ACL Diary
I Hope this diary helps someone out there. If you have any questions or comments, feel free to leave a comment. If you want to check out my Links page, click here. The Links page will take you to a list of other diaries and info on the web about ACL surgery and injuries.
DECEMBER 2, 1998 – I left home for the surgical center at about 6:00 A.M. this morning. My mom went with me to drive me home. It is about an hour drive and I’m scheduled for surgery at 7:30 A.M.
When we reached the surgery center, we checked in and waited for my turn to be taken back to the pre-op room at about 7:10 A.M. I didn’t know it at the time, but my surgery was rescheduled for 9:00 A.M. So after waiting in pre-op for an hour I asked when the surgery was and they said 9:00. What a start to an already nervewracking day.
No one informed my mom either. She was expecting a one hour surgery and at 10:30 (3 hours from the scheduled time) no one had said a word to her yet and she was a bit nervous to say the least.
Anyway, when I got back the the pre-op room, I was told to strip down and put the infamous hospital gown on. I still don’t understand why we can’t wear underwear, but oh well. After a short time, the nurse took me through what was going to take place. She also put in an IV. Soon afterward, the anesthesiologist came in and gave me my options and I decided on general anesthesia. I didn’t want to know anything about the operation.
At 9:00 they wheeled me into the Operating Room (Geez is that place cold!), and they gave me an injection of anesthesia and I was out in about 4 seconds. The next thing I knew, they were waking me up in the recovery room. It was tough trying to open my eyes. I just wanted to lay there and sleep.
10:45 A.M. – they brought my Mom back to see me in recovery. I remember being extremely cold and shaking uncontollably. The nurse said she would get more blankets and something about giving me some morphine for the pain. As soon as she gave me the morphine, I got sick to my stomach. I threw up 4 times in about 8 seconds. Then a little while later, I dry heaved 4 times and they gave me an injection to help me feel better.
I’m not really sure why they had to give me morphine, the doctor gave me a nerve block in my leg that was supposed to last 12-24 hours. I think they just did it to make me miserable.
About an hour later, they released me to go home. On the hour trip home, I didn’t have many problems. I only felt sick one time and as soon as we rolled down the window, I felt better.
Once we were home, I went right into bed and laid there. I couldn’t sleep, but I couldn’t keep my eyes open either. It’s a weird feeling. I was back and forth between the bed and a reclining chair about 10 times through the night. (my poor Mom had to put up with taking me back and forth)
DECEMBER 3, 1998 (1 day post) – I’m supposed to take a pain pill every 4 hours, the nurse made it very clear that I should set an alarm clock and follow it… if I miss a pill, she says it’s impossible to make up for it and I’ll never quite catch up to the pain.
I did sleep for an hour or two during the night, but it was impossible to get comfortable. I’m hooked up the an ice machine thing that pumps cold water around my knee all the time. It’s pretty cool. It’s supposed to help the swelling and pain stay in check.
I can stay focused on something longer than 5 seconds finally. Of course, every time I take a pain pill, I lose focus for a couple hours.
Nothing too much is going on. Athough I’m taking pain meds, I can still feel pain in my knee. It’s not severe, but it’s there. Kind of annoying.
I will have the drain tube taken out of my knee today sometime… If the nurse doesn’t get here soon, I’ll do it myself. They said it would be ok if I did.
5:00 PM – The nurse stopped and took out the drain tube. It hurt a little more than I expected it to. But it still wasn’t too bad.
DECEMBER 4, 1998 (2 days post) – I woke up today extremely sick to my stomach. If I made any attempt to move, I threw up. That is such a helpless feeling.
I was supposed to have my first PT at 10:30 AM, but I was still throwing up then. My mom called the clinic and asked what she should do and they said to take the anti-nausea pill. So I did… Five minutes later, I puked it up. I almost wanted to cry… that one, single, tiny pill cost $50.
We called back and they said to stop taking the codeine pain pills. I stopped taking them and started feeling a little better after a few hours. So, as of today (2 days after surgery) I’m off the pain medication. I can still take Ibuprofen though.
PT went well. The straight leg raise exercises hurt some, but the others were ok. I’m supposed to do the exercises 5 times a day. It seems like a lot, but if it helps me get better faster, I’m all for it.
DECEMBER 5, 1998 (3 days post) – Things are much better today. I’m not sick to my stomach and I can eat finally. It’s been a long time since I’ve had a full meal.
The PT is getting easier each time. What took me an hour and a half to do the first time, now takes me 30 – 45 minutes instead. Not much else going on. I’m not really having any pain so that’s good.
I’m playing some super nintendo and watching Starship Troopers. I walked around the house a little bit. I can put full weight on my leg already and there is no pain. I still have to use crutches and the immobilizer though, I don’t want to hurt it.
DECEMBER 6, 1998 (4 days post) – I got quite a bit of sleep last night and could lay on my side for a while if I got situated just right. It felt really good. I don’t like sleeping on my back all the time.
Still doing PT 5 times/day.
I’ve got NFL Sunday Ticket on DirecTV, so I’ll watch a ton of football today. The Packers are my favorite, they play on Monday.
A big bruise showed up on my shin and goes to the inside of my leg. It’s huge but doesn’t really hurt. It’s not anywhere close to the incision site, I’m not sure what caused it. I’ll ask the doctor when I see him on Thursday the 10th.
DECEMBER 7, 1998 (5 days post) – The bruise is killing me. It doesn’t hurt when I sit here with my leg up, but when I have to get up and the blood rushes to it, I almost can’t stand it. No pain in the knee, but the bruise makes up for it. I can’t believe how much it hurts.
I have PT today at the hospital, I’m going to see if he knows what the bruise is from.
Just got back from PT. He gave me about 5 new exercises to do. So, my PT takes over an hour again each time. Still doing it 5 times/day. He was happy with my progress so far. I can get just about full extension and my flexion is about 89 degrees. He didn’t have any idea what the bruise was from and told me to ask the doctor when I see him. He also said I would probably be down to one crutch after this week. YEE HAA!
DECEMBER 8, 1998 (6 days post) – I slept pretty well last night. Still can’t go upstairs to my bedroom because there is no bathroom up there. There is no way I want to be going down the stairs, half asleep, in the dark, on crutches.
The bruise is continuing to get more painful. It doesn’t hurt to sit here, but when I get up, BOOM! It looks like it’s getting better… It’s not so dark purple and black anymore. I hope it’s getting better. I hate this. I go through surgery with no problem and a stupid bruise is holding me back.
I go back to the hospital for PT tomorrow. I hope I continue to progress. Still doing my home PT.
DECEMBER 9, 1998 (7 days post) – A new thing has popped up. I’ve got one sore spot just above the knee toward the inside. It’s really sore. It makes the quad sets and heel slides really hard to do.
I have to admit, I had a small accident last night. I was wearing my brace though. I was going from the chair to the bed and I sort of missed my armpit with one of the crutches. Of course the first reaction was to put the foot down to stop me from falling over (that would have been quite a sight). So I jammed my foot down pretty hard on the bad leg. There wasn’t any pain or anything, it just scared me. Now my knee is a little sore. I’m not sure if it’s from that or the new exercises though. I have PT at 12:15 today, I might ask him. Or else I’ll ask the doctor when I see him tomorrow.
