ACL Reconstruction - Recovery experience, anyone?

G

Gayle

Cathlete
Howdy,

Well, what initially started out as a meniscus tear is now a meniscus tear AND an ACL tear. I'm having ACL reconstruction surgery next month...probably the same day that the new workouts ship. x( x( I guess I'll have time to preview.

Anywho, I'm very interested to hear from anyone else who's had this done, what your recovery time and activities were like, such as - how long you were on crutches, was driving an issue, how long before getting back to low impact cardio, etc? Any input would be appreciated.

I'm trying to be focused and positive about this, since it's going to make my active life better in the long run, even though it means no ski season for me this year... ;(
 
Don't have any advice to offer, but I wish you healing and wellness in a hurry!

Sorry if I faked you out, but I just wanted to say that. Getting sidelined from working out stinks.

Susan L.G.
 
Hi! I had my ACL reconstructed in the fall of 1987. I was playing college tennis and my knee went out while hitting a backhand! Please realize that the surgery and the rehab that follows have greatly improved, so I bet it won't take you too long to get back. When I had it done, my knee was kept in an immobilizer for a couple of weeks following surgery and only bent during rehab. Needless to say, I had a lot of scar tissue build-up and it became quite the project to work on bending my knee. Now they place your leg in a machine that bends and straightens your knee right after surgery. So post operation (surgery in late October), it took me until about mid spring (March/April) to be able to jog, but building up to that, I rode the exercise bike and did pool workouts. They will have you doing rehab exercises almost immediately after--Jane Fonda leg lifts were great fun (the trainer called it spit - because you worked your legs as if you were on a spit rotating around).

My ACL left some nasty scars, which you may not have to worry about because some(maybe all) of it they can actually do arthroscopically. They took out my middle patellar tendon and attached it with screws to my tibia and femur. I also had most of my meniscus removed.

I think it is good to get the surgery done as soon as you can. A friend of mine didn't have her knee reconstructed until much later than I did (we hurt our knees at about the same time). She had a difficult time with arthritis and now her physical activity is very limited.

Good luck! You will be up and moving, working out to Cathe, before you know it! As for the driving, I was in college and didn't need to drive, but I was assigned a golf cart to get around campus. I think I drove with my left foot, and I have some funny memories of that experience. Yikes!
 
Hi, Gayle. :)

In July of last year, I tore my ACL while sparring in taekwondo class. At the end of August, I had it repaired. The doc used my hamstring tendons. I'm glad he did. I really wasn't on crutches very long. My PT said that as soon as I am comfortable putting weight on it, I can do without (but still needed the leg brace for quite some time). It wasn't long before I was out walking a mile or two with my leg brace on. They say you can run after about 3 months. Make sure you do your PT exercises religiously. :) Oh, and six months after surgery, I was back in TKD class and got my yellow belt. :7

I don't remember how long it was before I could drive - just until the therapist said I could adjust my leg brace enough to bend my leg. A matter of a few weeks or so, I think?

Which procedure are they using for the repair?
 
Thanks for the replies everyone! :)

fit@home1 - The doctor is also using my hamstring tendons, so it sounds like the same procedure you had. Congratulations on your yellow belt! :)
 
I had my ACL replaced about 4 years ago. The dr. replaced mine with a donor ACL. I have two very small almost undectable scars.

I stayed home from work for about 2 1/2 weeks. My dr. recommended a month but I was going crazy at home. I had to basically stay on the couch all day hooked up to an ice machine 24/7 for I think a couple of weeks.

I don't remember when I started low impact exercise, but I know I was running within 4 months. I made a full recover with no problems what so ever.

I did PT for about a month twice a week. I think because I was in good physical shape my PT went very well and I regained full use and flexibility very quickly.

Best of luck.

Buffy
 
I fell playing volleyball on 5/10/06 and had ACL reconstruction/meniscus repair on 6/7/06. I opted for an allograft (cadaver) replacement and I'm now about 17 weeks post-op. It's easier if I list it out:

1) Surgery was out-patient but full anesthesia. I woke up with a full imobilizer brace on and had to keep it iced off and on for the first month. I used both crutches and the imobilizer for about 2 weeks and then down to one crutch and imobilizer brace for another 2 weeks. My OS normally prescribes the imobilizer for 6 weeks but I was out in 4 because my leg strength was good.

2) I started physical therapy about a week after surgery and have had it 2 days a week since. They say I'll have to have it for 6 months for a faster return to sports activities.

3) I couldn't walk without a slight limp for almost 8 weeks but after my quad muscle kicked in (what the PT called "firing") it was much easier.

4) Stationary bike was started for about 10 minutes when I was about a month post-op and I progressed to slow treadmill walking and elliptical at about 8 weeks.

5) I also started light weight work on my own at the gym at about 6 weeks post-op. I did light leg press, squats (when I was able), abductor/adductor machine, and calf press.

6) I slowly progressed at PT and at the gym to other exercises as my leg/knee got stronger.

7) I'm now post-op 17 weeks, started running on the treadmill last week, can squat and leg press 100 lbs. (about 3/4 of my pre-injury weights for squats).

8) I still have stiffness in the evening or when I do too much activity but for the most part have recovered and am considered "functional."

9) Saw my OS today and I'll be fitted for a sports brace in two months so I can jump and do my beloved IMax 2 again. :+

Let me know if you have any more specific questions. The recovery process is longer than I expected but being able to return to Cathe workouts, running marthons, and all the other things I love was worth the inconvenience.

Oh, and the scars are pretty minimal. Three small incisions you can barely see when they heal and one that's about an inch long underneath the knee (on the side). Driving depends on which knee is injured. In my case it was my left so I was driving a week after surgery. If it's your right, I think it's about a month or when you have no pain and enough strength.

Also be prepared for some serious muscle atrophy in your quad. It's amazing how much muscle you'll lose after surgery but you can get it back with some work.

Ooops, look at my picture trail if you like. I took a picture of my knee post-op and with the imobilzer brace.

Kathy G
 
Hi Gayle,

Try doing a search with ACL reconstruction as the keywords. You'll find a number of posts which may be helpful to you. It is now several years after my own ACL reconstruction (June 1999) and I would say I was pretty much back to full activity between 6 and 9 months after surgery. I had a bit of trouble with tendinitis in my knee for about 2 years after surgery. Then that went away, and it took me a couple of years after that to get my full range of motion back. Now my reconstructed knee behaves the same as the intact one -- same strength, same functionality, no pain.

Stebby
 
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