This is the true story of how a life-long, competitive athlete endured her first-ever sports injury playing recreational indoor soccer in Jan. ‘09.
Join me as I document all the pains, gains and baby steps I’ll be taking on my road to a hopeful recovery.
The right knee arthroscopy and ACL reconstruction surgery is May 20, 2009.
Get all your questions answered about ACL surgery as I share my stories, my photos and videos–and I invite you to share your stories and upload your scar photos in the YesKneeCan Flickr group
Copyright YES KNEE CAN © 2009/2010
Thinking of you today and hoping your surgery went well. What type of graft did you decide to go with?
I had a complete rupture/tear to my ACL in March while skiing. I am about 7 weeks out from the accident and have decided to wait on surgery until the fall. My knee is feeling pretty good right now, sometimes unstable. I have been doing strengthening exercises for my quad daily and even took a slow jog yesterday. How long did you wait to get surgery, and did you do much pre-op conditioning on your legs? Did you jog at all prior to surgery?
Look forward to hearing your story.
Hi Nicole! Thanks for stopping by. I went with the patella tendon graft from my own knee. I waited four months until I got my surgery. Shortly after the tear (mine completely split too), I started PT. My surgeon told me to get a pre-op evaluation, that lead to me doing PT 3x a week, which was miraculous. I was back on my feet doing cardio machines, pilates, etc. Everything but jogging. I tried jogging, but knee buckled a bit. I’ve heard people can do it, though. It sounds like you are doing all you can, and that’s great! The biggest fault you can be making right now is NOT moving your knee. If you haven’t gone to PT yet, I would check in for a pre-op evaluation. Just be careful about your insurance money, because you will need it more after your surgery. Just do the excercises as much as you can. I will let you know how it works out for me. Keep in touch–it’d be great to hear your story, too!
Where were you skiing in March?! I love to ski.
Thanks for your reply. I was skiing in some extreme powder at Crystal Mountain. I tore it on my first run (just purchased new boots and ski’s). I have not talked with a PT yet, but I know I should.
How are you feeling now after surgery? I hope good. It sounds like you have kept yourself in great shape, so I am sure your recovery will well. Keep me posted.
Take care. Nicole
Hi Nicole,
I hope all goes well for you. There’s a chance if you start PT, you might not have to go through surgery. A good amount of people just rehab their ACL back into shape. Not saying that it’s true for everyone, but could be a possibility depending on the severity of your tear.
As of now I feel fine. Just trying to do all I can in hopes of getting back on my feet as soon as I can.
Hey there…thinking of you! Looking at the picture of your wound make my legs hurt for you. You are making amazing progress though – 90 degree bend! Nothing less of incredible!
Don’t get too hung up on the not working out. You’d be surprised at how forgiving the body can be. You’ll be back in the mix soon.
Hang in there.
xo
Amy,
You continue to make me feel so much better about everything! You’re right, now is not the time to sweat the small stuff, but more so to focus on the bigger picture items, like decreasing pain. Thansk for all your support
My name is Lauren and I tore my ACL, along with a number of other things in my left knee last week. I had an ACL replacement in ’06 in my right knee, so now I will have matching scars. While my right knee has never been what it once was, it is supporting me on my crutches through this rough patch. I just wanted to give you some support, I know how hard it can be. People always tell me that “they know how I feel” even though they have never had knee problems. I am very happy that I have found a site that connects me with others who are going through similar situations. Thanks!
Hi, Lauren, and welcome! I’m so glad you found this blog, too. You certainly know how it feels and I’m sure you have a lot of inspiration to share. I hope your knee is currently doing the best that it can. Are you going to rehab? Do you plan on having surgery? Keep us all posted and let us know about your progress! Stay hopeful, stay positive. You know you can get through this because you have been there before
Hello! I had ACL reconstruction surgery to repair my completely severed ACL and trim the meniscus on May 19, 2009. I injured my right knee while racing my husband down Snowbird in March. I did Pre-op rehab for 7 weeks prior to the surgery and found it extremely helpful. Now I am rehabbing 3x per week and am at 140 degrees of flexion at week 9, was at 139 at week 7. My muscle strength continues to increase from the PT and thereby giving me much more mobility. Have been given the “ok” to wear 1.5 ” heels to a wedding this weekend! Yeah! Not so sure I will be doing more than slow dances at the wedding; a disappointment, but the heels make the possibility of spraining the knee an ugly result and unwelcome setback to my progress so far! How did you feel after dancing at the wedding in June?
Hello! Sounds like you are progressing very quickly! I haven’t tried heels yet and I miss them! I wore flats to the wedding and the couple provided flip flops for the dance floor. In terms of dancing, I would say play it a little safer. I’m not a good dancer by any means, but I tend to get caught up in the music and bust out some 80′s dance moves for laughs. Just don’t bend too low on the dance floor and you’ll be fine. Be prepared to ice the next day. A little sore for me.
I recently found out that I had torn my ACL for the third time. Two times on the left, and the newest addition is an ACL on the right and both menisci. I am only 16 years old and an extremly competitive soccer player. Playing division one college soccer has always been part of my plan in life but now due to the timing of my injury I may not get to go to a top school. I wish that I would’ve had knwn this website existed the last two times. It takes real determination to go through an injury like this, but since I love soccer so much I am more than willing. Even though my doctor advised against it I will be going back to soccer and I will work so hard to get back to where I was. I just had surgery 2 weeks ago, and plan to visit this website whenever I need that extra push of encouragement thank you so much, and yes knee can!
