Anyone else busted their ACL

I'll check about the ice machine

Glad to here that you are running again. I know what you mean about the cardio work. I'm still eating the same at the moment and I'm not doing squash, badminton, footy x 3 and gym x3 per week so I can see me needing a crane to lift me off the sofa soon It will be like the simpsons when homer starts working from home.

I'll see what the ortho surgeon says on wednesday, my extension is fine at 0, but flexion is probably only about 110 so not quite there. I just wanna get the OP ASAP so I can start on the road (albeit a very long one) to recovery.

Might see what the Physio reckons to wii fit as well lol
 
Thanks for asking, it went quite well. I haven't been on the forums much as GTA4 has taken over my life.

The MRI showed a category one tear/sprain of the MCL (so that bit should fix itself), my miniscus has no major tearing (which is a major relief). My ACL is fully torn and my tibia (I think its this - the shin bone) is quite badly bruised which again should fix itself. I suppose this may be why I couldnt put any weight on my leg fo over a week after it happened.

I will be having reconstuctive surgery on either the 13th or 20th May and tbh I would rather have it sooner but he is booked up. The OS is fairly good and seemed to be impressed at my questions and how much I knew about it so thanks for the earlier advice. He does about 3 a week and I think he knows his stuff, i.e. he does one of the incisions at a horizontal instead of vertical as it reduces the feeling of numbness at the site. I asked about using a statinary bike pre-op and he said I can do but don't over do things.
I also asked about the cyro cuff and he said its up to me, he doesnt really recommend them as such as he thinks a normal ice pack wil be fine. I still might get one for the convenience though. When asked about pain killers post op he said just paracetamol/ibruprofen and maybe cocodamol.
 
Well I am booked in for this Monday so we'll see how it goes. I have just been told to get there by 09:00am. I suppose I will be told a bit more over the coming days (i.e. nill by mouth etc). I better crack on and get some more muscle definiion backk before then.

pabloB - Did you get told what you can eat/drink and when before you went to surgery and roughly how long were you in for (I suppose it depends but I should be out the same day so want to try and get a lift when my missus finishes work at 17:00ish)
 
You'll just be able to have dinner the previous night! Nothing for brekkie though mate. Gotta have the usual 6 or so hours of nothing besides water before the general anasthetic I(why its better to have a morning op as you don't have to miss the day without food!! . You'll be able to have a cup of tea and a sarnie after though.
I was in at 7 and probably in the operating theatre by 8.30 was out by 5PM the day..

Good luck pal - hope it all goes to plan for you
 
Thanks, I am getting a stock of ice packs, take away menus, tea flasks etc. Think I'll cancel the gym membership for 2mths

Supposed to be going to a wedding in mexico at the end of june (over 5 weeks after the op). I'll see what the surgeon says.
 
oneilldo said:
Thanks, I am getting a stock of ice packs, take away menus, tea flasks etc. Think I'll cancel the gym membership for 2mths

Supposed to be going to a wedding in mexico at the end of june (over 5 weeks after the op). I'll see what the surgeon says.
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I'll be very surprised if he's happy to let you fly that soon! Thrombosis is a huge issue after the operation your about to have due to the lack of movement but hey see what the surgeon says!
 
Well fingers crossed regarding my holiday. Spoke to the receptionist today. Got to be in for 09:00 with op at 11:00. My missus will pick me up at 17:00ish and as long as I can have a drink and some food and make it to the loo I will be allowed to go home. I have also got a version of a cyro cruff on order and a large supply of ibruprofen and paracetamol.

When I originally did i I couldnt put any weight on that leg for over a week (probably due to bone bruising) and reading kneeguru etc most people can put some form of weight on within the first two days. So tbh I am hoping that it will be better and less frustrating following the op then when I originally tore it.

When did you have the first physio session and did you need to go to hospital for dressing changes etc (I suppose yours may be different in this regards as you had a patella graft and hence more scars/bandages)?
 
Well I got back from the op at 19:00ish today. pain isnt too bad but I keep getting some sharp pains top of shin where the graft was taking from. The nurse would only let me go when I had passed urine. it took a jug of water and 6 cups of tea - this fasting malarky must have de-hydrated me something cronic.

I had no other damage to the miniscus which is a bargain and it was a complete success - hoorah. Didnt give a femoral block due to day surgery but I have some para, diclofenac and codeine so should be fine. I am using the cyro cuff which is also a god send. Booked in to see the physio for a week tuesday but I might re-arrange so I can see a different physio. I will get an appointment with the OS for ~ 4 weeks time and he said I will be fine to fly at 5 weeks.

From what I have read the most crucial (or cruciate) bit of advice is to keep taking your painkillers initially even if you don't have bad pain so I have alarms set and a ticksheet ready.

