Posts
213
Joined
5/7/2017
Location
Sun Prairie, WI
US
Edited Date/Time
3/4/2021 7:42pm
Tore my ACL riding about 6 weeks ago and actually fractured my foot as well. I'm in a boot right now and the doctor wants to go ahead and to the surgery using the hamstring method. I'm in a peculiar situation to where I can either have the surgery in a few weeks and have about 3 weeks before I need to travel via flight, or that I can wait to have the surgery but the wait will be 2-3 months. Also if I have the surgery now I'll be pretty much on my own during the beginning of the recovery versus waiting and having the luxury of family to help me out afterward. I've had shoulder surgery (labrum repair) and didn't feel like I needed much help from anyone around me, but I know every surgery is different. So.... how was your recovery time? How soon were you walking and how much could you walk? Did you feel like you needed to have someone around at all times to help you out with daily tasks?
I got lazy with mine towards the end and didn’t get full flexibility back for a while.. after it healed it took a loooong time of stretching to get my full range of motion back
The Shop
You'll get more use out of it after your knee recovers for other injuries.
Also, you do not want to be in a boot after your ACL surgery. This will hinder your gait and make it harder walking with the new ACL. My other ligaments were not affected by waiting. I wore a brace while riding and exercising.
Another thing, diet plays a huge role in recovery. If you're traveling it's a lot harder to eat healthy.
Good luck with recovery and listen to your PT!
Prolonging will lengthen your recovery and make it more difficult to regain range of motion.
His original recovery was pretty quick, but most things are at 17..
Technology has changed so much now.... recovery times do not compare.
11 months for me back then to start riding again, wanted to be sure all was 100% and ready to go before I raced again.
With regard to recovery, It took more than a year to have no pain. I pushed it too hard early on (3-4 months out, running and training) and set myself back by inflaming the graft site. I was basically back to square one.
I would recommend getting it done sooner rather than later and be very cautious with your recovery. I thought I was "ahead of schedule" and the "doctors were amazed by my recovery". In reality, we all heal about the same pace. Set aside a full 6 months to get fat and out of shape on the couch, then start fresh after that with a good, strong joint.
I had it done on a Thursday and was back to work Monday. The first couple of weeks were uncomfortable due to swelling as the day went on but pretty quickly I was mostly normal with very little pain. I did do the rehab at a facility, which I highly recommend because they will push you to do things you wouldn't want to do as early on such as running and pivoting.
I went with out an ACL for about 10 years so once it was done, I have been super happy with the result. If you are going to do it, the cadaver tendon will allow quicker normal function but the same overall recovery time. So, if you need to go to work, I would recommend the cadaver in a heart beat.
But the first 2-3week after surgery......... was extremely extremely rough. Questioned my decision. After that your gains will increase rapidly, of coarse that’s if you listen to the doctors. My PT group pushed you every single day. Wouldn’t mind calling you out either. They helped a ton! Was even released ahead of schedule. But very time consuming. Good Luck.
Pit Row
I've recently torn it again, along with some serious damage to the meniscus, and I'm looking at getting a meniscus transplant and an acl replacement during the next couple of months. That's going to take a lot of time to heal and rehab before I'm back riding and racing.
One thing to understand is that Docs generally gravitate to a certain procedure. If they are all about the money, then they will do cadaver grafts. Why? Because the procedure takes less time, and the can do more of them on their "cut day". More cutting more money.... If they doc is a Patella autograft guy...he will generally do just that.
Whatever the docs procedure is...he is going to try and convince you that is the best procedure for you. Which is total BS. My recommendation is determine on your own what the best procedure is...then find a good doc who primarily does that procedure.
For Moto / Offroad riding, my conclusion is that Patella is the only way to do...and the best surgeon in the nation for that procedure is Don Shelbourne out of Indy (he used to be the team doc for the Colts, and has done something like 8,000 ACL procedures using Patella grafts.....)
Do not just blindly trust your docs. You are smart. Read the papers yourself. Start with this one:
GRAFT SELECTION IN ANTERIOR CRUCIATE LIGAMENT
RECONSTRUCTION
1Nathan A. Mall, MD
1,3Geoffrey S. Van Thiel, MD, MBA
2Asheesh Bedi, MD
1Brian J. Cole, MD, MBA
1Rush University Medical Center, Department of Orthopaedics, Division of Sports Medicine
2 University of Michigan, Department of Orthopaedics, MedSport
3 Rockford Orthopedic Associates, Rockford, IL
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