This is an article that was written about me after coming back after the 2nd ACL:
http://adisneyworldsports.disney.go.com/media/dwws_v0220/en_US/pdf/08ShowcaseNewsDec30.pdf
Hi, i recently had an acl tear and a medial manicus tear in the end of june.i went through pre op till the 27th of july … which my surgery was on. im a big sports girl and it kills me !!!! not being able to play any until im perfectly fine…
i play field hockey, which is how the tore was resulted in .. it was at one of our tournaments in the begining of summer league:/
i also do softball and ride horses.
one of my questions is though should i be good by march?
and the only think im nervous about is tearing again!!! ughh it was so hard the first time and its still hard i cant do it again.i dont wanna ahah
but im 15 and its my sophmore year in highschool , i mean its not a bad thing and luckily im not a junior or a senior when the colleges are looking.
im going to therapy now and im doing great.. my bending is around 140 to 150 which is the overall bending.
the only problem ive had so far is one day at therapy my knee cap wasnt in the right place at the right time and i pinched some tissue between my knee:/ like im doing better and its decreased but there still some pinched which acts up :/.
if you have anymore questions or whatever ill be replying!
but i would right so much more to explain to you guys but im super tired so goodnight
Hi there
I had patellar graft on June 19th from my left knee and i am back jogging in straight line this week(week15) twice a week.I am in the gym 3 nites a week as well which starts with 20 mins intense on bike and think continuous work on my quads and hamstrings.My left quad is till very light compared to my good lef so my physio suggested i push more now with my left leg.I have slight pain after jogging now but its not too bad.
Has anybody got any good tips on how to increase quad and hamstring muscle bar the usual leg press and leg curl machines.
Thanks
Kieran
Squatting helps, and if you go to therapy at all ask your therapist bout getting electric stem with the quad tighten/strengthen because thats what I’m using to increase my quad muscle.
doing side steps and squatting should also help.
I’ll try to think of more and I’ll let you know.
i wish i could tell all of you some inspiring words…but im at loss of them at this moment too..
i tore my acl,mcl,and my meniscus in 2 places last year while playing soccer (the love of my life) i recovered better then i ever thought i could. i just ended my season and i was a 1st team all star , and i was the MVP of my team…i was playing another game for my club team and i just tore my acl again…on the same leg.:( im devastated i dont know why this is happening to me. why me? …why us?…im sorry to everyone going through this awful patch in life
Hi Sarah,
Thanks for sharing your story. We all can feel your pain in some way. I can’t imagine the frustration you’ve been going through. I’m not quite the all-star like yourself, but I’ve spent many days thinking why ACL injuries don’t happen to the less active folk. Why does it have to happen to people who enjoy being active the most? Because we put ourselves out there. No pain, no gain. It’s all part of the risk of falling in love with sports. When in doubt, just remember, it could be worse. Be thankful for the recovery and the support you have. You know you will be back to it in no time! Best of luck!
Hi,
I had knee surgery a week ago for some torn ligaments and a broken disloacted peice of cartilage, I stumbled upon your blog and I happened to read your comment, and I just had to say, knee injuries do happen to the ‘less active folk’, it happened to me, and I think its the worst thing that ever happened to me just for the fact that I was completely not expecting it because I don’t play a lot of sport, the recovery is tough when you dont have a lot of muscle strength in the first place. I can hardly imagine how frustrating it must be as an athelete to deal with an injury like this, and so I guess I should be grateful.
Hi Sara,
I hope you are on your way to a speedy recovery. You’re right–knee injuries can happen to anyone. The same time I tore my knee, my mom, who is not very active, tore hers. All she did was merely slip on some ice. Nothing bad, but enough to do the damage. The recovery will be tough, but just know that everyone losses a lot of strength during the recovery process. But strength aside, how strong your determination is will be a bigger factor in recovery. Mind over muscles. Best of luck to you. And keep us all posted on how recovery progress!
Hey Sarah, I do have one question, what type of procedure did you get and use for your acl replacement?
i used a graft. im just jogging now and its been 3 months almost for,… and i play hockey.. love of my life! are season is over and everything but it really did suck! and it still kinda does:/
but good luck to everyone and we will all get through it and everything will be a-okay!!!:)
Hi, I wish I found this site earlier but its nice to see everyone share their experiences with ACL surgery. I’m 9 weeks post-op (right knee, hamstring graft) and things are going as well as I could have imagined. I’m starting to jog and ROM is quite good. I was very active even after tearing the ACL and I suspect that is playing a part in speeding up recovery. Active meaning touch football (including intense playoff games), softball, biking, running (including a 1/2 marathon). Currently what is working for me are lots of lunges, wall squats, stationary bike, squat walks from side to side (essentially side steps while squatting), one legged calf raises and most importantly, LOTS of stretching! Good luck!
Hi. I completely tore my right acl on august 14, 2009. I was trying to catch a bat that was in my kitchen. Yes, the flying kind. The conditions must have been just right because when I jumped up to catch is, POP. I had a lot of pain for the first couple minutes, then none. No swelling, no bruising. The diagnosis took about a month and a half. I ended up having surgery on Oct. 29, 2009. He used some on my own hamstring ligament and some cadaver because mine was not wide enough by itself. Recovery had gone well, I am 8 weeks out. I am beginning to get frustrated that things are not progressing faster. Websites like this help me keep things in perspective. Thanks for this.
I’m on my third knee surgery (2 on left knee and 1 right knee) and all were ACL reconstruction w/ MCL tear. I’m 6 days post-op from my right knee surgery and things seem to be as expected compared to first two. Used crutches for first 4 days after surgery and haven’t used them since. I used hamstring and part of cadaver, because surgeon said my hamstring graft was too short. I would like to hear feedback from those who have a combination of hamstring and cadaver for ACL reconstruction.
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Wow, this blog made my day! I had my ACL surgery on March 29, 2010 and am a very athletic, competitve individual. Of course, during PT now (11wks post-op) I often wonder how much more I should be doing as compared to the non-athletes at the facility. Thanks for calming my fears and holding me back!
I tore my ACL my last day (thankfully) of skiing at Whistler, Dec 9, 2010. No pain luckily (after the initial “shock”) and even stable enough to do some extreme snowmobiling the next day (although after making 2 carves on the mtn while skiing indicated that I had no lateral stability).
I had a non-aggressive orthopod (before I changed MD’s) and had extensive PT and aggressive regular training until I decided to get it repaired. Without an ACL I was able to bounce laterally on/off Bosu balls, treadmill speedwork, side lunges up a treadmill, decent lifting and plyo for lower body… but still something was not right when running on a gym floor and doing lateral hurdles. I believe that the hard core PT and conditioning prior to the surgery has really helped so far, especially in immediate post-op time. The time lapse b/t injury and surgery were based on career paths at the time, but it turned out for the better. My quad strength is of course less than the non-surgical leg, but is still really strong compared to “normal” folks. BTW- I had a patellar graft.
