primary repair. Mid-substance tears usually still need reconstruction — often with an InternalBrace added.
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Grade III MCL injury
Especially when combined with an ACL — earlier weight-bearing and range of motion after an augmented MCL repair.
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Chronic lateral ankle instability
Broström-Gould + InternalBrace for the ankle that keeps giving way despite good physio — quicker return to sport with less late attenuation.
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Syndesmosis (high ankle) injury
InternalBrace suture tape as flexible fixation — an increasingly UK-adopted alternative to a rigid screw or a suture button.
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UCL (thrower’s elbow) partial tear
Alabama-style repair-with-InternalBrace for the young athlete with a partial tear — an alternative to full Tommy John reconstruction.
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Patellar or quadriceps tendon rupture
InternalBrace-augmented primary repair protects the suture line while the tendon knits back onto bone.
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Thumb UCL Stener lesion
Skier’s thumb with a displaced ligament — repair with InternalBrace suture tape gives an earlier return to grip.
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Red flag: multi-ligament knee injury
A dislocated knee with several torn ligaments is a specialist emergency — trauma centre first, not an outpatient booking.
Procedure options
InternalBrace is a family of procedures, not one operation.
What each option on the table actually involves — and which fits which ligament.
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ACL repair with InternalBrace
Primary repair of a proximal ACL avulsion, augmented with suture tape. Selected younger patients with a high-quality bundle — not everyone qualifies.
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ACL reconstruction + InternalBrace
A hamstring or BPTB graft reconstruction with a suture-tape backup. Aims to protect the graft during the vulnerable early months.
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MCL / PLC InternalBrace
Grade III medial or posterolateral corner injuries — augmented repair to allow earlier motion, especially in combined ACL+MCL cases.
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Broström-Gould + InternalBrace
Lateral ankle ligament (ATFL ± CFL) repair with suture-tape augmentation for chronic instability.
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Syndesmosis InternalBrace
Flexible fixation of the high ankle joint with suture tape — an alternative to a rigid screw or a single suture button.
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UCL / LUCL elbow InternalBrace
Medial UCL for throwers, lateral LUCL for elbow instability — repair or reconstruction with a suture-tape check-rein.
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Lisfranc InternalBrace (foot)
Flexible suture-tape fixation of the midfoot as an alternative to traditional screw fixation — no routine hardware removal.
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Thumb UCL / turf toe InternalBrace
Small-joint applications — skier’s thumb Stener lesion, and 1st MTP plantar plate repair for turf toe.
Our vetted UK network
A small panel of ligament surgeons, we picked them.
Consultant knee, ankle, elbow, hand and foot surgeons across the UK. Not listed publicly — introductions are made privately, once we understand your case.
Selection criteria
How we choose every ligament surgeon in our network.
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Consultant knee, ankle, elbow or hand specialists who use InternalBrace routinely
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BOA / BASK / BASEM training with published outcomes where possible
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Access to on-site MRI and a specialist sports-medicine physio team
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Honest about when a reconstruction — not an augmented repair — is the safer choice
Safety and recovery
What to expect afterwards — honestly.
InternalBrace-augmented surgery is generally very safe, with the same risk profile as the underlying ligament procedure plus a small set of technique-specific things worth knowing.
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A seat belt, not a cast
Suture tape is tensioned to just supplement native tissue while it heals. It is an adjunct, not a replacement — the biology still has to work.
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Earlier motion and weight-bearing
Compared with a plain repair, most InternalBrace protocols allow earlier movement and load. That is the point — but only within the surgeon’s protocol.
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Anchor and suture tape are implants
SwiveLock anchors and FiberTape/SutureTape stay in the bone. Foreign-body reaction is very rare; anchor pullout is uncommon.
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Overtensioning is the technical risk
Too tight and the joint feels stiff or restricted. A surgeon who does the procedure often gets the tension right.
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Biology can still fail
An InternalBrace does not guarantee healing. Ligaments still tear, grafts still stretch. The augmentation reduces early failure — it does not abolish it.
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Rehab is the whole game
Ankle 3–4 months, ACL 4–6 months, UCL elbow 6–9 months. Skipping physio milestones is the commonest reason things go wrong.
