Another ACL story

First off, thanks for the great info all the other threads have provided, has really help.

I fell March 6 while skiing at Snowshoe, WV. What sucks is it was our first day of a week long Spring Break. Anyways, I felt the infamous pop. Snow Patrol came to the rescue.

A MRI confirmed a tear. Was given the option of no surgery, which of course I declined. I want to ski again! Surgery is scheduled for tommorrow, May 5th. I had to put it off until the end of the semester. I have done 6 PT sessions, knee actually feels pretty good. ROM is -2 extension and 136 flexion, however my knees can do 150, so not quite there. My ortho says there appears to be a slight menicus tear, but he won't know until he gets in there. Something about the MRI showing what could just be brusing.

Going the autograft - patella tendon route. It's what my doc recommended. Truthfully from my reading, it's what I wanted. This is my first surgery ever, so of course there are butterfies. I'll post an update when I'm coherent, maybe I'll even have some pictures.

If you see this - take some Lifesavers & Chapstick with you or have your driver bring it.....just in case you get cotton mouth from the anesthesia.....it's a horrible feeling! Yuck!

Good luck tomorrow! I had my surgery 1 month ago, today.....

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Originally Posted by jenscats5

If you see this - take some Lifesavers & Chapstick with you or have your driver bring it.....just in case you get cotton mouth from the anesthesia.....it's a horrible feeling! Yuck!

Good luck tomorrow! I had my surgery 1 month ago, today.....

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Thanks for the heads-up on the Chapstick, I definately needed that when I woke up.

I'm still numb from the femoral nerve block. Everything went well, there was no menicus damage after all, which I'm happy about. I have the use of one of those Polarcare devices which I'm loving. Doctor prescribed 3 different medicines: Mepergan, Hydrocodone for later whan my pain isn't as bad, and some sort of anti-inflammatory medicine.

Right now I'm at my parents' house watching the Braves and letting good ole mom take care of me. :)

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Originally Posted by musicman

Thanks for the heads-up on the Chapstick, I definately needed that when I woke up.

I'm still numb from the femoral nerve block. Everything went well, there was no menicus damage after all, which I'm happy about. I have the use of one of those Polarcare devices which I'm loving. Doctor prescribed 3 different medicines: Mepergan, Hydrocodone for later whan my pain isn't as bad, and some sort of anti-inflammatory medicine.

Right now I'm at my parents' house watching the Braves and letting good ole mom take care of me. :)

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Keep up on the pain killers. When my arm block wore off from hand surgery, I was hurting until the pain killers built back up. Of course, if hub had gone to the drug store sooner....

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Originally Posted by Nohillsnearby

Keep up on the pain killers. When my arm block wore off from hand surgery, I was hurting until the pain killers built back up. Of course, if hub had gone to the drug store sooner....

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We always stop at the drug store on the way home from the hospital.

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Originally Posted by altagirl

We always stop at the drug store on the way home from the hospital.

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So, whats that - 3 or 4 times a week? :p

musicman - glad your surgery went well. i'm a few days ahead of you- had my acl replaced on may 1. may day. i pranced around a maypole afterward to celebrate. wait, maybe that was just the percocet. anyways, good luck w/rehab.

Musicman, I too just got my ACL replaced (Fri, 28th). I went the allograft route though (cadaver tendon).

Did the doc get you a CPM machine? I think thats what its called. Basically, it mechanically flexes your knee and you can program the angles, speed, etc.

I started using it right after surgery on Friday afternoon. Was painful at first but that's why you have the pain killers. I think, beacuse of using that machine, I already have about 100 degrees of flexion and can walk and stand on the leg without too much pain.

I'd recommend using it if you can get access to it. Talk to your doc and physical therapist.

good luck..

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Originally Posted by NEngineer

Musicman, I too just got my ACL replaced (Fri, 28th). I went the allograft route though (cadaver tendon).

Did the doc get you a CPM machine? I think thats what its called. Basically, it mechanically flexes your knee and you can program the angles, speed, etc.

I started using it right after surgery on Friday afternoon. Was painful at first but that's why you have the pain killers. I think, beacuse of using that machine, I already have about 100 degrees of flexion and can walk and stand on the leg without too much pain.

I'd recommend using it if you can get access to it. Talk to your doc and physical therapist.

good luck..

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I go to the doctor on Monday to get my pain pump removed and I'll ask then. Did you have trouble getting your quad muscle to move? I can flex the outer part, just not the inner. Could the nerve block be causing it?