Anyways, please keep up your blog updates! It is a bummer about not returning to skiing so quickly but is is better to bust balls on the slopes than to bunny hill it all day! Good luck!
Hey all,
I recently tore my ACL in my left knee, it was a complete tear and a partial one in my medial meniscus. the doctors put me in a cast for 5 days after my fall (100m sprint!! ugly!!) as they only thought it was a dislocation, cuz it dislocated when they helped me off the track i slipped back on my knee and it popped back in and you could hear the tear!!
during those 5 days in a cast i lost nearly 60% of muscle in my left leg (which btw i my good knee :s). had my surgery on may 19th and finding this blog could help me alot. i opted for a patella tendon graft from my own muscle so the scar is pretty horrible, but hey i can walk!
wanted to ask for help on a few things; have just gone into week 6 of my PT and nearly at full range of motion, but still cant full flex, and i have hyper flextion in my other leg so bummer when trying to compare.
when can i actually start swimming as in a small gentle kick or two to the other side of the pool?
and when will the cold shooting pain stop?
and finally when can i wear heels!?!?!!?
Please help!! and thanks for this blog!! a much needed reassurance that you arent the only one out there..
Thanks and good luck to everyone
Hey Ayah,
You’ve come to the right place! Sounds like you are making good progress, so congrats! If you are 6 weeks out, I would think you could start swimming–at least gentle pool excercises–very soon. Ask your PT. The water is so encouraging for getting back to activities.
As for the cold shooting pain, where are you experiencing this, and when do you experience it? Remember that pains in various forms will continue to come and go for awhile. I found the more active I became, the less pains I had overall.
High heels–how funny! I was in your same position! I got so sick of wearing flats when everyone else was in cute summer heels and wedges. I did a post on this too, with a video demo on how to properly walk in heels, if you are interested. I remember I wore mine too soon. (I got anxious!) While it was nice to feel a part of the “real world” again, I paid for it the next day with pain, but it was just my muscles getting used to my “high heel” muscles again. Do what you feel best; your knee will tell you if you need to switch back to flats.
Hi, i recently had an acl tear and a medial manicus tear in the end of june.i went through pre op till the 27th of july … which my surgery was on. im a big sports girl and it kills me !!!! not being able to play any until im perfectly fine…i play field hockey, which is how the tore was resulted in .. it was at one of our tournaments in the begining of summer league:/i also do softball and ride horses.one of my questions is though should i be good by march?and the only think im nervous about is tearing again!!! ughh it was so hard the first time and its still hard i cant do it again.i dont wanna ahahbut im 15 and its my sophmore year in highschool , i mean its not a bad thing and luckily im not a junior or a senior when the colleges are looking.im going to therapy now and im doing great.. my bending is around 140 to 150 which is the overall bending.the only problem ive had so far is one day at therapy my knee cap wasnt in the right place at the right time and i pinched some tissue between my knee:/ like im doing better and its decreased but there still some pinched which acts up :/.if you have anymore questions or whatever ill be replying!but i would right so much more to explain to you guys but im super tired so goodnight
+1
Hi All -
I had ACL reconstruction on my left knee about 2 & 1/2 weeks ago. Doing PT, working on strength and range of motion of stuff. Still using the crutches, but getting better.
I still have some nagging pain that is kind of an aching feeling in the knee. It makes it difficult to sleep. I was wondering if anyone else has this type of pain and about when I can expect it to subside. Anybody have experience with this? GRACIAS!
- Healing Knee
Hey All,
I was on a boat the other day and slipped the same way i slipped when i busted my knee and tore my ACL and Meniscus, But no pain like before and it feels quite fine actually, its just when i come to do full extension that I feel some pain.. Kind of worried.. Please help!!!
A..
I am now 2.5 weeks post op with my ACL reconstruction (hami graft). My question is in regards to rehab- how do you know if you are pushing the envelope of PT enough vs too much?
My extension and flex is pretty good and my mobility without crutches is getting better. Although I have found it to be a bumpy road; one day I need no crutches and feel decent about it and the next day out of bed I feel like I two crutches to cross the house!
I’m still in a post-op brace (until 6 weeks minimum per my othro) but I hate watching my quad dissapear. Is this due to wearing the brace or just the surgery in general? I’m doing the PT exercises religously and continuing to up my reps as much as I can until the pain tells me to stop. What can I do to help power back my quad? It seems the only exercise I cannot excell at thus far is the “firing” of my quad (or quad sets). Elec. stimulus helps at PT but 2-3 times per week does not seem to be enough to stop the deterioration of my quad… Ideas? Advice?
What I find so itnreeistng is you could never find this anywhere else.
KgM -
I am also at 2.5 weeks of recovery. My quads are just starting to get their strength back. Quad sets and leg raises have been key in getting strong. My understanding is this…as the swelling continues to wane, the quad comes back. All the fluid and swelling around the knee makes the brain shut down or decrease the impulse it sends to the muscle. As the swelling fades, the muscle control improves. This is what my phys therapist told me. Keep at it!
-Healing Knee
Hey Healing Knee-
Thanks for the reply. That a good explanation from you PT about the quad stuff. I had my surgery July 1st, looks like you may have been close to that date as well?
I am already anxiously fighting two urges… 1.) to be patient with my PT and 2.) lose this post op brace.
Even though its only been three weeks since surgery I am already fighting boredum with this recovery. Not good since we have not even scratched the surface of this long road to full recovery.
Also, I keep reading about people who have not been required to stay in a post-op brace after surgery. Does your doctor have you wearing one? My brace and I are NOT friends. It drives me crazy. I’m wondering if I would be screwing myself by discarding it… what do you think? Has anyone been able to down-size to a smaller brace that is not so bulky and HUGE?
