Recovering from ACL reconstruction

[Stebby]

Hi, I would love to hear back from Cathe or anyone who may have gone through my experience.

I had 2 skiing accidents, one in 1993 and the second in 1999. The final result was a complete tear of my ACL. I had an ACL reconstruction on June 24, 1999. I went through physio, and had my last session in January. At the end of January, my surgeon gave me the OK to start returning to full activity. (At this time last year, my activities included downhill skiing, inline skating, part-time aerobics instruction 2X/week, weight training and elliptical trainer. I want to return to all of them.)

I'm having a hard time getting my strength back up. My cardio is pretty good; however, my operated leg is still quite a bit weaker than my good one. I also have patellar tendinitis in my operated leg; my surgeon told me that 80% of ACL reconstruction patients suffer from this, and it may continue for another year. I've also put on about 15 lbs., which doesn't seem to be coming off.

In December, I started doing exercise videos (for the first time!) -- I got several Firm tapes, and I just got Cathe's Body Max tape (which is amazing, by the way -- I did it for the first time the other day, and boy did I feel good at the end). I am really trying to work on my leg strength, with step work and lunges. My good leg is responding very well, and I can feel it getting stronger every week. However, my other leg does not seem to be improving noticeably. Also, the pain from the tendinitis is sometimes quite bad and I am afraid to really push for fear of hurting myself.

Can anyone give me some advice for how I can get better results, and get my operated leg "working properly" again?

Thanks very much.

Betsy

 

[Debra]

I'm living with a torn ACL

I also tore my ACL skiing a few years ago. It was not reconstructed since I have at least 50% still intact. I did have the diagnostic surgery. I can't respond to the tendonitis (but know in general one has to rest the inflamation). Strangely, I ended up with either bursitis or tendonitis during my physical therapy. I think I was overworking the knee.

I can share my rehab which involved a lot of cycling. I used a wind trainer inside until I built my strength & the weather got better. Then I did a lot of road work on the bike. My PT wouldn't let me do any hills, & I lived on a hill, so it meant shuttling down to a bike trail. I was (and continue to be) very careful about cadence (rpm) on the bike. I don't mash my gears, I really try to spin. Also, as the leg strengthened, I focused on evening out my peddle stroke. At first your strong leg will provide most of the power. I was probably the best shape of my life that summer & did my first century (100 mile ride). By the way, my surgeon loved the cycling since it strengthened the legs without the lateral stress.

I had to be careful with step workouts & other lateral type activities. I still do, & I continue to modify step workouts & am really careful about form. The ACL damaged knee still talks to me if I do too much lateral type exercise. I think strength training is essential since I don't have an intact ACL.

You have my sympathy. It was a long, frustrating recovery.

 

[Stebby]

Thanks for your suggestions!

Debra, it sounds as if you're doing great. I am really impressed that you did a century! I find it very encouraging that people with damaged knees can continue to set and accomplish ambitious goals. I think I would enjoy cycling too -- I haven't done much for years. Maybe it is time to get back to it. Thanks for the inspiration, and good luck to you -- I hope the knee continues to behave itself.

Betsy

 

[Cathe Friedrich]

Hi Betsy!

I, too, had an ACL reconstruction(followed by the patellar tendinitis which did go away within a year)and the best advice I can give you is to try to be patient. I know you are looking forward to getting back to your pre-surgery state but this is one surgery that takes a long time to recover from. I was in therapy for four months and continued therapy on my own at the gym until 9 months. At the nine month mark I filmed Step Max but was still in my come back stage. My operated leg took a full year and a half to get the strength of the good leg. Even then I only came back to about 90% and stayed there. For four years I had on and off set backs that would occur and I would have to cut back on exercise for weeks at a time. It has now been 7 years and I find that my leg will never be the same as before it was operated. It does do well for me but if I ever happen to push just a little too hard, it reacts immediately with clicking noises, swelling, and light bruising.

So my advice is to be very patient and understand that there is the possibility that you may never get the full strength back of the operated leg. Work at it slowly. Take it day by day. Give it your best effort and accept what will be in the end.

OK, with that said(sorry for the lecture).....to regain the strength in my leg, I found that leg extentions and one legged squats worked the best. Biking was best for regaining my range of motion. Hope this helps! Lots of luck to you!

 

[Stebby]

Thanks Cathe!

Cathe, thanks so much for taking the time to reply. I don't know any other athletically inclined people who have had ACL problems; I have one friend who tore her ACL, but she gave up all activity afterwards. It is so great to hear from both you and Debra that you have fought to regain your strength and have done pretty well... and that it's normal for this process to take a long time. The clicking noises, swelling and bruising thing sounds very familiar -- right now, I have these symptoms most of the time, but it's nice to think that maybe one day they will just show up when I overdo it. Nice to think that the tendinitis really will go away one day too! I guess I just have to be patient, and do my biking and one legged squats!! Thanks again.

 

[hounddog]

No ACL at all

Hi Stebby:

Oddly enough it was after I tore my ACL that I started to excersize seriously. I completely severed it in a skiing accident and damaged the meniscus as well. By the time I had health insurance three years later the ligament was too atrophied to reapir and I couldn't have open surgery because I was home alone with a tiny baby, so they removed 95% of the cartilege rather than reapir it. My surgeon told me I'd have excruciating arthritis by the time I was thirty. Well, it's almost twenty years later, I'm turning forty this year and I do Cathe's workouts (step, strength, and floor) plus a variety of intense activities, and I'm a waitress. It hurts at times, but I take it easy when it's really bad (cycling is great) and I've been assured I can't harm it any more (nothing left to harm, I guess.) So I figure my overall health is worth a little soreness. So hang in there and be patient. Sorry so long-winded.
--Ann

 

[Stebby]

Thanks Ann!

Congratulations on conquering your knee problems and enjoying a normal life! I think that exercise really is a "magic pill". When I first tore my ACL in '93 (partial tear which left me with about 50%; I had also torn my meniscus and had a big chunk of it removed, same as you) my surgeon also told me I'd end up with arthritis in a few years. I continued to work out hard, and in '99 when I finished the job, I had no signs of arthritis yet. (I'm a year younger than you are.) I am confident that as long as we all keep up with our workouts, we'll still have reasonable knees in our 60s!! Well, it's something to hope for anyway! Thanks for your post -- it is so encouraging to read everyone's stories -- and best of luck to you!