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Originally Posted by musicman

I go to the doctor on Monday to get my pain pump removed and I'll ask then. Did you have trouble getting your quad muscle to move? I can flex the outer part, just not the inner. Could the nerve block be causing it?

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At the physical therapists, I was told that the quads react to knee inflamation by shutting down. You will be amazed how much your VMO (inner quad) will have attrophied. It probably just this that's making it difficult to contract your VMO. The block should have worn out by now.
The physical therapist also told me that I should start flexing the quad asap. This "pumping" helps reduce inflamation in the knee.
I had the same thing happen to my quads. But I'm able to flex them a lot better.
Definitely ask about the CPM machine. Check this out.
http://orthopedics.about.com/cs/knee...ment/i/cpm.htm
It claims, that in the long run, the CPM doesn't help in any way. So, who knows? But I feel, it helped me flex my knee quicker and that gets me working on strength training quicker.

I've never had a CPM machine. My doc said they're a waste of time/money unless you've had something like a total knee replacement. I even talked to one doc who thinks they're bad for healing because they don't get your knee all the way straight into hyperextension like you can if you're resting your foot on a pillow with the leg elevated, and if you're spending a ton of time in the CPM, it could hinder your extension.

It probably doesn't make much difference if you're stretching regularly on your own.

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Originally Posted by musicman

I go to the doctor on Monday to get my pain pump removed and I'll ask then. Did you have trouble getting your quad muscle to move? I can flex the outer part, just not the inner. Could the nerve block be causing it?

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Yep that was how I felt....couldn't feel my leg (foot yes) for a couple of days afterwards....and was also unable to flex my quad in anyway....

Try working on doing your quad sets once your block wears off....

I did not have a pain pump or a CPM machine....at 1 month out of surgery, I'm at 129 degrees bend & -1 on my hyperextension....

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Originally Posted by altagirl

I've never had a CPM machine. My doc said they're a waste of time/money unless you've had something like a total knee replacement. I even talked to one doc who thinks they're bad for healing because they don't get your knee all the way straight into hyperextension like you can if you're resting your foot on a pillow with the leg elevated, and if you're spending a ton of time in the CPM, it could hinder your extension.

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My situation is a little different than yours, but in my opinion the CPM was a godsend. My knee was completely locked from scar tissue that formed over 2 months. After 2 manipulations, the only way i would ever get flexion back was to be in the cpm about 20 hours a day. it prevents scar tissue from reforming and definately helps with flexion. also, atleast with my CPM, you could set the flexion from a range of about 120 to -10. in other words, you can get hyperextension just about the same as resting ur leg on a pillow. These days i have full extension and about 140 degrees of flexion after i've loosened up a bit.

the CPM is definately over kill for some situations, but if you having flexion problems it could help. It was the only thing that would work for me.

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Originally Posted by caddah

My situation is a little different than yours, but in my opinion the CPM was a godsend. My knee was completely locked from scar tissue that formed over 2 months. After 2 manipulations, the only way i would ever get flexion back was to be in the cpm about 20 hours a day. it prevents scar tissue from reforming and definately helps with flexion. also, atleast with my CPM, you could set the flexion from a range of about 120 to -10. in other words, you can get hyperextension just about the same as resting ur leg on a pillow. These days i have full extension and about 140 degrees of flexion after i've loosened up a bit.

the CPM is definately over kill for some situations, but if you having flexion problems it could help. It was the only thing that would work for me.

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Yeah, in your situation I can't imagine anyone not recommending it. I don't know that it's really necessary for the average ACL, etc., though.

Also, luckily for me, insurance will pay for the CPM. For some reason I picked an expensive one for this year.
Not the extension and flexion are any metric of recovery but on day 7 (after surgery) I'm at 1 degree to 100 degrees.

Caddah, why did your knees get locked? what was your injury?

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Originally Posted by NEngineer

Also, luckily for me, insurance will pay for the CPM. For some reason I picked an expensive one for this year.
Not the extension and flexion are any metric of recovery but on day 7 (after surgery) I'm at 1 degree to 100 degrees.

Caddah, why did your knees get locked? what was your injury?

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Go read his thread - total knee dislocation. Pretty heinous.

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Originally Posted by altagirl

Go read his thread - total knee dislocation. Pretty heinous.

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Holy Cow! I remember having read that thread earlier but didn't remember that it was you Caddah. Good to hear that your knee is healing nicely.

ACL replacement sounds like a walk in the park compared to what you went through.