Hey KgM -
My surgery was on 6/30 and I still need at least one crutch to walk, but it’s getting better. Yeah, I’m bored as hell and frustrated but I know this experience won’t last forever. The brace is awful. I only wear it on trips out of the house in the car; I never wear it in the house, just an ACE wrap. The brace is there to help prevent reinjury such as a slip or fall which could cause the knee to buckle. I definitely don’t want to reinjure my knee, so I’m real carefu. But frankly, I don’t think the brace is all that helpful. I break the rules on that one a bit.
One day at a time.
-Healing Knee
I agree, the post op brace is awful. I went down to one crutch about 1 week post op and dropped the second crutch just inside two weeks post op. There have been times around the house when I have gone back to one crutch due to fatigue but other than that I’ve been getting around okay.
How many times are you doing PT per week? I am currently doing 2 per week and trying my best to work at it everynight at home too. But admittedly, when it hurt real bad I am pretty quick to say “screw it” for the night.
My ROM was measured at three weeks: I had a 100 ext and 118 flex (after stretching). Where are you at?
I am doing PT about twice a week. Today my flexion was at 110 degrees, improved from 98 degrees just 4 days earlier. Step by step…little by little.
I ran into a problem yesterday. My hamstring just dehind my knee got very tender and swollen. Also everytime I extedned my leg or “energised” it I would feel a horrible burning sensation, very painful. It stopped me in my tracks each time it happened.
I happen to have PT last night and they could easily see it was inflammed and very tight. They seemed a little concerned abuot it actually, especially since I was going very well prior. They worked on it during the entire PT. Still very painful… hopefully its nothing to worry about.
Anyone experienced this before? It does not help mentally that I had a hamstring autograft…
KgM,
I had issues with my hamstring during PT as well. My physical therapist thinks it was scar tissue breaking up – there was a pop during some stretching exercises. It happened 3-4 weeks after surgery and every step I took would hurt. It took about a week and a half before it stopped being so tender. The best thing I did during that time was stretch – A LOT!
I had a similar sensation, but it happened when I was sleeping. I would stretch my legs unconsciously while sleeping and flex my entire leg. I woke up with a ridiculous burning sensation, and now I have a giant bruise on the back of my leg right above the bend in the knee, running about four inches up where the hamstring goes.
My physical therapist said he had never seen it before like that, and I haven’t spoken to my ortho. Any ideas?
Infection after ACLR is more common than some people realise and often results in a terrible outcome. Infection after hamstring grafts is hight than patella tendon grafts for some reason, often as high as 1-2%. My surgeon here in Australia, Dr Chris Vertullo, has designed a technique that prevents infection. He is the Gold Coast Knee Specialist Guru and looks after the all the professional teams .You might mention the technique to your surgeon, have a look at :
http://www.kneesurgeons.com.au
http://www.kneesurgeons.com.au/ACL_Research.html
After a difficult month of limping and being in the dark as to what exactly happened that night on the soccer pitch, I finally have an answer. I visited the Orthopedic on Friday October 1st & discovered i had indeed torn my ACL & Meniscus. The news was devastating! From playing soccer 3 times a week to being told i will be out for at least 6 months in pain, rehab & frustration. The only way to getting back on the field will be with hard work, patience and determination. I must admit it crushed my heart to have the Dr. tell me the unfortunate news. I’ve spent the weekend feeling sorry for myself, how couldn’t I?
I’m expected to have the surgery performed later this month and the lengthy spell on the sidelines is deflating. I know i have to be strong and positive but I’m having trouble coming to terms with this so far. I stumbled across this site this morning and it has truly been a breath of fresh air. I know this will definitely be one of the hardest times in my life so far and I know i will have to man-up and be up for the task.
Everyone’s posts and comments on here have made me feel a little more at ease under the circumstances. I’m hoping the procedure goes very well and my rehabilitation makes me a stronger person both physically and mentally!
hi – i found this blog as a result of the google search “ACL surgery when will it get better.” tomorrow is 5 weeks out from my acl surgery. i do my exercises everyday and see the slow progress, but in all honesty, i feel like i’m losing my mind. i keep hearing myself say “i can’t deal” and just can’t believe how long this process takes. i hate the brace, including my new functional brace i got last week. also last week i graduated from a crutch to a cane. though i am venting now, i keep trying to be as positive and to find silver linings.
when will this get better??
all you need is patience. it will come if you want it to. never give up hope and when you feel down, think about the goals you want to accomplish after you’re done with PT and everything. and then think to yourself, the only way I can make these goals happen is by getting better right now. and give it everything you have.
Good Evening All,
My name is Ricardo and I tore my left ACL and LCL on October 2, 2010.
Had PT 3x a week between injury and surgery which was November 5, 2010.
I had just started to jog/run and was picking up my game when this occured while horseplaying with my sons (over 18).
sigh…I keep playing events leading to my injury over and over again and thinking what I could I have done differently but I have come to the conclusion to only focus on present and future.
Pain keeps throbbing but managable. Wearing a huge post ACL surgery brace. Hopefully will be removed prior to Thanksgiving.
Have being doing ankle pumps while im lying down and I have been getting around alot more with crutches today.
It was certainly a relief to read most folks are walking without crutches by 4th day (at least partially).
Thank you all for posting your stories as it really does help to hear from folks who have been or are there and have done that and related success stories.
hey im chris and I torte my ACL last june. I did it playing soccer and I also injured many other parts of my knee because of it. I just wanted to say that this website really inspired me because I though what was a death sentence to inactivity for the rest of my life turned into new hope and oppertunity. The doctors said it would take me a year to come back fully from the injury and even then I shouldn’t play because I would never be as good as I was. I have made a full recovery within three months of surgery (which was aug. 11), and I am looking to helping my team win states 2 years in a row and playing D1 college soccer. Thank you for providing that new hope for me.
Glad I discovered this blog! I’m having surgery tomorrow for my ACL (left knee) after an awkward fall in a competitive basketball game a couple months ago. To be honest, as this is the first surgery I’ve had in 10 years (the other I don’t remember, as I was too young), I’m a bit on the nervous side. Bad enough that I missed my first surgery date and had to reschedule: this time on anxiety medication! Crazy, right? It’s very reassuring to see that there are many others who are in/have been in this position and are making positive progress.