Just got back from PT, he said everything should be ok and not to worry about it. I got 0 degrees extension and 95 degrees flexion today. He said that was good for a week after surgery. I was happy. I can put full weight on it still too, but it hurts the bruise to do that. I’ll be much happier as soon as it heals and I can walk without the severe pain.
I’ve got 3 more rounds of PT today, other than that, nothing is going on. I’ll probably watch a movie and read.
DECEMBER 10, 1998 (8 days post) – Got some pretty good sleep last night. I figured out a way to postion pillows between my legs to be able to lay on my side. It was really nice.
I see the doctor today at 12:15. We’ll see what he says about the bruise and maybe I’ll be able to take a shower (finally).
Right now for PT I’m doing the hamstring stretch 5 times/day, Straight leg raises 5 times/day, heel slides 3 times/day, quad sets 3 times/day, adb/add slides 3 times/day, knee bend on stomach 3 times/day, leg dangle off side of bed as much/day as possible. Then I ice for 15 minutes after each workout.
I just got back from the doctor and he said I can ditch the crutches. I told him about the pain in the bruise and he said it would go away pretty soon, he wasn’t concerned in the least. He then said to use the crutches until the bruise didn’t cause so much pain.
I can also take a shower now. YEE HAA!
I don’t have to go back and see him for two weeks. One other thing I forgot to ask him though… I didn’t notice before today, but it doesn’t seem like they even used stiches on my incision. Just some huge steri-strips. Since I don’t go back to see him for two more weeks, I don’t think there are any stitches in there… that seems like an awful long time to have stiches in if they are there.
DECEMBER 11, 1998 (9 days post) – I slept better again last night. That is a good thing.
I ditched my crutches after my PT session at the hospital today. I reached 0 degrees extension and 108 degrees flexion. I should be able to use the stationary bike next week. That will be nice. I’m tired of doing the same old PT all the time.
The bruise still hurts when I get up, but it’s nothing like it was.
I’m going to go out tomorrow (finally) and visit the YMCA. I work there part time and I haven’t been able to go there since the surgery. I’m usually there every day, so it’s been tough not to go. Oh, the PT guy did have me carefully do a few mini squats today. It felt really weird, I’m not sure how to describe it.
I took my first shower tonight. What a fiasco! I ended up having to use a lawn chair in there to sit on. It took a while to get situated, but once I did, it sure felt good. I feel so much better.
The knee isn’t swollen much… I think a lot of it has to do with the ice machine. The doctor sent me home with an ice machine that you hook to a pad that you put on your knee. Then it continuously pumps cold water into the pad. It’s really nice. He said to run it non-stop for the first 48 hours. Now, I just use it after workouts and when I start to feel some pain. I would definitely ask your doctor about using one if you are going to have surgery. My PT couldn’t believe how good the knee looked so soon. Guess I’ll sign off for tonight. I have to get up early so I can go to the YMCA in the morning.
DECEMBER 12, 1998 (10 days post) – I just got back from the “Y”. Boy was it ever great to get out and see people! I was there from 9 AM to Noon. I left at noon because I was hungry and I was afraid if I had my leg down much longer it would start to get sore. No real problems.
I did get a sharp pain on the outside of my knee at one point while I was standing without my crutches. I went to reach for something and boom. I didn’t have any weight on it or anything, I was standing fully on my good leg, with my hand on the counter. I had the foot of my bad leg on the ground. I was reaching opposite from the bad leg when I felt the sharp pain. I stopped immediately and sat down. No other problems.
Once in while I will feel that pain. It almost like the pain you feel when it needs to pop. I don’t mean pop out of place, more like when you pop your knuckles. I don’t know how else to explain it. Just wanted to write it down as I’m sure others will feel the similar pain and wonder if it’s normal.
DECEMBER 13, 1998 (11 days post) – I seem to be sleeping a little better each night. I can only remember waking up 3 or 4 times in 8 hours last night. So that was nice.
I’m still doing my home PT… the flexion seems to be getting better each time I do the exercises. I was at 108 degrees on Friday… It feels like I’m getting that pretty easily.
My knee almost looks normal again. There has been very little pain. When I do have pain, it is just an ache type sensation.
While I’m sitting down or laying down, I like to do circles with my feet to stretch them… it feels good. The doctor told me to do it whenever I thought about it. It’s good for stretching the calf. Anyway, when I do those counterclockwise, it feels normal, but when I do them clockwise, there is a certain point where it feels really weird and makes my toes tingle. It’s a weird sensation. Its just the opposite with my other foot. I’m not sure what causes it, I’ll have to ask the PT or my doctor and see what he says. It probably has something to do with sitting around a lot and not being up and moving. Other than that, it’s been a pretty boring day so far.
DECEMBER 14, 1998 (12 days post) – Hey.. I had some good news today. I went to PT and got to 118 degrees flexion, so he let me on the stationary bike. That felt sooooo good!! I worked hard on my home PT all weekend so I could get on that thing. It’s Funny how little things make me so happy now. You just have to take everything one step at a time.
I go back to PT on wednesday and since that will be the start of the third week post op, I would get to do some new exercises. That will be good. I’m getting tired of the old ones. I still have to do PT at home 5 times/day.
I’m going to sleep upstairs in my normal bed tonight. Today was the first day I was comfortable going up and down steps without crutches. I probably could have slept up there last night, but I still wasn’t 100% comfortable doing that yet. I didn’t want to try and go up and down the stairs in the middle of the night until I was sure I could do it.
DECEMBER 15, 1998 (13 days post) – Boy was it nice to sleep in my own bed. I didn’t have any trouble going up and down the steps without crutches.
I went to work at YMCA for a few hours today. It was nice to be back for a while. I also took some time to ride the stationary bike there. That makes my knee feel good when I get done.
It’s my aunt’s birthday today, I think we are supposed to go out and eat supper tonight. I don’t know for sure yet if I’m going to go or not. I would like to, but I’m not sure my knee can take an hour in the car, a couple hours to eat, and another hour in the car without some rest.
There hasn’t been much pain at all in the knee yet today. I think doing a lot of PT helps out. Whenever it starts to ache a little, I do some PT. When I get done it usually feels better.
Ok, the birthday plans were scratched, so we didn’t go out to eat. I took an hour and went back to the YMCA for a while so I could get a chance to visit with some of the kids. I work there as the pool coordinator and assistant sports coordinator.
I love teaching and coaching sports, so it has been a tough couple of weeks.
I probably shouldn’t have, but I played a little catch with the football while I was there. I didn’t run or anything… that’s impossible with the stinkin’ immobilizer… I just threw the football for a while. I couldn’t help myself.
I’ve been working pretty hard on the quad sets to try and get my muscles back. My doctor wasn’t concerned at all about ROM, he said that would come in time… He said he was more concerned that I get the quad muscles into shape so I could lose the brace.
Tomorrow will be 2 weeks post-op… I should get some new exercises to do.
DECEMBER 16, 1998 (2 weeks post) – I did get some new stuff in PT today. I got to do mini-squats with most of my weight on the bad knee, and some calf raises. Those were tough. I also get to put some 5 lb. leg weights on my ankle when I do the old exercises, so that makes them a little better.
I rode the stationary bike today for 10 minutes and went 3.6 miles. That was way better than the first time. There is some pain when I do the bike and mini-squats… I think that is because I had a majority of my meniscus removed though. That’s the only thing that really causes any pain.
