Third ACL tear(?)

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09-10-2007, 07:29 PM
Dexter Rutecki

Third ACL tear(?)

Just got back from my knee scope a few hours ago for a torn meniscus, and ortho called me at home--said the knee was a mess. Said the bucket handle tear was big and almost completely flipped into the joint (called it 'impressive) and he removed everything except for a rim of the meniscus. Said the lateral meniscus was torn too, but not as badly, and then the kicker--my ACL graft is almost completely detached from the femur. Said there are still a few strands going into the screw, but that's it.
I am so shocked now, was fully expecting to be fine in about four weeks--told the guys on my hockey team to expect me back in mid-October, now I'm contemplating missing basically this whole year skiing? Come on. This is shit.
Even the percocet isn't making me feel any better now, I just can't believe this crap.
09-10-2007, 07:31 PM
Bring On The Snow

well, that blows
09-10-2007, 07:32 PM
Odin

That sucks dex, how did you do it?
09-10-2007, 07:33 PM
amyzilla

Oh, do I get to say it?

Gimp Central, JONG!

Seriously though, that sucks. I had the same type of meniscus tear, where it was flipped over into the joint and blocking my knee motion. Not fun.

Did you have an autograft or an allograft for your ACL? I would maybe see about getting a second opinion before getting that thing fixed by the same surgeon - maybe he screwed up on it somehow. I think sometimes that just happens though, where the graft stretches out/becomes detached.
09-10-2007, 07:47 PM
Dexter Rutecki

Different surgeon this time, but last time when I did the other ACL this (older) grafted one was nice and tight.
But my meniscus tear wasn't really blocking my knee motion, I had full or maybe nearly (like 99%) full ROM. Was walking without any limp and I'd wake up in the morning and not remember for a moment which knee was hurt.

And I was supposed to be really getting both my daughters skiing this year, too. That looks out, now.
09-10-2007, 07:54 PM
Buzzworthy

I am 4+ months out ACL recon. I could ski now with my daughter, but not much more at this point. If you get er done quick, you could spend the later part of the season only with your kids and let a season go. Family rocks and this sounds like a great way to take advantage.

They will last only a few hours and probably same with you.

Glass half full???

edit: cadaver graft (was an ACL before too), screwed in, kicked ass in PT 120% and can kneel to my butt with my heel now.
09-10-2007, 07:58 PM
Dexter Rutecki

Nah, one girl's already been out for two seasons and likes to tear around. She goes all day (ski school can still take care of that). I don't know. I'm pretty sure that if I were to push recon back to the spring I could ski with them, but maybe not. Just can't believe I'm facing this. After having the second recon I seriously wondered if I could go through it again, I really hope somehow it doesn't go down this way.
09-10-2007, 08:03 PM
Buzzworthy

I snowboard.
I blew my ACL skiing again.
I am going back to snowboarding.

Think about it.
09-10-2007, 08:15 PM
Cyber Cop

Quote:

Originally Posted by Buzzworthy

I snowboard.
I blew my ACL skiing again.
I am going back to snowboarding.

Think about it.

seriously.
09-10-2007, 08:42 PM
Dexter Rutecki

What's the recovery time from the requisite lobotomy?
Sorry, reflex--I appreciate the advice. But snowboarders always break wrists and clavicles, right (I've seen several heading down holding their clavicles in place after slamming)?
09-10-2007, 08:48 PM
gravitylover

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dexter Rutecki

What's the recovery time from the requisite lobotomy?

Woot!

Thanx, I needed that. So I guess we won't be doing another night skating session again this year huh :frown: Bummer. Just get yourself better ya hear.
09-10-2007, 08:50 PM
Dexter Rutecki

Thanks.678
09-10-2007, 08:52 PM
Buzzworthy

Never a wrist nor the clavicle. Shoulder slam, concussion, ankle sprain (kinda hard to do unless you know what you are doing).

Comfy boots.:biggrin:

Remember, you are older now. No need to get rad dude.;)
09-10-2007, 08:54 PM
TJ.Brk

vibes Dex. You will heal fast +++++++++++++
09-10-2007, 08:55 PM
Dexter Rutecki

I've come this far without being in danger of getting rad, just hoping to delay getting bad. Not going so great.
09-10-2007, 09:02 PM
Endlessseason

Crap, man. I'm really sorry to hear that. Recovery and PT really suck.
I've wondered if I could go through that again. I guess we all KNOW we can, we just DO NOT want to.
But, do we 'not want to' seriously enough to stop doing what we love to do? I know that's not an option for me, and prolly not for you.

Good vibes towards doing what you gotta do, Dex.
09-10-2007, 09:11 PM
lph

awww, man, so sorry to hear that. :(
09-10-2007, 09:31 PM
weibo

What about bracing it for the season and getting it fixed in the spring?
09-10-2007, 10:00 PM
grskier

Well, get done what you need to get done to get done what you want to get done.
09-10-2007, 10:04 PM
maddog

When I busted the shocks out of my car in high school, my dad said, "Shocks are just a luxury item anyway," and I drove around in a bouncy car for a few years. On that note, I've been skiing without an acl in my right knee since 1978. Sorry about the injury, and good luck on your recovery. Remember.... Pain is part of the fun of getting older... and life just gets more and more fun!
09-10-2007, 10:11 PM
iceman

Fuuuuuuuck.

That's about all I got.

There's gotta be a pattern to what you are doing to yourself. Find the pattern and: DON'T DO THAT.

easy to say, I know.
09-10-2007, 10:13 PM
Mofro261

Quote:

Originally Posted by weibo

What about bracing it for the season and getting it fixed in the spring?