Im really glad I discovered this blog! After completetly tearing my left ACL during volleyball practice at the end of May 2010, I was completely devesated. I put off surgery, rehabbed for a month and got black to playing first week of July. Played all summer with my brace and I was completely back to normal. Volleyball season my senior year was very sucessful, I made all- division, and my team got all the way to the state semifinals. Even though i had a torn acl I was still able to do normal things teenage girls do, go for a jog, wear rediculous 5 inch heels and dance the night away. But my doctor still recomended I get the surgery. So i got my acl surgery on December 28. Turns out i also torn my meniscus so they trimmed away the extra cartilegde as well. The first week sucked but im so glad i did it I was off my crutches in 3 weeks and ditched my immobilizer. And at almost 7 weeks later im completely back to normal walking around fine running a little bit, starting to jump, and yes back to my favorite pasttime of dancing around my room. Im hoping to get back to volleyball by april/may and hopeful play in college this fall! IF ANYONE IS DEBATING WHETHER OR NOT TO GET THE ACL SURGERY I HIGHLY RECOMMEND GETTING IT!
I too am so thrilled to find this blog. I had a partial tear of my ACL back in Nov 2009 from 3 years of martial arts and I finished it off during Zumba on Dec 22, 2010. It hurt for a few minutes but no bruising or swelling. By the next day I was fine. I threw on an OTS brace and skied for the next 3 days with no issue (I did go much easier than I normally do). I’ve been doing PT for the last month, gearing up for my surgery on May 9th. I am an extremely active working mother of two and I’m terrified. I’m afraid of losing my independence, dreading the months that I won’t be able to be active, I’m afraid of not being able to be strong in front of my kids, and I’m afraid of something going wrong with the procedure. My 7 year old daughter is so traumatized. She doesn’t want to play around with me in fear that she’ll hurt my knee and won’t go to sleep without me laying in bed with her. Any words of wisdom?
Hi Jodi. All I can say to you is hang in there! I’m a mom to a very active 4yr old and i tore and flipped the meniscus with Krav Maga and Zumba. I had my ortho surgery on may 4th and i won’t lie, it was painful but the recuperation although fast for me, I still feel like is not fast enough. I have a very agressive PT (7days a week, once-twice a day) and my ROM is back to normal but…here’s the tough one for me…I can’t wear high heals or exercise the way i used to. Some days I’m happy that I can at least walk normal and then some days (like today), I’m frustrated about not wearing cute clothes and heels. Everything will be fine, just keep reminding yourself this is for the best.
A friend of mine said to me: “Think of it as a little deprivation now to assure a lifetime of hotness later.” That sure made me smile. Good luck and if you need support, I’m here.
Hi Laura! Thank you for your words of wisdom. Today I’m 7 weeks post op. NOT FUN! I honestly thought I’d be in a much different place. I’ve had a few set backs which is really getting me frustrated. It seems that I developed Patellar Tendonitis which as prevented my progression. I’ve made zero progress with therapy in the last 2 weeks.
Due to my inability to start muscle strengthening exercises my weak leg has started to buckle on me since it is unable to support my walking motion. I stepped off the curb last Thursday and had a bad buckling incident. Thankfully I caught myself on a truck preventing landing on my knee but I hurt my back doing so! I’ve had more trouble since I had the surgery than prior to it!
I’ve also been put on an anti-inflammatory which is making me kind of sick.
I’m desperately seeking the light at the end of the tunnel but I still can’t see it!
Hi Laura, I just wanted to check in on you. I hope you are feeling better and back in your heels. I’m still struggling a bit with heels but I’m definitely getting better. I just finished my 3rd injection of Synvisc to help with my kneecap pain and spent the weekend skiing (I did quite well!).
Feel good!
Hello my name is jade. I just had patellofemoral realignment surgery with a gracilis graft. It’s been 5 days and I’m dying! I cannot get up without serious pain. Any tips or encouragement that this gets any better? Thanks
Jade, I feel your pain. Sorry for the delayed response. I hope by now you are better. Pain meds, crackers, Gatorade and entire seasons of TV shows on DVD.
Thank you so much for this site! It has been a great resource for me. I tore my acl skiing when I was 14, and due to my age they didn’t fix it at the time – but warned that eventually I would need to do it. So now, 20 years later, the time has come -and I am very anxious! I am having a hamstring graft ACL replacement and a cadaver PCL replacement this Wednesday. I love your positive attitude and honesty through your journey – it’s very inspiring and I will continue to reference it during my recovery as well. All the best to you!
Hi all, I’m 17 days post op on my 2nd ACL. Broke my first in 2009, allong with a miniscus tear, took about a year with the whole process before getting back to playing indoor netball then broke my other ACL about 4 months later!Patela for the first & hamstring for the second. At this early stage I’m prefering the hamstring repair as the progress is much quicker (I was off crutches 3 days post Op) plus I still have front knee pain from the first Patela fix.
As much as I’m sorry that’s it happened to all of you, it’s good to know I’m not alone! If anyone is about to have the op or just post the best thing I did was do my rehab and do it properly! I’d do a minimum 4 times a week of approximately 1.5 hours of my PT plus exercycle and it’s paid off, both with getting back to normal life the first time around and post OP for the 2nd. I know it’s hard work and takes time but get an Ipod or set up in front of the TV.
I just saw my physio for the first time since my second op and she’s amazed at where I’m at and have been told to take it abit slower.
Good luck to all, I know it sucks but there are are lot worse things that can happen to you!
Cheers
Jason
A week ago today I obliterated my ACL playing flag football. I’m a 43 year old single mom of two young boys and no athlete. I start PT next Thursday. MRI shows ACL is toast plus bruising on bones plus soft bone tissue bruising. Wearing a Breg brace with knee hinges. Life is slow, uncomfortable and many times painful. Ibuprofen, Aleve and ice are my best friends.
I came across your blog this morning and all I can say is Wow. You have scared me, inspired me and now I feel ready to embrace this journey. I will be following your advice and your insight has given me hope.
Thank you from the bottom of my heart for sharing your journey with me. I wish you continued good health and peace.