The holes where they did the orthoscopic surgery seem to be healing pretty well. I was worried about it for a while, they didn’t put a stitch in them or anything, but they have never given me a problem.
I did find out that I had some stitches in the incision… They were internal and dissolved on their own.
My knee is feeling stronger each day and I’m not as scared to take the brace off as I was before. When the doctor said I could probably take the brace off on December 22, I was a little worried because my knee was so weak and I didn’t have a lot of control over it. The strength increases all the time though and I think that I’ll be able to ditch the brace then.
DECEMBER 17, 1998 (2 weeks & 1 day post) – Today went pretty well. I spent some time at the YMCA playing air hockey and foosball, it was nice to be out and about a little bit. I didn’t have much of a problem. My knee isn’t sore or anything.
I walked around the room a little bit with the brace off. I know I’m not supposed to do it yet, but I had to get from one side of the room to the other and it was way too much of a hassle to put the brace on for that. Everything went fine… I was careful.
The knee feels a little stronger each day. I did have a little bit more joint pain doing certain exercises… It was a sharp, bone on bone type pain, so I know it has to do with the meniscus that was taken out.
DECEMBER 18, 1998 (2 weeks & 2 days post) – Not a whole lot going on today. Pretty boring really.
I got a new exercise to do at PT. I get to do a 3 inch step up. Doesn’t sound like a lot, but it’s nice to have something different. If I go more than 3 inches, I get some pain, so he keeps it at that for now. I was also out and walking/standing for about 3 hours straight today and I don’t seem to have any problems from it. No pain. I’ll have to see if I’m sore tomorrow, but I don’t think I will be.
DECEMBER 19, 1998 (2 weeks & 3 days post) – Nothing much going on at all today. The knee isnt sore from walking on it, so that’s good. I have also stopped taking the Ibuprofen as of today. So, I’m not taking any pain medications at all. We’ll see how it goes.
DECEMBER 20, 1998 (2 weeks & 4 days post) – I have started walking around more and more with my brace off… I was real nervous about it at first, but it’s not really that big of a deal now. I’m real careful about it though. I don’t have the doctor’s permission to not use the brace yet, so I have to watch myself. I’ve had it off for about 3/4 of the day so far with no problems.
I do have a little bit more pain when doing the exercises, but I’m sure that’s because I’ve stopped taking the pills. I’ll just have to get used to it. It’s not a whole lot of pain, just a little more than before.
DECEMBER 21, 1998 (2 weeks & 5 days post) – Slow day. Nothing much to report. I did get the step-up moved up a little higher at PT today. I think it was 2-3 inches the first time, now it’s about 5. He also put more weight on the straight leg raises. I don’t really know how much it was this time, but it was 5 pounds before.
The bruise I had looks much better now. There is no pain in it at all. I pretty much don’t use the brace at all when I’m at home. I see the doctor tomorrow and he will say wether I have to keep wearing it or not. Since I haven’t been wearing it much, I sure hope he says I can go without it.
DECEMBER 22, 1998 (2 weeks & 6 days post) – I just got back from the doctor and he said I could take the brace off whenever I was comfortable with it. I just smiled and said “Today?” He laughed and replied, “sure.” YYYEEEEEESSSSSSSSSS!!!!!!
He did some tests on my knee to see how loose it was and said it looked good. He showed me more pictures from the surgery… I saw the torn meniscus and bone damage… He said that I would have problems with arthritis down the road about 20 years, that’s when I asked him again if I would be recovered in 6 months. He said, “Yeah, you should be able to return to full sports in 6 months with no problems.” So, today has been a really good day!
Oh, I almost forgot to write about it… I can drive again!! Finally. I’m free. It was really nice to be able to go out on my own and not have someone take me there and pick me up. It feels so nice to not be wearing the brace when I walk. It’s much easier to walk than I expected. I don’t have much of a limp, I just have to go kinda slow.
DECEMBER 23, 1998 (3 weeks post) – I was out all day today shopping for christmas presents. I walked around the mall without the brace and didn’t have any problems at all. It wasn’t sore when I got home or anything. It was a little swollen, but that’s to be expected. I put some ice on it and that took care of it.
DECEMBER 24, 1998 (3 weeks & 1 day post) – No soreness from yesterday, so that’s good. I was a little worried that I would wake up and not be able to move it much after being on it all day yesterday. Anyway, it was fine.
I did see something on the message board that I should write here. Some people have had their knee pop sometimes while doing exercises or walking and were worried that they reinjured their knee. Let me say that most of the popping noises are normal. I’ve had that happen quite a few times and it also happens in my “good” knee. It’s sort of like popping your knuckles… It feels good after it pops… or at least it doesn’t hurt after it pops. Now, if you have severe pain after it pops, this is not good. You might want to get it checked out if it swells or stays painful. Otherwise, the pops are normal.
It sure is nice to sleep without the brace on! I can pretty much sleep on both sides now, I’m just careful when my reconstructed knee is on the bottom. I haven’t tried sleeping on my stomach yet, but I’m sure I could… my kneecap is still a little sore though, so I just don’t do it.
DECEMBER 26, 1998 (3 weeks & 3 days post) – I skipped writing on Christmas… Had too many family things to do. I could only get in about half my exercises for the past couple of days and I really notice it. The exercises are MUCH more painful when you don’t do them all the time. Especially the flexion ones. That seems to suffer the most from missing workouts. So, do everything you can to not miss too many sessions. It’s definitely not fun to try and catch up where you left off.
I can’t wait until the rest of the swelling finally goes away and I can get the last part of full flexion. I’ve had full extension almost from the beginning, so that’s good.
DECEMBER 30, 1998 (4 weeks post) – I’ve hit the point where I’m getting busier again so I haven’t been writing as often. Bad boy, I know.
Most of my life is getting back to normal (except for playing sports). Since I’ve been busier again, it’s also hard to fit in all the PT I’m supposed to do. I try to do it all, but honestly, I don’t have that much time. I usually get in 3 sessions each day.
I was up to 134 degrees flexion the other day. My good leg is 146, so that’s going good. The flexion exercises are still the most painful though.
Yesterday was the first day I could walk up our stairs almost normal. I can’t do all stairs, but the ones in my house aren’t that high, so I can do them. Can’t go down them though,… just up.
The muscles around my knee are much stronger this past week… it feels pretty stable.
It snowed here for the first time, so I made sure to be careful outside today. Didn’t have any problems.
JANUARY 11, 1999 (5 weeks & 5 days post) – I’ve been a bad boy… I should update this more often, but once you start getting the knee to feel better, it gets tougher to find time.
Everything is pretty much back to normal… everything but having the knee 100% that is.
PT seems to be going a little slow. I do all the exercises I’m supposed to and everything, but my trainer seems to be taking things SLOOOOOOW! I’ve seen my doctor’s protocol and I’m only doing about half the things on it and I’m not sure why. If I don’t start getting to do the rest of the stuff, I’m going to transfer to another clinic. I know it’s not because I’m behind or anything, I can do all the current exercises easily. We’ll see what happens.
Everything with the knee seems to be going well… I don’t have much pain and I can go up and down stairs without help. Up is much easier than down, but I started going down the steps yesterday.