^^^^^^

Dex, I'm a three time loser myself who's 4 months post-op now. I re-tore a 12-yr old ACL hammy graft last dec and went the brace and wait route. I had a very successful ski season braced sans ACL and would do it again but hope I never get that chance (the 18yr hammy graft on the R is holding strong). The downside was delaying for 5 1/2 months the recovery to all the non-skiing related activities -I haven't done any real running since last dec.
I had no menicus damage though.

Bummer.
09-10-2007, 10:57 PM
Raps

Dex, sorry to hear man - hope you can decide on an option that will at enable you to enjoy part of the season or to let you ski with the fam. Can you get other opinions? Whats the next step?
09-10-2007, 11:40 PM
xtrmjoe

Mono Board?
Sled?
Snowboard?
Those are the options I would be looking at.
09-11-2007, 01:11 AM
amyzilla

Is the graft completely torn yet? You might as well ski on it (with brace) if it's still sort of intact. If you've already been doing stuff and didn't notice that the ACL was going, then I wonder if you could get away with more activity before it tears completely. I would ask your doc for advice about skiing & hockey.
09-11-2007, 02:53 AM
hemas

If you truly want to ski, I'd say get the meniscus fixed ASAP and brace up. If they just remove the damaged parts, the recovery is pretty fast. But if they try to fix the meniscus, you're looking at ~4 to 8 weeks of no weight bearing on that leg... A nice way to watch your quad disappear.

Though with a bad or no ACL, I'm guessing no hard skiing and no hockey.

Sucks man.
09-11-2007, 04:23 AM
Dexter Rutecki

Quote:

Originally Posted by iceman

Fuuuuuuuck.

That's about all I got.

There's gotta be a pattern to what you are doing to yourself. Find the pattern and: DON'T DO THAT.

easy to say, I know.

I hear you, but in a way I did do that. I basically stopped hitting table-top jumps, which was what did the first two for me, and then this one happened on a totally normal play in hockey. I didn't even fall or anything.

Quote:

Originally Posted by weibo

What about bracing it for the season and getting it fixed in the spring?

Supposedly a brace doesn't really do anything for a non-functional ACL. The movement the ACL restricts is too small for a brace to work. I did once try to skate with my first destroyed ACL, while wearing my brace, and the first time I turned moderately hard I was down instantly--could feel the bones slipping across each other, not fun. Can't imagine I'd get away with it skiing, but maybe there's enough still there to keep it stable.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Raps

Dex, sorry to hear man - hope you can decide on an option that will at enable you to enjoy part of the season or to let you ski with the fam. Can you get other opinions? Whats the next step?

Pretty sure I could ski with the family OK without an ACL (as long as I delay surgery to the spring). Did it with my wife one day before I had the second recon. Next step is PT for the meniscus and then more surgery, not sure any other opinions would yield other options if there are really just a few strands still connecting the graft to the femur. I've heard that there's this method of sort of cauterizing a partially intact ACL to strengthen and tighten what's still there, but I believe that only works with >50% of it intact. Not too sure. I'd love there to be some other option than prolonged hell of reconstruction and missing basically a whole season.

Quote:

Originally Posted by amyzilla

Is the graft completely torn yet? You might as well ski on it (with brace) if it's still sort of intact. If you've already been doing stuff and didn't notice that the ACL was going, then I wonder if you could get away with more activity before it tears completely. I would ask your doc for advice about skiing & hockey.

I sort of assume the ACL happened at the same time as the meniscus, so I don't think I was playing with a torn ACL before. But if that's not true I would probably give it a shot--I think that's my surgeon's plan anyway, PT from this thing right now and at the end of that see what I've got. If I could actually be reasonably active I'd definitely wait until the end of spring for surgery, and I may even wait just to get in some skiing with the kids/wife, although that may be very frustrating at times (and I'm not sure how much restraint I could impose on myself being out on the hill for multiple days).
09-11-2007, 04:36 AM
Dexter Rutecki

Quote:

Originally Posted by hemas

If you truly want to ski, I'd say get the meniscus fixed ASAP and brace up. If they just remove the damaged parts, the recovery is pretty fast. But if they try to fix the meniscus, you're looking at ~4 to 8 weeks of no weight bearing on that leg... A nice way to watch your quad disappear.

Meniscus was fixed yesterday, that's how they know about the ACL. And I was full weight bearing (somewhat gingerly) on the way out of the hospital, they want me putting weight on it. Now I can gimp around w/o crutches, no problem. Starting bike today and PT tonight, so no worries about too much atrophy.

Quote:

Though with a bad or no ACL, I'm guessing no hard skiing and no hockey.

Sucks man.

Yeah, I think you're right.

As always, thanks mags. For some reason I guess misery does love company.
09-11-2007, 05:39 AM
SkiEvil

That sucks. It still amazes me that Hines Ward, a wide receiver on the Steelers, plays in the NFL without an ACL in his right leg.
09-11-2007, 06:36 AM
Big E

Man Dex, that sucks. Hope you can come up w/ a plan that doesn't hose the season and your knee up.
09-11-2007, 07:48 AM
elevens

get a second and then a third opinion........

my left knee is kind of a wreck and the 1st doctor I went to recommended going under the knife right away. The 2nd doc said I should be ok without knife with PT and careful care (no more hitting table tops and thinking I'm 26 instead of 37)

I have MCL & meniscus issues but for the most part I'm still all good beside the after skiing pains. But it sounds like your knee is more wrecked than mine...

best of luck

elevens
09-11-2007, 11:03 AM
Buster Highmen

Fuck Dex, that blows moldy donuts.

My maxim is fix it right away and maybe you'll be up for some spring turns. I tried skiing w/o an acl and it was not pleasant, that bone grinding gratch.
09-11-2007, 11:19 AM
BigJay

Man that sucks Dex...

Hope something works out for you so you can get up to Mt. Slow this year...