ACL injuries,anyone?

[Lynda]

My son has damaged his ACL at the beginning of basketball season and his orthopedic surgeon says he MIGHT be able to get through the season with a brace. It is not ruptured or torn, but "damaged." Has anyone played a sport with this injury or stalled surgery for awhile with a brace?? He is headed off to college next year, and until this happened, he was on his way to 1000 pts. On the other hand, he is also a great soccer goalkeeper (state Division 2 first team for two years in a row), and wants to play this position in Division 3 college as well as basketball if possible. He is wondering whether to give up the basketball season, have surgery right away and be ready for soccer in the fall. Tough decision. Sorry to be so long, but has anyone out there chosen to delay surgery on an ACL? and to what effect(s)??? What is the recovery like?

 

[lorax]

My husband has had 3 ACL surgeries - 2 on the right knee and one on the left. I can't help you with respect to delaying the surgery because his were torn and delaying wasn't an option. But the recovery went pretty quickly. The surgery was outpatient with a nurse coming to the house the evening of the surgery for a check up and then I drained and monitored the amount of fluid from the knee with this little device called a hemovac (I think). Anyway, my husband started rehab right away and made 100% recovery and his knees are stronger than ever. He's very active, plays tournament softball and works contruction. He does have to wear braces on his knees when playing sports but this doesn't impair his ability in any way.

I would get a second opinion from a sports doc and make your decision from there. The concern I would have with delaying is that there's a risk of going from "damaged" to "torn" and making the problem worse. The good thing is your son is young and active so his recovery should be a breeze. Best of luck to him whatever his decision!

Lorrie

PS - I beleive Cathe had this surgery when she injured her knee skiing, maybe you could post this question to her under Ask Cathe

Lorrie

 

[Steppingup]

My brother tore his ACL his senior year of high school while playing basketball. He did have it scoped because he was collecting SO much fluid and it was extremely painful. The doctor just mainly cleaned it up and said to be careful. This was totally wrong (in my opinion) because it was always weak and he could never play basketball again. He is now 26 and just this year was at work and jumped down a couple of feet and landed on that knee with all his weight and completely tore the ACL. He did have surgery and therapy (he had therapy before also) and now his leg is stronger but he is not as limber in that knee. He cannot straighten it out completely. He has a brace also but refuses to wear it but the doctor told him that after he healed he wouldn't have to anyway. He says he can tell that it is stronger but still cringes everytime he lands on it or takes an awkward step because he went for so many years with it weak.

I say get a second opinion because if your son is very active he will eventually tear it more. Of course, that is my totally uneducated opinion. If it was my knee I would want surgery immediately but I know it's different when you are trying to make a decision for your son. Let us know how it goes.

Kelly http://www.sgtfuzzbubble99.homestead.com/files/Smilies/De_Niro/eeyore.gif

 

[Lynda]

Thanks Kelly and Lorrie! He is going to have it scoped to see what the extent of the damage is. The surgeon just isn't sure how bad it is from the MRI. He says the color of the MRI image of the ACL is ambiguous. Yes, if it were MY decision, I'd probably choose early surgery. But it's my son's decision, and I just want to help him make an educated one.