Brandi
hi everyone..its been 8months since my acl surgery(hamstring graft)..i also had microfractures:( i can walk properly speed hasn come back yet n have full extension but i haven been allowed to do anything else n no increase in pt as well..is it right????plus at a particular angle the portion below my knee moves back n forward as if its not attached to knee and i have severe pain in feet…i dont know wat to mak eout of it…i dont have the energy to go thru that painful physio again,….please help..is it normal?
Hey everyone, I just wanted to say what a great idea this website is. I tore my acl playing indoor soccer in a pretty bad collision with another player. The doctor said I could opt out of surgery if i was willing to limit my athletic exorcise and hang up the cleats. That simply wasn’t an option and immediately I asked for the surgery. So I’m about 4 weeks post-op of having acl reconstruction done on my right knee (patellar tendon) and I gotta say, it’s a lot tougher than I thought it was gonna be. But I’m working hard at my PT and have great therapists there every step of the way (doesn’t hurt that I work in a pt department so I get special treatment!) Just to be able to share this with other people going through the same thing and understand the pain and progress to get through every week is very cool! I hope all of you are doing well on your acl reconstruction journey’s, thanks for listening!
Hi Kristoffer. Good luck on your journey to recovery. I’m 6 months post op (Patellar graft) and still having a rough time. I still have a lot of pain in the front of my knee where they took the graft from which is limiting my ability to regain the muscle mass I lost from atropy. I haven’t stopped PT and won’t unless my health insurance company makes me. I’m still optimistic and my surgeon continues to tell me I’ll be skiing by January. Here’s hoping!
Hi, i i had my ACL op and meniscus repair 6 weeks ago. I expected to be walking properly and back to work within 3-4 wks but i’m struggling badly. Cant get my leg straightened and have only 95degrees bend. Have been doing all the exercises the PT has given me but cant see much progress. Anyone experiencing similar problems, any suggestions of s’thing different i could try?? Really starting to lose the will, just want to be able to walk properly again!!
You have to go to a PT. It’s all the difference. I couldn’t imagine going through this w/o a PT.
Hello everyone first off to everyone who had knee surgery I feel your pain because im going through it right now. What gives me hope everyday is looking at this process one day at a time. I dont think about 9 months from now its what i can do today. I feel hope everytime I do my rehab. Its dec 11 2011 I am 9 weeks out surgery torn acl pattelle tendon graft also torn medial and lateral meniscus playing indoor soccer. I still dont have full extension I have – 3 force flexion -1 flexion when i bend my knee. As far as flexion 8th week was forced flexion was 125 bymyself it was 120. Iam confident i can get 130 bymyself now. My question to you guys is are these acceptable numbers for week 9? I go to rehab twice a week for 1 hour and on i do about 90 minutes a day myself. I still have a limp 1 to 10 is about a 2. Thank you in advance. I wish the best for all ofyou. In the middle of diffuculty lies opportunity.
Hi Sedat,
good work on all the rehab. it sucks but it’ll all pay off. My physio said that I only had to do about 40mins worth 3-4 times a week but I did the same as you and it was worth it. I did both of my ACL’s with about 18 months between the 2 separate injuries. Don’t worry about the limp it will go and the full extension will come. It took about 9 months for my first knee and 6 for the 2nd (extension not limp, that’ll be gone soon). The bad news is that the frontal knee pain takes quite some time to go, if ever. I’m now 3 years past my pattelle graft (got a hamstring for the 2nd) and it still hurts to kneel on it.
I still rehab/exercise 3 times a week for about 40-60mins just to keep it strong, feel better cause it’s good for you and to help fight the middle aged spread which has arrived since I turned 40.
I can’t advise on the fexion as that wasn’t used by by physio.
All the best.
Jason
Hi Cat,
don’t give up it all takes time, a little bit of courage, and unfortunately some hard work and persistency with the physio.
I’m not sure what you’re doing for physio but an exercyle is also great. I got a cheap 2nd hand bike and have it planted in front of the tv to keep me distracted. If you are finding the physio hard remember that “no pain no gain” is true, so think of pain as your friend when you’re getting to the tough end of your exercise reps. It’s telling you that your doing the work, getting better and are closer to your end goals.
I’ve posted a few times here so am repeating myself but it takes time to get the leg fully striaight, don’t get dissheartened, you’ll get there. Same for the walk, once you rebuild the muscle and your confidence it’ll happen. Part of it’s a physcological game with your head. You think that your knee is really weak and you’re scared of breaking the new graft but, while taking it easy, it’s actually stronger than you think and can handle walking on safe even ground no worries (though please check with your physio about this!).
I’ve broken both ACL’s on seperate occassions. The first time it took me about a week to get off both crutches and 2 weeks to abanden them completely. The 2nd time around, because I knew what was going on, I was only on the crtuches for 1 day.
Everyone’s pace is different though so again don’t get dissheartened, we all know what you’re going through, it’s not fun, not easy, but you’ll get there.
Jason
Hi Jason,
Thank you for your reply. I was feeling a little down today and your mail gave me hope. I am sorry that you had to go through two ACL reconstructions. I hope that you`re doing well now and fighting the fight. Based on what you have told me, I guess I`ll keep having my girl push my knee down and give me pain every morning ( lol ), and hope that this knee will go down soon. How did you tear your ACL , what where you doing? Did you have any kind of meniscus tear?
As far as patella pain, I can bear that. I also developed heterotrophic ossification on the side of my knee. It`s basically a bone growth; have you ever heard of it? The doctor says not to worry , but it`s hard kind of not to.
Looking forward to hearing from you.
Thanks Jason
Hi Sedat,
I broke mine playing indoor netball. I didn’t learn my lesson the first time! Or second actually, am keen to get back to it again. The 1st time I was just running hard in a straight line then pushed off on my left leg to cut in for an intercept and my knee just collapsed. It was one of those slow mo moments when I knew that my knee was bent at the completely wrong/un-natural angle and something bad was happening. The 2nd time all that I did was jump up to catch a pass and came down slightly off balance and my right knee ripped. Everyone that saw it thought what’s all the fuss about as I was rolling around on the ground in miseary (having known what I’d done again) and pain.