FEBRUARY 1, 1999 (8 weeks & 5 days post) – I did end up switching PT’s about a week and a half ago. They work me way harder than the other PT ever did and they weren’t sure why he didn’t have me doing more.
The new PT has me doing Stairmaster, BAPS, Squats, jogging on the trampoline, and a ton of other things… I feel like I’m making some progress now.
My only concern at this point is how much my knee pops. It pops all the time. It’s not painful at all, it just worries me a little. It’s not a cracking type thing, it’s like when you pop your knuckles. I mentioned it to the doc and he wasn’t concerned in the least. I guess we’ll just see how it goes.
JANUARY 20, 2000 – This entry is WAY overdue. I’ve just been busy with everything else.
I am past the 13 month post-op point and everything is going extremely well. The bad leg is still not as strong as the good leg, but I haven’t been doing the gym work for quite a while. I have been playing sports (touch football, and basketball) with no problems at all.
I’m not wearing a brace of any kind. I did just notice for the first time last week that I went through a game of basketball without thinking about my knee at all. Actually, I noticed halfway through the game that I hadn’t been thinking about it while cutting and jumping… it was a great feeling.
I do still have weird pains show up every once in a while. But I can handle that. I can kneel without any problems on carpet. I can kneel on hardwood floors, but it does hurt a little bit… then again, it hurts my good knee too. 
I’m definitely happy that I had the surgery. I probably will never get to the same level of playing sports as I did before, but I’m already playing about 75% better than I was without the surgery.
APRIL 22, 2005 – I know it’s been about 5 years, but I thought I would put up a quick entry and let everyone know that everything is still going fine and I’ve never had another problem with my knee. So if anyone out there has any doubts about having ACL surgery, don’t worry about it too much, I think it’s worth it.
71 Comments
Wow. Out of all the websites about ACL injuries and recoveries, I have to say I liked your’s the best. I am 15 years old, and I tore my ACL a month ago. I had surgery one week ago, and during the time I had my stitches on, I was only supposed to do quad sets, ankle pumps, and leg raises (I could not raise my leg for life though). After I got my stitches off, I went to physical therapy that day, and could straighten my leg out completely with some hyperextension
. But bending…yeah, I got 35 degrees in 20 minutes and a couple of tears. My dad helps me do the bending at home two to three times a day. Is this enough? I mean it hurts a lot when I do it, but it feels better each time. I’m scared to push it though, I’m scared to bend it a little further, or put too much weight on it, and the therapist said I shouldn’t walk without my brace yet, but my doctor said I can…? I wish I had that Ice thing, but I do a good job with ice anyway. My leg is completely bruised! It is all purple, entirely! And yes it hurts more than the knee. My scar burns too, is this normal? It has been three days since I got my stitches out, and I still cannot do the leg raises…I’m trying really hard, and doing 200 plus quad sets each day, along with ankle pumps, and bending! Your recovery seems like it happened in the blink of an eye compared to me! I definitly understand that everyone’s ACL is different, and I tore mine really bad, but do you have any tips for a good safe and FAST recovery. This injury is making me frustrated because I feel so helpless…but I can get through it! Thanks for your wonderful blog, and the fascinating diary. It really helps get an idea of the long road, even though my drive might be a little longer. 
Thank you for leaving a comment.
You can do the bending exercises as much as you want. You can’t really do those too much. I agree with you, it hurt when I did the bending exercises but it felt better after each time. Weird. Also, I don’t think you have to be afraid of pushing it too far. Bending your knee isn’t going to do any damage to your new ACL. Keep going and doing those bending exercises as much as you can. Getting that part back to normal is the hardest part out of everything.
One exercise that you can do is sitting on the edge of the bed or a table (something high enough that your legs will dangle down and not touch the floor). Then take your good leg/foot and put it behind your repaired leg. You will use your good leg to gently let your leg bend and go towards the floor. Gravity will help you in this exercise. Once you can bend your knee almost 90 degrees, you will put the good leg/foot in front of the repaired leg and gently push the foot on your repaired leg to bend your knee a little further than 90 degrees.
You could probably walk around without your brace on, but if you feel better using it for another week or so, that is ok too.
It is normal for the scar to have a burning sensation. If it doesn’t go away eventually, or you notice it is getting worse, you should have the doctor check it out. It is possible to have a knee infection, but that doesn’t happen to most people. Just something to keep an eye on.
You are doing just fine. Being able to straighten your leg out all the way already is awesome.
It is important that you get the bending part back now as soon as you can.
Thanks for your diary. I am 34, tore my ACL 5 months ago and had it rebuilt 12 days ago. I had to keep the zimmer splint on for the first 10 days, so just startin “real” physio now. My leg looks and feels really weak, and bending it is really hard… Working on it as much as I can in order to gain a few degrees every day. Prassy, keep up the good work, bud! Cheers to you both!
Keep working on the ROM exercises and you will be just fine. Sounds like you are doing great. Keep up the great work!
I am about 10 months out from a cadevar acl surgery. I have been playing soccer now for about 10 weeks. I just this past week I guess I started to play a little harder and my knee seemed to buckle inwards twice. I was doing now weird twisting or anything but it seemed as though I was putting all my weight on it and trying to play like I used to. Is this “giving out” normal since the stabilizing muscles still may not be strong? I am worried that something could be wrong with it since it gave out. The next day my knee was a lil swollen but no discoloring or real pain.
Yes, muscles not being back to full strength can cause that to happen. I would definitely see the doctor though and have him check it out. It wouldn’t really be “normal” for your knee to give out like that. It does happen and there may be no damage done, but it is better to be safe about it. Have him check it out and I would recommend doing more quad and hamstring exercises to get those muscles as strong as possible. That would be the key.
First of all, thanks for this website! I’m 33 and completely tore my ACL a year ago. I was 6 months pregnant with my 2nd child and slipped and fell on a wet floor (being pregnant throws off your balance!). I finally had an MRI a month ago which confirmed the tear. I’m starting PT this week to see if that improves things but my knee has “gone out” and I’ve fallen at least 10 times since I tore it, twice while I was holding my newborn! (He wasn’t hurt, thankfully.) I know I’ll need surgery – I’m not athletic but I can’t imagine never being able to run, jump, skip, skate, or anything beyond walking (carefully!) and swimming with my kids! I’ve got my hands full now with a baby and a 3 year old, plus I work 3/4 time (sit-down work, thankfully), so I will have to wait to do the surgery…I’m thinking 1-2 years. Is that a bad idea? I know my knee could “go out” many more times but I know I can’t do the surgery with my kids dependent on me while they’re both so young…my hubby will be sooo busy! (I’m leaning toward wanting the typical, patellar variation of the surgery, by the way.) Any advice? Thanks!
-Lisa
You already know that waiting means you will probably have a few more episodes where your knee will give out… Of course, if it isn’t the right time for surgery, then it just isn’t the right time. Only you and your husband know when that will be.
Just keep in mind that there will never really be a good time to have the surgery. There will always be something or some reason why it wouldn’t be such a great idea. Please don’t fall into that trap. Would you have any help other than your husband?
I would think 1-2 years would be fine. Hopefully you won’t have it give out on you much.
Of course, no one can make that decision for you. I’d like to say one way or another is best… but there is no way for me to know that. Just trust your instincts and go with that.
