Help! I tore my ACL. Any one have some insight on options?
EDS Skin Care Forums Forum Index » EDS Lounge

free skin care · Fri Aug 11, 2006 8:54 am

Hi all,

Well, I had an MRI on Aug 2 and based on my physical therapy session yesterday and the MRI results I have a torn ACL. I'm waiting to see an orthopedic, but that is on the 21. I really don't know what to expect right now.

FYI: The ACL is what stablizes your knee. Basically, it keeps the bottom half under the top half. I had never heard of it until I broke mine. Because it is a ligament it will not repair itself. For less active people, you can get by without one, but I'm very active and I'm hoping there are more options than surgery.

The therapist said he'd recommend surgery to replace it. The surgeon here likes to use part of the hamstring. I'm just a little leery of surgery since I'll be basically out of commission for 9-12 months while I recuperate. I know this injury is reversable, but it doesn't hurt right now. My knee is very unstable, but otherwise there isn't much pain.

I was hoping someone out there may have gone thru this or know of others and what options are available. Do braces work? Thanks

Fri Aug 11, 2006 1:02 pm

I tore my acl 8 yrs ago jumping on a trampoline. My doctor was trying to avoid the major surgery so he did orthoscopic surgury (multiple small incisions with scope and laser) to clean up other minor ligament and muscle damage and to get an idea of the extent of the acl damage. He said I would need the acl repaired but I was young and if I was careful I could avoid the full surgery for couple of years. A few months later after I was fully recovered my knee gave out at the top of the stairs and I fell down them damaging my knee further. Luckily the stairs were carpeted or it could have been worse. So I ended up having the full surgery and I don't know why he didn't do that to began with since it wasn't that much worse and my knee is strong to this day. Recovery was 6 weeks until I could start getting around with a brace and go back to work. I had a very active job (special needs children) and I had to take it slow the first couple of weeks back but by the 3rd month I was running around with my brace just fine. It took a year to get back to normal and lose the brace but it was worth it. I had the torn acl for 6months and it was agony. You might not be in pain now but just wait until you step up on a curb or upstairs or you try to dance and it gives out on you. I don't ski or anything like that anymore because the risk isn't worth it to me but I know plenty of people that do after having surgery. Without the surgery you will never be able to do any physical activity safely without a brace (huge honking brace that you wear over your clothes not the sleek kind that go under your clothes). It is difficult and painful to do excercise as simple as a step class with it on. Just my 2 cents but I wish he had done the surgery from the get go.

free skin care · Fri Aug 11, 2006 6:58 pm

I used to be an Orthopedic OR nurse. We did alot of ACL surgery, its a common operation, and most folks do okay. Soccer is big here, so we did alot of soccer injuries, and they were always back out playing once they were cleared. GOOD LUCK!!!!!!

free skin care · Sat Aug 12, 2006 7:35 am

I've never torn mine (knock on wood) but in high school I knew SO many people that had (cheerleading, drill team, football, etc.). They all had the surgery and recovered well. Best wishes on your recovery!

free skin care · Sat Aug 12, 2006 9:45 am

Thank you everyone! Yatri, thank you for sharing your story. My knee did give out 19 days after I hurt it the first time. It hurt more too. My knee popped to the side and I went down. To other folks with me it just looked like I fell for no reason. I think I did more damage the second time than the first.

I really think surgery is the way to go, but it is so dissappointing. I hurt my knee 5 days before a major career opportunity (a school). I have been deferred until Oct, but it doesn't look like I'll make that class date either. I was hoping a brace would work, but it doesn't look like it. I can only be deferred twice and then I'm dropped from the program. Without the school I can't fill a position that offers a $375 month raise. I was counting on it for my family and Christmas. I guess I'll try again and reapply in a year, but it feels like I've missed the boat. A little down and out right now. Sad

free skin care · Sun Aug 13, 2006 10:22 am

deanne123 wrote:

Thank you everyone! Yatri, thank you for sharing your story. My knee did give out 19 days after I hurt it the first time. It hurt more too. My knee popped to the side and I went down. To other folks with me it just looked like I fell for no reason. I think I did more damage the second time than the first.