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Cost implications
The suture tape and anchors add roughly £800–£1,500 to the base procedure cost. Insurers usually cover it when medically justified.
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Hardware-related revision is rare
Occasionally an anchor or knot needs attention. Removal is straightforward and usually done arthroscopically.
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Red flags
Fever, spreading redness, calf swelling or sudden loss of the repair are not normal — call the team or A&E the same day.
Reading your operation note
Your operation note in four parts. Read the last one first.
Whichever ligament was treated, the note the surgeon sends you keeps to the same shape.
A quiet reminder
Surgical language is precise and can read coldly — we translate it for you.
If you would like us to talk you through the note before your review, just ask.
- 01 Header
Ligament, side and mechanism
Which ligament was repaired, which side, and how the injury happened — sports, fall, road, workplace.
- 02 Technique
Repair vs reconstruction, and the brace
Whether the ligament was repaired or reconstructed, the graft used if any, the anchor sites, and the tension of the suture tape.
- 03 Findings
Associated injuries and joint condition
Meniscus, cartilage, other ligaments, loose bodies — anything found and addressed at the same operation.
- 04 Impression
Rehab protocol and return-to-sport window
Read this first: brace settings, weight-bearing status, physio milestones, and the realistic return-to-sport date for your ligament.
Recognised by major UK insurers
Cover for InternalBrace-augmented ligament surgery is usually approved when the underlying repair or reconstruction is medically indicated. We confirm the cover and any excess before booking.
Frequently asked
Everything we get asked about Internal Brace surgery.
Quick answers on repair versus reconstruction, cost, return to sport, and what the suture tape actually does.
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What is an Internal Brace and what does it do?
It is a strong suture tape (Arthrex FiberTape or SutureTape) anchored on each side of a ligament repair with SwiveLock anchors. It acts as a check-rein while the natural ligament heals — a seat belt, not a cast. It is used to augment repair or reconstruction of ligaments in the knee, ankle, elbow, hand and foot.
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Is an InternalBrace-augmented repair better than a full reconstruction?
It depends on the ligament and the tear. For proximal ACL avulsions in a younger patient with a good bundle, an augmented repair can work well. For most mid-substance ACL tears, reconstruction is still the safer choice — often with an InternalBrace added to protect the graft.
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How much does InternalBrace ligament surgery cost privately in the UK?
Roughly £8,000–£15,000 depending on the joint and whether it is a repair or a reconstruction. The InternalBrace itself (suture tape and two anchors) adds about £800–£1,500 to the base procedure. We come back with a firm figure within one working day.
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Does the NHS offer InternalBrace surgery?
Yes, through specialist knee, ankle, upper-limb and foot-and-ankle surgeons. It is not offered everywhere — availability depends on the consultant and the trust. Private routes are quicker and give you a choice of surgeon.
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How quickly can I return to sport after InternalBrace surgery?
Roughly 3–4 months after a Broström-Gould + InternalBrace ankle, 4–6 months after an ACL InternalBrace-augmented reconstruction, and 6–9 months after a UCL elbow. These are surgeon and protocol led — do not skip the physio milestones.
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What are the risks of the InternalBrace itself?
On top of the risks of the underlying ligament surgery: rare anchor pullout, very rare foreign-body reaction to the suture tape, overtensioning which restricts motion, and the biological repair may still fail despite the augmentation. It is an adjunct, not a miracle.
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Do the anchors and suture tape have to be removed later?
No, they are designed to stay in the bone. Removal is only needed if there is a hardware-related problem, which is uncommon and usually straightforward.
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Will my private medical insurance cover it?
Most major UK insurers — Bupa, AXA Health, Vitality, Aviva, WPA, Cigna, Healix — cover InternalBrace-augmented ligament surgery when it is medically indicated. We check the cover and any excess before booking.
Related treatments
Looking for something else?
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Hand & wrist ligament reconstruction
Repair and reconstruction of hand and wrist ligaments — including thumb UCL and scapholunate.
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Distal biceps tendon repair
Anatomical repair of a ruptured distal biceps at the elbow.
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All tests & procedures
Every test and procedure we arrange.
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