With the first knee I also had a meniscus tear. The bone growth doesn’t sound like much fun. You have to trust you dr to a certain degree and don’t internet diagnos yourself! I was convinced that I had cancer once and what I had was far from it.
Jason.
Hey jason how is your knee doing now I just wanted to check up on you. are you doing any kind of sports now?
Hi Sedat, I am 8 months post op ACL reconstruction using my Patellar tendon. I have had an uphill battle and still fighting. I developed Patellar tendonitis (for which I used acupuncture to help with the pain) followed by a lot of pain under my knee cap (for which I was treated with Synvisc – just had my 3rd injection last week) and my hip is out of whack from walking with a limp (which I still do on occasion). I am still doing physical therapy (though I only go 2x a month), can still barely do heel taps, and walking down stairs is still quite difficult. On the flip side I went back to Zumba at 6 months without the use of a brace (which was where I tore my ACL in Dec 2010) and I just spent the weekend skiing (I was pleasantly surprised at how well I skied – I did wear a brace). We can’t go back and may never be the same but I am confident that if you want to resume your activities you will. I am living proof of that. Pro athletes with the best care and instruction aren’t up to par even a year after they’ve had this surgery. It is not until 2 years later that they come back to themselves. Keep fighting. Good luck.
Hi jKashk I feel your pain bro it sucks you tore acl zumba. When did you have your acl surgery? how far are you with your pt since the zumba incident?
I’ve done some running as part of my rehab but I very much dislike running so have almost stopped that. I’ve gotten back on my BMX but I take that pretty easy as I’m 41 now so bruise and break more easily than when I was a kid!
I’ll hopefully be starting social netball again in a few months so fingers crossed that I don’t do it a thrid time!
Jason
Its great that you can ride the bike!!!! As far as netball dont go back early get the calf, quad,hami strong first and also flexible and work on agility. I started running last tuesday my limp is gone now like you said but I dont have full extension yet. my knee cracks pops everytime my girl pushes down on my knee. Im so close to full extension I am guessing 2 degrees away from getting it. I will see a scar tissue specialist thursday for few sessions that could help. I cant believe it took you 9 months and 6 months to get yours.
How long does it take to get back to running? I tore my ACL, my meniscus and have a bone contusion. Its been about 2 weeks since surgery and until now I haven’t gone a day without playing competative soccer or at least running a few miles. I was just about to try out for some college teams (on Thursday, tore my ACL the Tuesday before) and am feeling really down and can’t stand being away from the field. I’m hoping to start running as soon as I can but I don’t have any idea when it is normal for people to start running after surgery.
EllaM,
I was jogging in 3 months and sprinting in 4-5…i felt i was back to “normal” and fully comfortable in 6 months. I feel your pain, running is my outlet and stress relief and it killed me to not be active. Hang in there…just focus on getting BETTER than before you tore the ACL when you are rehabbing and you’ll be ok.
Hi
I had a gentle connection on a flat slope with a boy about 12 years old, he linked into my skis from behind, and as he tried to unconnect from me, he manipulated my left knee, this has resulted in an MRI scan in the UK confirming full rupture (thigh end) of the ACL and rupture with bone of my MCL, all injury is on my left knee…my knee man Graham Bailie (Ulster Hospital) has recommended full leg cast for 4 weeks to see if the MCL will reattach bone to bone….he hasnt confirmed that I will go for the ACL reconstruction hamgraft op yet, but, if my knee is unstable, what else can I do, I am absolutely devasted, it has affected not only me, but my partner and our 2 children, 2 holidays have been totally cancelled, and the immediate future looks totally rubbish…I am small and hate wearing old flat trainors, I feel like my life has been taken out of my control….very very angry about this injury, have been skiing since I was 12 and now at 43 I doubt I will ever ski again….
Nicola, that sounds awful! Make sure you have a doctor that has performed lots of acl surgeries, like over 200 and recently, last 5 years. Also make sure u get a good PT, physical therapist. I went to 5 doctors, 3 of them were great, before i finally decided. I’m 46, female, tore my acl playing soccer, 4 weeks post acl reconstruction, hamstring autograft. I didn’t have an mcl tear though, just meniscus damage in addition to the acl.
I’ve heard over and over that i’ll be able to ski, but that i shouldn’t play soccer. I’m ok with that. I was just reading articles that reoccurance of injuries to the knee is likely if you go back to sports too soon, especially for women.
http://www.livestrong.com/article/213312-acl-revision-surgery/
I plan to ski after a year of recovery, and only if both legs are in great shape.
Hang in there. Good luck sweetie!
I am 10 month post ACL reconstruction with a Patellar Tendon graft. I have to say, I’ve resumed about all activity and worked so hard to make a full recovery (I’m still working at it) but I am so disappointed that I haven’t had a day without discomfort. I did 8 months of PT and just gave up, b/c after having injections of Synvisc in my knee to help with the arthritis that developed from the surgery. I am still in pain and am horrible walking down stairs or hills. Lunges with the surgical leg in the back are almost impossible without pain or shaking (due to the weakness of the leg). There is so much popping and grinding when I bend my knee. The odd thing is that I’m probably at 90% of where I used to be in Zumba classes and on the slopes.
Nicola, I am 41 and extremely active. I am an avid skier and was determined to ski with my children. I was skiing the blacks 9 months post op. I skied 2 consecutive days and did very well on the easier blacks. At the end of day 2 I did hit a large patch of ice (which is common when skiing on the East coast of the US) and couldn’t dig my edges in as much as I needed to maintain control and took quite a nasty spill. Thankfully that was the end of the day b/c after that I was so sore I couldn’t even ski a green. I am hoping to ski in some powder out west over the next year or so but hope my knee can withstand that kind of work. My point being is that you will find a way to ski with your family. It may hurt, and you may not get to the level you were before but you will be able to find some level of enjoyment out of it.
Just found this site ,,,, 7 weeks since i got tangled up coming of a chair lift in Austria, taken off the slope, x-rayed, Dr there said right away acl gone. MRI here confirmed plus mcl and menscus tear,, i am walking with a bent knee, not much pain just very very stiff, so reduces much, if not everything i did daily, joined the gym and have been cycling, it is very tight for first 3 minutes then eases, my quad lost an inch in 10 days, i am a fit active 48 yr old woman, finding it very frustrating not being able to run or even walk dogs and my military fitness class totally out of window !!
