Comments for Yes Knee Can: ACL Surgery Recovery

Comment on ACL Surgery: 3 Weeks Post-Op by Ivy

Ivy — Wed, 14 Mar 2012 00:04:23 +0000

Six weeks was the turning point for me too. Sleeping was horrible. I had to sleep on top of the blankets with just a light sheet on top of me because just the blanket on me hurt. I was so uncomfortable. The other problem for me is that painkillers tend to keep me awake, so that didn’t help either. Ice was the only thing that really helped me. I kept a cooler next to the bed so I could always have fresh ice to pack my knee in so I could get some rest. Hang in there.

Comment on Healing Your ACL Scars by 7 ACL Reconstruction Recovery Fears | ACL Surgery Recovery - Timeline and Exercises

Thu, 08 Mar 2012 23:37:33 +0000

[...] This isn’t a concern I really had but I understand those of you that are concerned. Supposedly there are creams that you can put on your skin, specifically Mederma. The ACL surgery recovery blog YesKneeCan wrote a great post about healing her ACL scars (Heal ACL Scars). [...]

Comment on All About Knee by JKashk

JKashk — Tue, 06 Mar 2012 18:52:11 +0000

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.

Comment on ACL Surgery: 3 Weeks Post-Op by Frankie Wolfe

Frankie Wolfe — Tue, 06 Mar 2012 18:09:26 +0000

Hang in there–it took me SIX weeks to get over the severe pain! I couldn’t sleep either because of pain and finally asked for sleeping pills just so I could get some rest and of course sleep helps in recovery. I’m atheletic too (5 days a week at gym–weight lifting, kickboxing classes, etc.)–and it IS torture–but better to follow protocol and get well ONCE than push it and hurt yourself and increase pain and delay your recovery. It was the most difficult physical thing I’ve ever been through too–ACL completely torn, MCL completley severed and menincus damage–as well as severe contusions (I crashed my Harley and it crashed down on my leg). So you’ll probably recover faster than me without all that extra damage, but I suggest sleeping pills to get you some sleep to get you over that hump. I also learned that my leg hurt worse when I didn’t wear my brace! (Although they wanted me to take it off at home to start getting it stronger-but the brace kept it more stable, which helped a ton with pain. I started wearing it constantly and the pain subsided a bit.) Your wife will probably appreciate a few days off at a spa after you are recovered I know it was hard on my husband–he’s a real care taker, and catered to my every need–and it was very upsetting for him to see me in such pain. I’m four months post op, and still have a ways to go to rebuild strength and get back to kickboxing and my regular activities. But it does start to get much better after 6 weeks.

Comment on All About Knee by JDub

JDub — Tue, 06 Mar 2012 04:59:05 +0000

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.

Comment on ACL Surgery: 3 Weeks Post-Op by Brad

Brad — Sat, 03 Mar 2012 11:46:46 +0000

Hi all,
This forum has been great for me! I had the ACL hamstring graft on on the 20th of Feb. I am having major problems with swelling, it just doesn’t seem to budge. I ice and elevate all day too, I am taking Gabapentin for the swelling but will be asking for new meds on Monday.
The swelling has such an impact on PT. I have had 2 sessions with the therapist which were great but doing follow up exercises seems to lead to swelling, which sets me back.mas others have stated I’m finding it very depressing. Pre op I was in the gym 5 times per week and active at work ( teacher) too, going from such an active life to this is torture!

I have the brace on and am using crutches. The desire to push it is now becoming overwhelming and I think I’m just going to open the door tomorrow and see how far I can walk ( with crutches) just to get out. Rest really doesn’t seem to help, if anything I feel like I’m regressing.

Being overseas, in China, doesn’t help either. My poor wife has sole responsibility of taking care of me, whilst holding down a job. I know lots of you have struggled too and I have told myself that week 3 will be my best! I just never imagined what pain and discomfort I would be in, this is by far, the greatest challenge of my life. I have told the wife that she secured numerous brownie points for when she’s pregnant in the future, I couldn’t have done this alone.

With reference to earlier posts I too have had sleeping problems. The maximum I sleep for is 4 hours, then I get up, it’ too painful yo stay put, and i make up another hour or two mid afternoon.

I can fully extend, which is a real bonus and am at 60 degrees flexion.