It doesn’t really matter too much which version of the surgery you have. They all work really well. That would be something to discuss with the doctor. I would also recommend going with whatever method the doctor uses a majority of the time if at all possible. Even though he would be good at all the surgeries… they all have their favorites and the ones they are best at.
Most times they will go with Patellar or Hamstring. You might want to discuss the allograft with the doctor since you will have young kids. The only reason I mention Allograft is because that method has the least pain of the three since you won’t be having the graft harvested from your hamstring or knee. That speeds up recovery a little bit… pain-wise.
I had the allograph done 7 weeks ago, and I am 45. This website is wonderful.
My question is, have you heard of someone doing too much in PT?
Last week, at week 7, I was jumping onto a step, and doing agility drills. Since I had allograph done, I asked my PT if we could wait to do those until around week 12, since right now my allograph is at its weekest point. I am extremely dedicated to PT and I did PT before my surgery. My PT is great but I am nervous.
Also in response to the 33 year old, the pain was minimal with the allograph acl surgery, I wanted to walk with out crutches by day 3 but I waited because that is what my surgeon wanted. I was crutch free by 10 days, and used just one after day 7. Recovery with the allograph is a lot easier, but I will say I did a lot of PT before my surgery, hip and hamstring exercises along with quads, and I think that really helped. Good luck, you have your hands full. But I will say that I still don’t have my “energy” back and sometimes get frustrated that I can’t walk faster, and do more so with 2 small kids it is going to be tough for at least 6 weeks.
I’ve heard of people doing that much at PT at 2 months, yes.
It sounds like you are doing great. It is ok to take some of the stuff at your own speed. As long as you are progessing, it should be fine.
Thanks for giving some good advice in your comment. I appreciate that.
a quick comment on the waiting for a couple of years: I tore my ACL over eight years ago and only had the surgery this week. No one diagnosed a tore ACL in all that time and in the past years I have been progressively tearing my meniscus more and more each time my knee “let go”. Turns out I had at least meniscus 3 tears plus the ACL. So I’m not sure whether waiting is ideal but it’s certainly possible.
Yes, it is very possible. The only downside it the chance of making the injury more severe and lasting than it would have originally been.
Hi, Geff – Thanks for setting up this site and documenting your torment (LOL) for all to see. I’m glad to hear you are doing well these days. I had ACL replacement surgery (hamstring) in 2004, and since then, I have recovered pretty well. I still have pain in my knee, that is becoming progressively worse – but I think this is torn cartelage, and will need to be cleaned out sometime soon. I have some weakness now, but this has only progressed over the last year or so, mostly due to the cartelage issue – I compensate and then the muscles in the injured leg get weak. The biggest problem I have these days is a tingling/itching pain in the front of my leg near the major incision scar (high up on the shin, I guess). This is not numbness – I have that due to some nerve damage from the surgery (this is sounding bad – but its really not by comparison to pre-surgery). But this tingling is something new over the last few months. Have you ever heard this complaint? Last night it kept me up all night. I took ibuprofen, but woke up again every 2 hours. I don’t look forward to another sleepless night – so here I am. It maybe weather related – humidity was 82% today. Any ideas?
Oh, yes. I remember having some of those feelings too. They told me that feeling was from the nerves regenerating. They have to cut straight through a lot of nerves to get in there and replace the ACL. I don’t remember how long the tingly/itchy feeling lasted. It wasn’t all that long. I do have a small spot on the outside of the incision that still have no feeling in it, but it certainly doesn’t bother me.
Hi Geff – It’s really inspirational to see how well you did after such an injury. I’m 23 and i had my ACL reconstructed in NOV 2010, i recently started playing soccer again but i have to admit that I am a little scared when i go out there. I have the drive and motivation to play but i feel as though the knee will give out on me (I know I shouldn’t think about it). I feel great but at the same scared. i’m playing with the brace from time to time which feels a little weird; but also without feels weird. the biggest issue is running full speed right and getting into tackles. it swelled up last time i played but ice did the magic. any ideas on what i should focus on to get back that 100%?
Don’t be afraid to use ice. It works.
I think the most important part is continuing to do leg strengthening exercises. Get the quad, hamstring and calf muscles as strong as possible. If those muscles are very strong, it does take some stress off the ACL and make your knee feel more stable.
I do remember those same feelings you are having. It was tough letting go and not worrying about the knee.
I have not exercises as much lately and my leg muscles are weaker than in the past and I do notice a slight “loose” feeling.
So get those muscles as strong as you possibly can. That will help the most.
Thank you for your blog! I recently tore my ACL and will need surgery and I am so nervous about it. I’ve never taken a pain pill, so I’m scared I’ll get sick and I’m so scared of the pain. I know it’s necessary for me to have the surgery because I’m still young, 31, so I’ll go through with it. I loved reading your blog because I think it is mentally preparing me for the surgery.
Hi Abbie –
I am basically in the same boat. I tore my ACL 20 years ago and never fixed it. I never wanted to “invest” in that kind of rehab and I am deathly afraid of the surgery itself. I am a 3-time Ironman finisher and I am in the best shape of my life. Swimming and biking has given me no issues. But my running is now effected. I go 5-6 miles and all the sudden, the pain and instability creeps in…
Why am I so petrified of the surgery???? It is a control issue for me. First, I am petrified of “going under” with General Anesthesia. Hate the thought of a breathing tube. I am worried about the nausea and disorienting aspect of coming out of surgery. I am a control freak for sure.
I too have rarely used a pain pill. I am worried that a narcotic will make me sick…most of my family is allergic to narcotics. I have mixed Ibuprofren and Tylenol and that works well. But Narcotics? Uggghhh!!!
So with both of those “worries” – I have fought, fought, fought this surgery.
Thankfully, my ortho. has been extremely patient. He states that he is ready when I am. He continues to inject my knee with Cortizone every 6 months or so and that provides temporary relief.
But – if I ever want to ski or take my triathlon to new heights, the surgery will be required. My wife wants me to do it ASAP. There are openings the next few weeks. If I could get through the two issues with anesthesia and the pain pills, I think I could do it.
It’s very weird for me to think that I could go from being in the best shape of my life to days on crutches, weeks without working out, and 4 months of no running – with an atrophied knee. It really scares and depresses me.
People remind me, “avoidance is fear’s best friend.”
I related to your post and really appreciate the insight and guidance provided on Geff’s blog!!!!
The going under part is nothing… Trust me! I’ve been under twice before for minor surgery and it feels so fast, you don’t even think about it! The drugs they give you before are amazing and make you carefree!!
But the pain pills and pain in general are scary
You are way more active than me so you should dfinately do it! Plus you have a great wife to take care of you!
It is very normal to be depressed about that. No one wants to know there is a tough road ahead and it can mess with your head.
For someone like you, this won’t be that huge of a deal. You are very active and healthy. You should have no problems with rehab.
Your knee will get weaker and you will have to do a lot of work… but you are used to that.
Just know that next year at this time, you will be right back to just about 100% and will have no limitations and you won’t have to worry about your knee.
Hi Geff,
Thanks for your contribution to society with this website.
I just had ACL surgery 8 days ago, and is experiencing tightness on my calf (feels like the calf is a bit “short” and a painful rush of blood going to the legs.
Is this normal? How many days do I expect for this pain to away.
Thanks.