NHS waiting was long, paid £300 to have MRI on knee privately, surgeon seemed good , but then got my pre op bill and it £5,000, this is with only one follow up consultation,, been paying £30 a time for physio as well,, Did more research and find most good surgeons are working NHS and privately, Going to push to see another surgeon today, altho all this takes so much time waiting on your GP’s referral and hospital waiting times. I constantly read these sites and feel more clued up than my doctor,’,, my private op date is 11April but think i shall have to cancel it, try get leg stronger and wait on NHS
I like to be glam and going about in flat shoes and constant sports wear and leggings doing my head in and i’m off to Marbella Friday ,, but i wont be put off i shall try to limp along with a wiggle !!!! Keep your chin up everybody
Hi. I had A.C.L. Reconstructive surgery almost 6 weeks ago and I’m still struggling to straighten it out! It’s really frustrating, especially with my P.T. reminding over and over again that it needs to get there. I’m trying but it’s hard with school and almost graduating soon. I understand that my knee is my 1st priority but I need some advice from someone who knows how I feel. Please help. Thank you. By the way, they used the patella graft, not hamstring.
My Daugther was a a dance competition right on stage, and she came down from one of her moves and twisted on her leg and heard the pop and fell with pain. She has been very active in dance for the past 10 years. They did an MRI and now they tell us she needs surery. She has a torm ACL and meniscus with some bruising on the bone. They say if she want s to dance again at her level she should have surgery. Next year is her graduating year…depending on the time of her surgery will she be ok by June? They said no dance next year…which is very sad for her because that is her life. She was going to audition at Univeristy next year but dosnt look like she can know. Can anyone give us hope????
Dancers mom
Hey,
I tore my ACL in a not so glorious way playing mini-golf. I just wanted to say how envious I’ve become scanning through some of your writing of your pun making ability! It’s comforting to read about people in the advanced stages of recovery. I’m about a week post-op right now (http://onetwoknee.blogspot.com.au/).
hi
i had knee surgery for the acl n i been a month n 3 weeks out n i went to a birthday party n we waz bolwing n when i walked up there to roll the ball i felt a pull form the back of my leg n it has not stop hurt is that ok or do u think i need to get that checked out
Hi I’m Jordy,18, from Indonesia.i just had my left ACL reconstructed last april,now entering the 3rd month post surgery after anding hard during basketball practice at school last year. However i made a faster recovery on the first stage,compared to other patients with the same problem. I could easily bend my knee in the 2nd – 3rd week while others had to wait for another half a week or months. But what concerns me is that my tibia can still move back and forth i don’t know what’s going on but is that normal?because thats what happened before the surgery. I’m afraid that i will need to conduct another surgery in the future which threatens my collegiate basketball career. Another post-surgery problem that I’m facing is the excruciating pain in back of my knee all the way down to mid calf,the pain usually comes after i bent my knee (e.g sitting on a chair). The therapist told me to stretch it everyday which I did,but the pain won’t go. Any idea what’s wrong with this? I’m so frightened i swear.
thank you so much
So glad I found this blog and reading all of your stories. I completely tore my ACL, medial and lateral meniscus 2 weeks ago. I am currently in PT and will have my surgery in one month. I decided to go with an allograft as I heard that you can have complications with using your own tissue like arthritis and cramping. I tore it jumping up on a BOSU ball in my cross training class. I probably shouldn’t have been jumping as high as I was (about 21/2-3 feet in the air doing knee tuck jumps) came down on the ball on the side of it rather than the middle and POP. Tried to finish class because it didn’t really hurt. After about 15 min it felt very unstable and started to lock up. Next day was extremely painful and couldn’t walk. I am devastated because I was supposed to do a half marathon in Vancouver in August-would’ve been my first time there
plus I play flag football, and was an athlete my whole life: track, cross country, basketball, snowboarding and cheerleading. I work out 5-6 days a week so this is killing me. I live in Florida and it’s so hard to sit here while I see everyone else being so active. I started back at the gym working out my good leg and doing core work and upper body–my bad leg I work out w the PT. Reading all of your stories is so helpful because I’m on the verge of tears on a daily basis. It is such a drastic life changing experience…..plus I’ve just come to the realization heels are out of the question for awhile. I have never injured myself before playing sports other than the occasional sprain and I am 32 years old. Thank you all so much for sharing your stories….I hope and pray for a full recovery. PT says I am healing really fast ” As bad as it is you are doing as good as could be” so I’m hopeful for my post-op recovery.
Thank you for this site. I am right at six weeks post-ACL reconstruction with a cadaver graft. Reading other people’s experiences has been extremely helpful for me. To return the favor, I have a blog now about my ACL journey and baby steps back to fitness. It can be reached at valerielculp.com.
Re
In February 2012 i ruptured my ACL , i’m 7 months through rehab , I have tendonitis and Anterior Knee Pain , to hear from other people who have had ACL repairs or even just other injuries would be brilliant as I live in a small village and in my school no one else has an injury similar to mine , i want to broaden my knowledge abut hockey and injuries -(mainly ACL)
I’ve created a blog about my ACL /knee/ hockey experiences because i want to talk to and learn from other people who have had similar injuries
This website is a real inspiration if there is anyone out there intrested check out my blog http://inezpadiachy.blogspot.gr
Hey All,
. I am 10 weeks Post Op, ACL Allograft (cadaver tissue) with Medical Meniscus repair/removal. I have full range of motion, working on strength, squats, presses, curls, lunges, etc. My PT said in week 12 I can begin agility modalities. I was hoping to be able to wear heels for NYE! What a great resource this is. Wishing everyone continuous healing and good health!
I stumbled on this thread while researching recovery time and heels
I’m sorry to hear about your injury. I tore my ACL a little over 2 years ago doing martial arts and had surgery 6 months after the tear using my patellar tendon. I rehabbed diligently for 8 months and happy to say I am back to skiing the blacks however I am still having problems walking downstairs. Good luck!