Rehabbing the knee is an everyday thing. Here lately I feel like I have been talking to people who are within the same surgery and they are all running and back to sports. Not me. I guess since I get paid to professionally sit in front of a computer all day, I’m not in a huge rush to sprint. But for the sake of my physical activities, I want nothing more to be back–or at least work up a sweat running again. It’s almost more tough now than it was in the beginning. At least then, I knew I had to lug the brace and crutches around. Now, I’m just waitin’ and rehabbin’ to get stronger. I feel like my surgeon, who only sees my so often, has an opposing view from my therapist, who sees me weekly, about when I can run again. Three months v at least six months. Maybe it’s that little lateral meniscus that’s causing all the fuss.
This guy shows what he can do at 5-months post-op.
It’s not always the most fun watching others gracefully surpass you in rehab, but it can be inspiring, too. Luckily (as always) there is hope. I found some good before-you-get-running news in reading this post from one of the members, ACLrecon, at coolrunning.com:
“Have 2 things checked for sure: That anterior tibial shift is normal, and that tibial rotation is tight. Successful ACL surgeries seem to reproduce normal outcomes in anterior shift, but tibial rotation is usually never as tight again. There is an experimental proceedure called “double bundle ACL reconstruction” where they drill two holes into your legs with two grafts at different angles – to reproduce the normal ACL’s anatomy. This has yet to yield definitive results in tibial rotation, but they’re working on it.
2nd Thing, is to make sure you follow rehab to the letter. Muscle strength MUST BE RETURNED TO NORMAL or STRONGER inorder to prevent further injury AS WELL as staving off early arthritis.
3rd thing is, you will have to adjust accord to pain and how you feel. Don’t ever over do it, you’ll do yourself no favors. If you’ve had meniscus removed, I would hope that you strengthen your legs to make up for it as well as changing how heavy you place loads on your leg when running and playing sports.
Sure….in the short-term, you may be able to run and play sports fine. But in the long term (7-10years+), you may be suffering from EARLY arthritis if you return to sports too early, don’t complete rehab, keep a weaker knee, and don’t adjust loads to compensate for your knee’s current condition.”
Of course, I want everyone to heal and forget about the ACL experience as soon as possible. I just caution people in coming back too quickly. It may bring well-deserved bragging rights, but be sure you’re good and ready to compete.
Thank you for keeping your site current on your progress and challanges. It has really helped me throughout my rehab and recovery.
I am 2 weeks behind you. I have some awesome days and then those days that you wonder WT heck..(keeping it g-rated).
I can also do stairs now for the most part. Which after reading one of your entries, and seeing that you weren’t having much trouble, was wondering what was wrong with me.
There are times of the day that I forget about my knee altogether, like it never happened. Then the stiffness kicks in for some apparent reason.
I am having some issues with hyper-extension that you noted a few months ago? How is that going for you now?
Hi, Diane!
I hope you start having more good days than bad ones. My surgeon said that’s just going to be life with the new knee from here on out–some good days and some bad.
I do remember coming back to stairs was such a milestone, but it’s so frustrating to still see the behind who get stuck behind me quickly zip past me, as if I’m holding them up from some important thing.
As for hyperextension, I was concerned about it. There were weeks where I felt my knee would budge when I would try to straighten it. I still feel like it is not as flexible as the other knee. My PT said it’s fine. She said I don’t want too much hyperextension, because that means my hamstrings will be loose and I will be more prone to future injury. I would say to ask your PT about your current state and how much further you need to aim for. I’m sure it’s not as bad as you think.
Hey, don’t sweat it. I’m almost at 8 months and my running is still pathetic. I am in no hurry either but I’m going to start working harder at it. It’s the only thing left to master for me.
We’ll be fine! And running again, I’m sure.
Yes! So good to hear! Keep me posted on your running progress. I’ll look forward to what your knee has to say about that
Hi!
I’ve been following your blog since my own surgery in June. I’m a few weeks behind you, but as my five month anniversary is coming up, I can relate. It seems almost harder now than at the beginning. Can’t wait to be totally normal and I’m jealous of everyone I see in the park running without a care- especially when I am on the treadmill jogging for just a few minutes at a time. Thanks for posting your progress. It helps to know what other people are going through!
Hello! I tore my knee up this summer playing basketball and now, at 2 1/2 weeks out of surgery (ACL reconstruction via cadaver graft and torn lateral meniscus), my patience and frustration levels sometimes get the best of me.
I can’t even begin to imagine what it’s like at months after. I know I will be going crazy! I just keep reminding myself that there are better days ahead, and to do everything my doctor and PTs tell me to do.
I was off crutches 5 days post-op, right into PT the next day, and my flexibility appeared to be ahead of schedule, so I have to be thankful for that. Since then it’s all about going through the daily regimen of stretching and strength exercises and not over-doing it.
From reading many of the posts here, a lot of you are athletes and can identify with not being able to play the sports that you love. Since b-ball season just started, it’s especially tough for me right now. So thanks for starting this site and for all the encouragement, it really does help.
Good luck to everyone in their recovery / rehabilitation … see you on the court, field, diamond, pitch, track, etc. real soon!
Hi! first of all please excuse my bad english. My surgery was on 25 november 2009. I’m worry about the hyperextension. This is not the same with the other knee. is too late to achieve full hyperextension for me? What can I do? My surgeon said it will be fine, but I don’t trust him now. I’m afraid that I suffer this surgery too soon and I should have done exercises before surgery to achieve full extension. But nobody told me, he wanted to do the surgery as soon as possible. Please help me with some advices. Good luck to everybody!
Well I’ve read everything that one can read about ACL reconstruction, and I have asked my PT and my surgeon about this but have gotten no satisfying answers. I am two weeks postoperative and did intensive PT prior to the surgery to get the VMO strong, to get full extension, etc. Immediately prior to surgery my extension was the same as the uninvolved leg. Now after the surgery, I could swear my involved leg hyperextends MORE. If the PT holds my knee against the bench and raises my heel with his other hand, the heel raises MORE on the involved leg. If i do heel props, my involved leg sags MORE. The PT guesses it’s calf waste; the surgeon believes it’s quad waste. But this is not a soft stop–we’re talking knee locking limit here.
What’s up with that? Forgive my ignorance, but is it nonsense to think that the Reconstructed ACL’s tension is insufficient? I would think that neither leg should depend on the ACL to stop it from hyperextending, but what else could it be?