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Originally Posted by altagirl

We always stop at the drug store on the way home from the hospital.

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We did that, but they were so backed up he had togo back to get the drugs. :cussing:

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Originally Posted by Nohillsnearby

so backed up :cussing:

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It's true, pain meds can get you pretty backed up. But they're worth it. :wink:

Went back to the doctor yesterday, all they did was take the pain pump out, remove my dressing and put an anti-embolism stocking on me. I was told that I couldn't start PT until I after I see the doctor on Thursday. Is that pretty standard? I was under the impression I could start a few days after surgery. Anyways, I set up an appointment for next Monday.

One good thing to note, I'm no longer as backed up as I was. :)

If you haven't been doing quad sets and strait leg raises on your own then start today.

Most likely the reason they have not had you go into therpay yet in insurance driven. Many insurance companies will only permit a limited number of visits. And in the first 2 weeks there really isn't a ton that your therapist can do for you that you can't do on your own. i.e. SLRs and quad sets, and some range of motion work. So instead of spending a precious number of visit on stuff you can do yourself, they wait.

But with that being said, you should absolutely be doing ROM, SLRs and quad sets every day. The QS and SLRs should actually be done a few times a day 2-3 maybe.

Thought I'd post an update. Coming up on 5 weeks post-op and 4 weeks of PT. I'm at -3 and 120, seems a bit low for this point but my therapist says I'm doing fine. Was suppose to see the doctor today to finally get into my Donjoy brace but the appointment got canceled. Overall I'm feeling pretty good, my knee will give out every once in a while when I'm walking. No real pain to speak of, just discomfort.

On a side note, there's a smoking hot PT intern that's been working with me, any ethical dilemmas with asking her out? :)

Nice, dude!! Just keep working at the range of motion, it'll come. I'm a week ahead of you (had acl done on may1) and just now starting to feel like some semblance of normalcy might be close to returning.

tore my left acl about 8 yrs ago at ruby bowl blackomb. was traversing to ruby bowl, daydreaming uphill ski caught (dug into) hill. fell downhill uphill ski stayed in place. I actually felt a tearing inside the knee, some people relate it to a pop. everybody is different i had zero swelling and was able to ski the rest of the day. i went to a walk in clinic where the dr. said it was a medial collateral sprain. i continued skiing that season and playing hockey. at times my knee would lock while walking and when playing hockey would twist easily. quite painful. i went to my regular dr. who set me up with a specialist. the specialist did a couple function tests and right away said my acl was gone. i had reconstructive surgery. donor tendon from hamstring one end of tendon stays attached to hamstring the other end is put acroos the knee where the acl used to be and is stapled into the femur. was on crutches for about three weeks, physio right away. my understanding you get the best results when you apply yourself at physio. was back to normal activities within 6 months skiing hockey etc. the knee feels stronger than before the injury. 7 years later i tore my right acl playing hockey, same distinctive pop inside knee. this time i happened to have become friends with an orthopedic surgeon. he knew right away there was damage to my cartiledge and acl. again no swelling and still functional. he scoped my knee to access repair cartiledge when he determined my acl was gone again total rupture. had reconstuction acl surgery. method a little different again a piece of my hamstring tendon was used but this time it was detached both ends. it was then put in place where my acl was secured with i believe 4 bio degradable screws. again great results only on crutches one day this time. much faster recovery less atrophy of thigh muscle. Back skiing and playing hockey 6 mos later. reconstruction surgery is a godsend. i can still play hard at lower middle age. good luck with your situation, find a good surgeon if necessary. the injuries in my mind are not sport ending. I also tore my right achilles in between the knee surgeries, thats another story another time. again i wish you the best in your recovery been there done that regards extremeskier

Went to the doctor today and got my new brace. Wasn't a Donjoy like I expected. They provided me with this: http://www.omnils.com/products_acl_rtfragexc.html. I like it thus far, nice and lightweight. Also had my knee drained. Doctor is a bit concerned that I'm still not straight, he's hoping it was just fluid holding me back. If not then I'm looking at a scope job to remove scar tissue, not what I'm wanting. I go back next week, so between now and then I plan to heel prop like mad. Therapist says I'm doing well perhaps even a bit ahead, but with me not being straight yet, apparently I could be doing better. Due to my class/work schedule I guess I'm not pushing myself with exercising like I should, so that will have to change.

It appears that it was fluid holding me back, knee has felt great and I was at -1 this morning at PT.