Pat
That seems pretty normal. I don’t remember exactly how many days that lasted, but I think it was less than a week.
Hey Geff, your blog is so helpful and has made ACL reconstruction and recovery so much easier for me. It’s nice and reassuring knowing that there’s a website made by someone who has gone through the same thing. I’m a pretty athletic 15 year old who had the injury for months before surgery, and it’s hard to see all of my friends on sports teams while I’m on crutches knowing I have eight months of rehab left. I had the patellar tendon autograft which I know has a lot of risks for graft site complications. My friend had the surgery with that graft and she’s doing really well. I’m still scared of having kneecap pain in the future so is there any way by doing certain exercises or something to avoid kneecap pain in following years? Thanks so much!!
Thanks for the nice comments.
The kneecap pain just takes time. There isn’t much that can be done about it. Eventually, I will feel just like your good knee again.
It is very hard to be on the sideline watching everyone else play, but time will pass and you will get stronger and your knee will heal. Next year will be great for you.
Thanks Geff for this great blog! I had ACL reconstruction on Sept 1 so I am 12 days post-op. Your recovery seemed a bit quicker than mine is as I am only doing PT twice a day per the therapist, but I am still doing well! The one thing that currently bothers me (besides the bruise) is the nerve regneration. I’m getting a strange burning sensation in certain parts of my shin which, according to my PT, is completely normal. I tore my left ACL playing squash, which I won’t be able to play again for about a year. But reading this blog has helped give me hope that at least I’ll be able to do something other than leg raises within the next 12 months
Thanks again!
You’re welcome. And you are doing fine!!
There are some weird sensations that occur. They don’t happen the same way for everyone, but what you are describing sounds very normal.
You will be able to do lots of stuff before 12 months is over.
Keep up the good work!!
Wow, i remember reading your diary before going for the surgery. Now its more than 13 months post-op. Tore my ACL during a motorbike accident, dint even know it for 2 years, then one fine day was running, jumped and the knee gave out and twisted. MRI confirmed the ACL tear. Things have been better, the muscles are still not strong( my laziness to gym). The only issue that concerns me now, is the good knee, is hurting sometimes and feels a bit lose, i hope last 10 months of taking the strain has not damaged the good knee. Anyone else had this issue, planning to get an MRI for good knee. But i recommend this to everyone, because i dint want to sit and not be able to run or play with my kids.
i just want to say thank you for the journal. it really helped me get peace of mind..i have surgery tomorrow and your blog really opened my eyes to what i am awaiting. i know its going to be hard but if u guys can do it i can do it..thank you Geff for putting your experience online for us to see.
You are welcome. Let me know how it went when you get a chance.
How did surgery go for you? How are things now?
Hi,
I was just wondering if you’re able to squat, sit on your feet (kneeling and then sitting all the way down) and if you remeber how long it took you to do these things?
I tore my ACL and Meniscus May 2011 on my honey moon. I was on an ATV, fell off, and my foot got stuck in the sand while my knee went the other direction. I had ACL replacement surgery June 2011 and they took out my Meniscus.
I went to rehab for I think 3 months? and it did not really help at all. I want to go back to a different one like the one you said worked you harder, they didnt really do anything but help me straighten it.
It’s been a little over a year, and it took me maybe 2 months to fully walk by myself and i’m still haveing a lot of issues. Do you have any advice? I really want to be able to squat and kneel again.
Thanks for your site – very helpful.
I can do just about everything now… although the one thing that does give me trouble is what you called “sit on your feet.” I’ve never been able to completely do that again. Everything else, I can do.
I could probably do all the exercises and be able to do that again, but it honestly has never bothered me, so I never pushed that very hard.
Aw man, that’s a little discouraging since that’s’ really what I miss doing (I dance Hula and it’s one of the basic moves).
The other thing I’m kind of stressed about is the PT. Since it has already been over a year since my surgery, do you think it would even make a difference to try and go to a better one?
My dad had surgery on his shoulder and didn’t work it and now cannot raise it over his head! I don’t want my knee to get so stiff – I just don’t know my time line.
I understand you are not a doctor and I should probably ask my own but my personal opinion is he’s a quack! haha, he told me I could walk fine after 2 weeks, when obviously from my other comment we can all see it took TWO MONTHS!
Thanks again!
Wow, just read your diary! Thanks so much for your website.
I tore my ACL in June but two Orthos did not think I had torn it until I cam back and they ordered an MRI. Acute ACL tear, Meniscus and MCL sprain. The Ortho had to re-check my leg to see why he had missed it. But even so he still could not tell that it was torn.
I had Surgery August 30th and just a week ago I was walking without crutches without a limp. It was an amazing feeling. I had needed crutches for 2 and a half months and just this week (5 weeks post op) was able to walk and ride a bike! Whoo Hoo!
I can only bend to 112 degrees but getting the leg extended to zero took quite a long time for me. That was the key to being able to walk so anyone on here concerned about that just keep working the extension and work through the pain. As far as the bending I have to just keep working on it but have found that riding the bike helps loosen it up and get it to bend better.
Anyway. I enjoy all the comments and your posts! Thanks again!
Thanks for your post!!
Getting full flex back was definitely the slowest and most difficult thing for me to get back.
Geff, thanks for this siye. I tore my ACL off the bone and the ortho couldn’t find it during surgery. I also split my meniscous and he had to take some of it out. I also had bone bruising and wide spread tendon sprains. I had the hamstring graft about 34 hours ago and I can say that I am in hell as far as pain. The cryocuff and brace help, but I still have a 8-9 out of 10 pain level. I was an active 44 year old until this. I have been able to do full extension and about 40-50 degrees flexion since the surgery. At what point did your pain level drop to a 5 or less? Am I overdoing it with the exercises this early? I have about 50% weight bearing with the brace and less than 10% without it. Once again, thanks for this blog
Hi all, I want comment again about a concern that I would like anyone reading this blog who recently had ACL reconstruction surgery to know. At 3 weeks post-op, I was having extreme calf pain in the surgery leg. I thought it was due to the fact that I was working my way off the crutches and the brace and overworking the leg muscles. Well, come to find out (and none too soon) that the pain was caused by blood clots all the way up from my ankle to my knee. I was diagnosed with DVT and put on blood thinners; no PT, no long periods of sitting, no traveling, 15 minute walks every 1.5 hours. Luckily we caught the clots in time or it could have turned into a pulmonary embolism. I’m three weeks into the blood thinners and finally went back to PT and am doing much, much better. I have no day-to-day pain anymore, 7 weeks post-op. So what I would like to advise anyone who has extreme calf pain and swelling after surgery, pain that is too intense and just doesn’t seem right, please see your doctor for a doppler to rule out blood clots. I just wanted to give others a heads-up in case someone else experiences the same thing and doesn’t quite know what to do. Thanks again Geof for this great blog!!
Hey Kelly…I am 7 days post op….Doc has put me on 325mg aspirin once a day to cut down on blood clots….when i had the same surgery 23 years ago i had no complications with clots….i guess being 46 years old now changes things…
All the posts on here say that you guys started PT a few days after surgery, I had my surgery on November 1st 2011 and I’m 6 days into recovery and I’m not scheduled to start PT till Thursday November 10th. Is it possibly cause your surgery was years ago? I’m only asking cause I don’t want to be missing out on something I need
No, it is still very normal to start PT within 2 or 3 days of surgery… depending on what they did during surgery. All doctors have different protocols and some don’t start right away. Although, I would say the norm is probably starting within 4 days… you should do fine. You can always call the doctor and ask why he is waiting more than a week to start PT. If you find out what he says, come back and post it if you get a chance. That might help someone else out sometime in the future.