Then worst pain inhale after phsio is in my teeth, through extreme clenching as the knee gives me that much hassle, but I know it’s worth it!

Has anyone else had the op recently? Maybe we could buddy up via this forum or e mail to keep each other going.

Good luck one and all, keep going!!!

Brad

Comment on Recent Famous Athletes w/ Torn ACLs by Nicole

Nicole — Fri, 02 Mar 2012 05:04:53 +0000

wow this was so inspirational.. I tore my ACL for the second time right before my senior year and so wasnt able to play. But you are right, God gave us our knees for our whole lives not just sports.

Comment on 1st Post-Op Dr. Visit by tk

tk — Thu, 01 Mar 2012 23:47:23 +0000

Thank you for doing this. Its really helpful reading about other people’s experience and gives me a good idea of what to expect.

Today I am 9 days post-op and also had my first post -op doctor’s visit. I know it’s going to be a long recovery but you blog gives me hope.

Hope all is well now that you’re 3 years out from your injury.

Comment on Recent Famous Athletes w/ Torn ACLs by Tim Barry

Tim Barry — Wed, 29 Feb 2012 04:37:53 +0000

Hey Guys,

My name is Tim Barry. No special kind of athlete like is sounds like yall are… But I consider myself pretty athletic. played sports in highschool. Basketball is/was one of the loves of my life. Before my injury I had a 36 inch vertical and I can dunk… could dunk.

Unlike most of you youngsters, I’m 27…I just today heard i tore my ACL… Playing b ball… planted awkward. don’t really know how it happened… thats how it goes. Now I’m scared to ever play b ball ever again. Which is soo depressing to come to the realization to. I hear about you guys having to have 3-4 reconstructive surgeries, being so young. Thats scary to me. I want to have a long life, in which I can walk, get around, maybe golf??!

I have all the hope in the world for all of you to recover and get back to doing what you love. Just realize we are only given one body, for our entire life… one pair of knees. Take care of what you have. Don’t return too early from ACL repair.

I wish the best to all of you.

Comment on ACL Patellar Tendinitis and ACL Shin Splints by Neil

Neil — Tue, 28 Feb 2012 20:45:08 +0000

I had an ACL reconstruction some time ago. It maybe up to 7 years ago now if not more. I was one of the first to have the endoscopic hamstring autograph ACLs in Plymouth UK done by Mr Loxdale. I believe I have metal screws or a metal cross pin in my tibia (lower leg bone) about 3 inches under my knee cap.
I was warned that this op would leave the nerves down the front of my leg damaged and have had conituous discomfort in my tibia area ever since.
This sounds bad but it can be anything from almost unoticeable to a dull toothach pain sensation in the shin area. Although some of this is from nerve damage I beleive that it is from the metal pin/screw in the tibia. It is slightly prominant and I think slightly misplaced but not too the point it is causing accute pain and swellling as it does in some missplaced pins which interfere with soft tissue. I know the surgeon who did this knew his stuff and made sure the graft was securely fixed allowing for quicker rehab in the first year when the weak point is where the graft is fixed rather than the graft.
Despite this I have never quite got the bulk back in my calf and quad. Regular trainning will get them nealy back to full size but this will induce mild pain in my shin area from trainning (football). My body is so used to it it naturally favours my left (good) leg and it is impossible to stop this without thinking of deliberately favouring your bad leg.
Despite this since the op my knee has never given way and am still playing football at a competative level at the age of 36. So it has done me brilliantly so is worth the discomfort of what I believe is a slightly misplace tibial screw/pins and possibly a little wear of my miniscus. It was good to have the op also, as my miniscus needed trimming and had alot of blood clots etc floating about in my knee which also got sorted. Front shin discomfort for this op is a problem and I will ask to have the pin removed (and maybe the whole graft) if this is possible when I am older and want to put my feet up.
Even now I still favour my good leg and it is so difficult to get 100% function back in the ACL leg. But to put it in perspective I used to walk down a hill and it would give out (agreed my muscles were very weak after coming out of plaster but thats another story) now i can run and stop whilst going down a hill. I think my injury was initially caused by bad diet smoking and drinking, remember this if you do sports, weak diet and lifestyle equals weak tendons and ligaments.