I really think surgery is the way to go, but it is so dissappointing. I hurt my knee 5 days before a major career opportunity (a school). I have been deferred until Oct, but it doesn't look like I'll make that class date either. I was hoping a brace would work, but it doesn't look like it. I can only be deferred twice and then I'm dropped from the program. Without the school I can't fill a position that offers a $375 month raise. I was counting on it for my family and Christmas. I guess I'll try again and reapply in a year, but it feels like I've missed the boat. A little down and out right now. Sad

If you get the surgery soon there's no reason you can't make it to school. You might need to hobble around on crutches for a while. You aren't housebound while you recover.

free skin care · Sun Aug 13, 2006 10:41 am

Unfortunatly, I have to run constantly during the course. I can't be on crutches. Sad

At this point I'd hobble around if they'd let me, but I've called and if I can't run then I have to wait until I'm recovered. Thank you for responding though! I thought no one cared.

free skin care · Thu Aug 17, 2006 1:16 am

a good friend of mine has just had the surgery for her knee, it was reconstructive surgery on her ACL and a bunch of cartilidge and stuff, i'm not sure of all of the details.

anyway, it's a tough go the first few days (it's been a week for her) but her options were either to have the surgery (with the months and months of recuperation) or have to cut down on her activity level forever.

i'll keep you updated on her progress if you like?

good luck with your knee. i know how debilitating it can be.

free skin care · Tue Aug 22, 2006 10:51 am

Thank you Pustekuchen!!

I would love to have updates!!!!! I just saw the Ortho yesterday. We moved last week and I was surprised at how weak my knee gets. It really looks like surgery is the way to go, but I'm a bit of a chicken when it comes to using terms like 'harvesting my hamstring' and 'screws in the knee'. ick!

How is your friend now??

free skin care · Tue Aug 22, 2006 5:34 pm

hee - I'm in the same boat. I've had 3 torn ACLs so far (I'm 25 ... two on the left and one on the right ... I also had a Baker's cyst removed from my left). I also just had a MRI and it showed nada, not even my previous surgery, so it was pointless. About 1 of 20 MRIs don't show anything when there is something wrong (kind of scary, don't you think Embarassed

good thing this isn't considered "serious" like the brain or heart)

Going on the assumption that it's a small tear, it's a outpatient 20 min surgery with general aenesthetic. Minor incisions (like Yatri described). The way they fix it is by shaving off the part that's torn whereas in the olden days, they would completely take out the part that's torn. This led to arthritis etc. So they changed their ways. After the surgery, it's about 6-8 weeks of recovery. You'll get Tylenol 3 (codedine) or if you're allergic to it, like me, I get Darvon. My words of advice are to take it easy, even if you can walk and feel great - it'll hit you later and recovery will be longer.

Really the only way to avoid it is to ensure that the legs muscles (especially quads) are strong to hold the knee in place. Hard to do when they hurt and mobility is restricted.

I see my surgeon next week, but who knows when the surgery will be scheduled ... my guess is December/January .... I'm just hoping that it's either before or after ski season, because it's going to take a lot to stop me from doing that! Wink

Sorry about the spelling, I see the spell check is not around ... Laughing

free skin care · Sat Oct 14, 2006 8:02 am

Ok, here is my update.

I was fitted for an over the counter brace and started back to sort of active life style. Unfortunatly, the brace doesn't fit as well as it could due to the fact my leg is two different sizes (below the knee=small, above the knee=med/large). I've been a runner (who am I kidding-jogger) for years and it just further proves my point that exercise really ISN'T good for you! Very Happy

Anywho, I went in for a custom brace and I just got it Tuesday (Oct 11). It fits great and feels-oh-so-much better. I will use it so I can attend my school and then I'll have surgery when I get back (sometime in January).

Anyone know of a great Orthopedic in the Tuscon/southern AZ area????

My knee isn't back fully, but the bruising inside has healed and my knee doesn't collapse like it did before. I just have to be careful (which I'm not so I wear my brace ALL the time). Wink

I can see how some folks don't chose to have surgery, but every now and again if I try to put weight on it while kneeling and it reminds me I'm not ok in the knees yet.

I really never appreciated my knees until I broke one. Heheh. I guess that old saying is true, "Health is a crown that only the sick man sees."

Automatic Message

If this is your first visit to the EDS Forums please take the time to register. Registration is required for you to post on the forums. Registration will also give you the ability to track messages of interest, send private messages to other users, participate in Gift Certificates draws and enjoy automatic discounts for shopping at our online store. Registration is free and takes just a few seconds to complete.

Click Here to join our community.

If you are already a registered member on the forums, please login to gain full access to the site.