And also, is it normal to have my entire shin on the afflicted knee red and hurt to the touch? It makes wearing the brace almost unbearable
Yes, that is normal and I had the same thing happen. It was by far the worst part for me. It turned into a massive bruise and the pain from the blood rushing into it when I would stand up hurt more than anything else in the entire recovery.
It won’t last all that long though.
I am 19 days out and my shin is still sore and bruised all the way down to my ankle, Geff is correct when saying the most annoying pain was from the knee down when standing up, but that subsides pretty quickly
I had acl surgery nov 1st … am now on day 15. I had ridiculous pain in the shin area (bruising) when I stood. So much I thought I would something was wrong. But it passed. I went into PT 24 hours post op and at day 14 am down to one crutch – no brace – and treading water in the pool. My flexion is at 90 degrees – but my extension is disgraceful!!! I am worrying that i will walk with a limp for the rest of my life – does this ease soon???? Hamstring graft.
It sounds like you are doing great! If you want to work on the extension… it is really easy to do. You can just sit on the floor with your back to the wall or a chair or something and then put a rolled up towel under you foot/ankle. That will raise your leg off the ground. You would then just relax your leg and let gravity pull your knee down and your leg straight. If you need to, you can put a small amount of weight on your leg above you knee (think ankle weights used for walking and such). That will help if gravity isn’t enough. Be sure you keep the weight above your knee (above meaning towards your quad).
and yes… the bruising pain was far worse for me than anything else through the whole ordeal.
I have now done what you said – leg weight across the quad and heel raised – for 2 days x 3 times a day for 10mins at the end of each physio session. I have gained extension in that short time. When I read what you said I thought – wow – commensence!! Thank you!! I am from Australia and am struggling to find support here for people who have a non stardard ACL injury. Being that mine included meniscus – medial – patella tendon and PCL ligament damage as well. Thanks for keeping it real – and putting me in a better head space.
I’m glad it is working for you and making you feel better. Keep up the good work and you will be just fine!
Honestly, the extension exercise was probably my favorite thing to do since there wasn’t much work involved and it really helped get full extension back
Hi. Thanks for writing this blog (I don’t even know if you’ll see my comment since the blog post is a little old). I actually just scheduled my surgery and it’s this upcoming Friday. I’m honestly really scared. Also, I’m worried because I won’t have a lot of people around me to help me out. My cousins will be around for the first 2 days after the surgery but after that, they all have to work and I don’t want to overstay my welcome…So, I’ll be at my apartment which is 40 miles away. I have a friend who lives in a building a minute away who will keep me company, but should I be worried? I’m more worried about being by myself than the pain (even though I am extremely worried about the pain). I’ve always been pretty self-reliant but again, I’ve been thinking about my surgery lately and I’m nervous. What do you think?
It is very good that you have help for the first couple days. That will be important as you learn to get around.
You will probably be ok if you are on your own and don’t have to take care of anyone else (like kids). I would say having a friend within a moment’s notice should be very reassuring for you. You may need that friends a time or two in the first couple weeks.
Your biggest obstacle will be getting to the bathroom and such. You will learn the best way to do that though.
The pain can be pretty intense sometimes, but that’s what the pain meds are for. Also be sure to use ice. Ice is your friend! It controls swelling and pain.
Try to have everything you need within reaching distance of your bed/couch/chair or wherever you will be spending most of your time. I had a recliner and bed in the same room (with a TV and computer)… the room was right next to the bathroom, so I got along pretty well after a few days.
Good luck with the surgery. Try not to be too worried about it. It is what it is.
Had my acl reconstruct on 12/15′ wow when I stand up my shin KILLS me, this really just started yesterday, but so far has been far and away the worst part of this ordeal. I also just started pt yesterday and my extension and flex at this point are good. I’m a 41yo male who blew his acl in mma training, and I cant wait to get back to mma / cross fit conditioning. Pt is nothing, in fact it’s boring but I know necessary. If you are used to pushing yourself physically it is not that bad. Thanks for this blog, always good to read and share with others your experience.
Out of all the websites about ACL injuries and recoveries yours was the one I found most comforting
anyway you said earlier that your doc told you that you could get back to full sports in 6 months so did you ?! I ‘m 15 years old I torn my acl 2 months ago playing basketball I ‘ve been doing ever since physical therapy.I’m gonna have my surgery in exactly 11 days . concerning about it I’m not really worried I’m only worried about getting back to sport FAST ‘N not get re injured .plz respond ASAP
It took longer than 6 months, but less than a 12 months. Everyone comes back at a different rate, but 9-12 months would be what most people do.
i tore my acl about a year ago in two week. i was playing asketball and jumped up for the ball and the other girk bumped me and i went down side ways and my knee just popped. terrible pain.i was devestated because basketball is my passion. and two other girls tore theirs as well. i went on with the surgery and quicly recovered in like five and a half months. so this past year i played soccer with no problems and then i start playing basketball and it was good at first but then my knee kept swelling and its extremly painful. so this past week i went to my orthopedic doctor and he said my acl is great but he doesnt know what swelling is from so he gave me pills to take to reduce swelling but its not working and its actually gotten worse and im not allowed to play until i get an MRI. so in like three weeks. the worse thing is if there is something wrong itll be the second year not finishing the season.and sitting out watching is so depressing especially when you cant play or do anything.
It can be very depressing for sure.
You will need to have your knee checked out to see if there is any damage in there… you are going to do that, so that is a good step.
Hang in there.
It could be scar tissue that has broken loose. That can cause a lot of pain and swelling.
i tore my acl about 9 months ago playing football (soccer). im from the uk so its football to me. lol. anyway instant pain and swelling. was off work for 3 weeks. after that knee was back to normal. In 2 months of injury i had MRI, which confirmed the nightmare injury. but even though i had injury i could still run and my knee never gave way on me. my consultant said its was because i was an active man, playing football and rideing my bike to work and back which is about 70 miles a week. i had good upper leg strenghth
I had my surgery on 22nd december 2011 with a hamstring graft, so im now 3 weeks post op. i rested with ice and elevation for the first 5 days only doing ankle pumps, passive leg hangs and quad contractions. Recommended by my pt. Got rid of crutchs after a week. I think ive been really lucky, because i had no major pain just aches, prob 2 out of 10 pain wise. i can already lift my straight leg off the floor and i got about 110 degree bend even more pulling it in. I started pt now but only light exercises for the first 4 weeks. i cant wait to get back to playing football again, but im in no rush,
Anyway thanks for this forum mate.
my advice to anyone who will be having surgery, is to spend the first 10 weeks before your op doing exercises to stengthen your upper leg. the best thing i found was rideing my bike. i would take it to a big hill and just ride up and down untill my legs burned. and continue after op with a good rehab programme.
Very good advice! Thank you for sharing your experience.
Hey, I’d just like to start off for thanking you for putting this informative diary entry up, it has really helped me understand what I will be going through for the next 6-9 months.