Hows your rehab going?
 
Evening mate, pleased to see the op went well.

I just took painkillers for about the first 3 days didn't need them after that and the Cocodamol was making me constapated lol!!

Was weight bearing albeit with crutches the same day as op but had to demonstrate to the physio's I could do the stairs and walk a little before i was allowed home. My first Physio app post op was 5 days.


My mum (whose a nurse) changed my bandages the first couple of times then the mrs took over when it had stopped weeping and looked a bit more presentable lol! Staples came out quite quickly 10 days i think (there are internal stitches that disolve).

Your main battle right now is the swelling, keep your leg up higher than your heart and use that cuff hourly on/off. I found the gym ball the best thing for putting my leg up on also had a fouton to lye on which helped loads & keep doing the excercises that have been given to you

The basic stuff is exceptionally boring but you've got to do it I'm afraid! Don't be too knarked if you take a little while to get full flexion back in your knee.

My rehab would appear to be going ok - still going to knee club every wed and doing loads of jumping/impact and trampoline work. The only agg i'm getting at the moment is out of my hamstring which I guess is just tight.

Also started taking glucosamine which seems to have assisted me although the jury still seems to out on this supplement.

Good luck for the next couple of weeks it's incredibly frustrating so hang in there!

My next OS app is June 6th where i'll be 17 weeks post op!!
 
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yeah the swelling is huge. The pain wasnt that bad the first day due to the general probably. However yesterday was quite painful. It is all my hamstring though (hamstring graft). I am getting sharp tearing pains in my hamstring but yesterday was a lot worse. I have stopped taking the codeine today for the same reasons that you stopped the co-codomol (felt so bloated it was like my dinner was at my adams apple). Still taking diclofenac and paracetamol and managed to get decentish sleep last night (had 2 hours on Monday).

The swelling is just wrong though,when I stand up I can feel fluid dribbling down inside my calf. I am using my cyro cuff regually. regarding my bandages I have removed them yesterday and just have a compression bandage on and plasters over the incisions. When walking (with crutches) my kneecap feels wobbly due to all the fluid.

Lol - I am feeling like a fat lazy swine so I thought what excercise can I do on the sofa without working up a sweat (can't really shower at the moment) so I searched for slendertone and found a thread by you when you were sofa bound. I still could be tempted though as even if it strenghens my adbs by 5% it will help with posture and hence walking.

when did you start taking glucosamine?
 
Got injured on Monday night and am hoping that I haven't done anything as serious as some of the injuries on here.

Took somebodys full weight on my outstretched leg.
I've never felt pain like it.

Might post a piccie later if I get the chance.

Massive swelling but it seems to be reducing a bit now.
 
Well heres a pic of my leg 5 days post op,the swelling has gone down a fair bit from what it was but as you can see it is still quite swollen. I presume the hamstring graft causes more fluid but results in less scarring.

Picture022-1.jpg
 
oneilldo said:
The swelling is just wrong though,when I stand up I can feel fluid dribbling down inside my calf. I am using my cyro cuff regually. regarding my bandages I have removed them yesterday and just have a compression bandage on and plasters over the incisions. When walking (with crutches) my kneecap feels wobbly due to all the fluid.

Lol - I am feeling like a fat lazy swine so I thought what excercise can I do on the sofa without working up a sweat (can't really shower at the moment) so I searched for slendertone and found a thread by you when you were sofa bound. I still could be tempted though as even if it strenghens my adbs by 5% it will help with posture and hence walking.

when did you start taking glucosamine?
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Well I gotta say I never had any of that fluid moving around in my knee calf feeling!!

Don't bother with slendertone it's a worthless piece of poop!!

Just keep up with the cuff and keep that leg raised!! Personally I had a couple of issue with some liquid on my knee and basically the os just sucked a load of liquid off it with a nice big syringe, then add some steroids which have done the trick!!
 
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Got my physio app on Tuesday so I'll see about getting an app with the OS to get some fluid off if its still sloshing around (my ankle has bruised due to fluid/blood settling down there).
 
oneilldo said:
Got my physio app on Tuesday so I'll see about getting an app with the OS to get some fluid off if its still sloshing around (my ankle has bruised due to fluid/blood settling down there).
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He won't do anything until at least 8 or so weeks in as you need time to get the inflamation down first!

I had massive brusing in fact i was staggered at the amount I had as exhibit A here shows

n513130319_913377_7279.jpg


Taken about a week post op!
 
Well my calf is slightly yellow ( 6 days post op) - and my ankle is like a fat grannys.
Spoke to my OS the other day and he sounds fairly happy with progress (mainly the 0 extension). I am going to leave the house for the first time in a week tomorrow, I can't wait.
 
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