Who are we?
The “Cross Bracing Protocol” was pioneered and developed by both Dr. Mervyn Cross (Orthopaedic Surgeon) and his son, Dr. Tom Cross (Sport and Exercise Medicine Physician). They have been supported by Dr Greg Roger, (Doctor and Bio-Engineer) and team of researchers.
This unique combination of skills and experience, developed across many decades, involving clinical assessment of patients, pioneering knee surgery, non-surgical treatment options and medical research and bioengineering results has resulted in a pioneering new approach to the management of acute ACL injury, the “Cross Bracing Protocol”. You can read more about the results of the research here.
Listen to a podcast with Merv and Tom, discussing the above.
theatre by Dr. Tom Cross. 1997-2012
Your ACL Team
Founder: Dr Greg Roger
Dr Greg Roger, after completing his medical degree at the University of Sydney, undertook a Masters degree in Engineering and went on to acquire a history of medical device innovation culminating in co-designing and developing the highly successful Active Knee prosthesis (first implanted 1992 and now with more than 30 years of safe clinical use in Australia, USA, UK, Europe and Asia) and the RCI Screw for ACL Reconstruction, still in use world-wide. Dr Roger was appointed Adjunct A/Prof at Sydney University’s Faculty of Engineering and Information Technologies and has received numerous awards, including the 2004 Clunies Ross Award.
Dr Roger continues to work on medical device design innovations and commercialisation, including founding the now listed firm Allegra Orthopaedics and has since founded Vestech Medical, a company helping inventors and start-ups in the field of medical device innovation. In addition to serving on the Department of Industry’s committee for awarding R&D Grants, Dr Roger was appointed by the Federal Government as Advocate for Medical Devices in 2013. Dr Roger holds numerous patents and has published widely in peer reviewed literature.
Dr Roger founded HealACL to bring the latest knowledge and best practice of ACL treatment to a wider audience.
Advising Consultant: Dr Tom Cross
Dr. Tom Cross has practised sports medicine for the past 26 years and during that time successfully completed 5 years of specialist post-graduate training in Sport & Exercise medicine and gained Fellowship to the ACSEP (Australasian College of Sport & Exercise Physicians).
Prior to specializing in sports medicine Dr Cross gained a broad medical experience working as a Resident Doctor for 3 years in the NSW public hospitals, including 1 year specialising in paediatrics at the New Hospital for Children (Westmead) where he gained a Diploma in Child Health.
Dr Cross has broad sports medicine experience caring for recreational athletes (adults and children), musculoskeletal injuries that occur at work or home, elite/professional athletes, and military personnel.
The Cross Bracing Protocol is named after Dr Cross. Dr Cross is consulted to ensure the content of HealACL is accurate and relevant.
Our inspiration
Dr Merv Cross
Dr Mervyn John Cross OAM was an Australian former rugby league footballer and orthopedic surgeon. Merv sadly passed away in August 2023.
Dr Cross played in Australia’s major competition the New South Wales Rugby League (NSWRL) but he is better known for his achievements in the field of sports medicine as an Orthopaedic surgeon.
Cross was awarded an Order of Australia Medal (OAM) for his revolutionary work in knee surgery. He was one of the inaugural Honorary Fellows of the Australasian College of Sport and Exercise Physicians.