However I do have a question, how long before you are able to walk normally, at a steady pace and how long before you feel no pain within your knee. ( enough to annoy you and restrict you from walking or walking up the stairs ).
Along with this, I’d also like to say I am about 5 days post-op and I didn’t need a brace OR crutches since my doctor recommended I work the muscles in my knee and although I should minimise movement, he said I could move when necessary if it pleases me freely. I limp and walk slowly up and down the stairs fairly easily and its getting easier and faster each day .
How long before I get back to the gym as I am 16 and I go to the gym as frequently as possible for upper body weight training mainly, ( no treadmills or cardiovascular training ), But how long before I can lift weights again and be able to push myself in the gym, not necessarily using my lower body?
And final question, My athletics season in school is in about 6 months and I would LOVE to participate in it, But it isn’t constant twisting or turning of the knee to prevent re-tearing. I’d just like to do some intense sprinting for my 100m competitions or participate in the hurdles and high jump, Do you think my knee will respond positively to me engaging in these activities?
I look forward to your response, I see my doctor in 2 days so as he can remove the stitches from my knee but I would really love these answers now.
Thank you so much for reading
You may be able to walk very normally before the first month is over.
The pain varies from person to person. There will always be some pain involved in the recovery process simply because they will be pushing your knee to it’s limit all the time until it is fully recovered. After that, you shouldn’t have pain in your knee anymore.
The pain isn’t constant either… the constant pain will go away after a couple weeks. The pain I’m talking about it the pain from exercising your knee and pushing it to get full ROM back, full strength back and things like that.
You should be able to get back to upper body training as soon as you can get around without much of a problem. I don’t see any reason why you wouldn’t be able to get back to upper body training (not lower body) after the first 2 weeks or so. Of course, I am not a doctor and that would be a great question to ask your doctor.
You may be able to return to some activities after 6 months, but I don’t have a definite answer for you. Some people come back that quick and do fine… others need a little more time before returning.
I would be interested to hear what your doctor had to say.
Doc says im doing great thanks and that Im only 7 days post op with a 115 degrees flexion and 3 degrees off of full extension and Im having one of the best post op responses. He also says I can go to the gym NOW if I like. However he says he recommends i stick to the 9 month plan to avoid re-rupture.
Great news! Keep up the excellent work. I would agree and say to take your time. The 9 month plans almost always work out better than rushing back.
Hey Geff I’m 6 days out of acl/minuscus surgery and your diary had been accurate about everything. Lol especially the shin pain. When I lay with my leg straight no pain….but as soon as I get up instant pain in my shin. Makes me not even wanna get up and use the bathroom. About how long did your shin pain last?
If I remember right it only lasted a few days. Definitely less than a week, but I seem to recall it getting better after 3 or 4 days. It still hurt a bit after that, but it wasn’t the intense, take your breath away pain.
I want to first commend you on your dedication to responding to comments on your blog entry. Over 13 years since your surgery, and you’re still responding. Thank you on behalf of all of us who find your site, even if we don’t leave a comment.
I’m 12 days post-op on a patellar tendon auto-graft. I was sent home after surgery with nothing more than an ace bandage and an ice pack wrapped around my knee. I have yet to be in any kind of brace. This may be my Dr’s rehab philosophy, or maybe it’s a trend that’s changed since you’ve had surgery. My sister had her ACL done in ’94, and she used a continuous motion machine and several different kinds of braces throughout her rehab (she went on to play basketball in college after rehabbing, albeit with a minor brace still). It’s kind of amazing to me that I have yet to use any kind of brace and things seem to be going really well.
Some background on my progress thus far: I have about 115 degrees flexion and a few degrees from full extension, on one crutch still, but expect to be crutch-less within the next week. I had a nerve block administered before surgery, in addition to the general anesthesia. I still have some numbness on my inner thigh, on both sides of my knee (I know that some numbness on the outside of my knee is expected, and may be permanent, but it’s much more than that). There’s also some residual numbness behind my knee and in my lower leg.
The main reason I wanted to respond is about the lower leg and ankle pain I’ve begun to have. My lower leg is really bruised (all shades of purple, some yellow), but that is expected with the bruising and blood from surgery going down due to gravity. I’ve experienced some of the shin pain you mention, but it’s not been that intense. The main concern I have now is the pain I have in my ankle area. There’s still some swelling in that area and some redness (besides the purple bruising). It’s very sensitive to the touch, and can have a painful ache without any kind of stimulus. Something like putting on a sock, without bending my ankle and being very careful, can cause severe pain for several seconds. From what I’ve read, it may be nerve damage. I mentioned it to my Dr (had my first follow-up with the surgeon yesterday, 11 days out, and also had my stitches removed), and he thinks it may be nerve damage due to the tourniquet used during surgery (I have bruising above and below my knee, which apparently is due to tourniquets used to minimize bleeding during surgery). Although it seems the shin pain seems to be pretty common, I haven’t heard anyone talk about this ankle pain. Like I said, it can be a painful aching, but also can be a little bit of a tingling sensation at the same time.
I’m hoping it is due to the pressure put on the nerve during surgery, and that it’s temporary, but I’ve read about people having permanent nerve damage due to different types of knee surgeries, resulting in neuropathy, which I’m afraid of. Anyone else out there have any experience with this?
Thank you for the kind words.
I’m really curious to see if any others out there have experienced what you describe. I wish I could give you an answer, but I’ve just never dealt with that and no one I have first hand knowledge of has experienced that either.
Is it still the same now as it was a few days ago?
It’s still there, but I’d say it’s not quite as bad. It’s still evident when putting on a sock and rotating my ankle, but not as sensitive to the light touch as before. I took some Tylenol before bed last night, and I was able to sleep through the night. The previous 2 nights I’ve woken up in the middle of the night, tossing and turning, because I couldn’t get comfortable because of my ankle aching; I had to resort to taking half of a pain pill. So, it’s good I didn’t have to do that again.
I talked to my physical therapist about it yesterday. When I was describing it, he had this look on his face where it seemed he was intrigued. He, too, thinks it’s probably the nerves responding to the tourniquet, and that it should slowly fade back to normal. I hope he’s right.
Still interested in seeing if anyone else has experienced it, though.
I got a question since i had my ACL repaired like over a year ago. Did you experience like sharp pain once in a while even after doing 2 months of therapy? i have days where i can workout my legs,run,hike and have no pain in my knee but there are days where i dont do anything and its sore and painful.I dont know if i broke down more scar tissue inside or what. but do you have any suggestions?thanks!
Yes. I still have a day here and there where I will have a sharp pain. It never lasts very long. I’m assuming that it is scar tissue breaking up or something of that nature.
I am now 16 months post ACL Surgery and am still experiencing clicking/cracking sounds in the knee as well as discomfort. The ligament is still healing and far from being 100%. I’m going to the gym again and working on quads, running and other leg excercises.
I’m just happy that it didn’t re-tear again. I played soccer last year but still held back a bit.
Is there a pivotal point where I should expect a change?
If there isn’t much pain, then everything is probably going along fine. Everyone’s knee is different and will react in different ways. You may have some scar tissue in there that is causing a small problem. It may just break up on it’s own. If things are still pretty painful, you should mention that to the doctor and get his opinion on the matter.
I had the hamstring autograft with endo-button.