ACL surgery complications, anybody else? Also knee pain

[Skyedragon]

Long story short I tore my ACL last year at the end of July, over a year and two surgeries later I still have limited mobility in my knee, pain on a daily basis, and have another surgery to look forward to.

Riding has become more difficult, not less, as time goes by. Posting is dreadful at best, and I can’t do more than one lap of the arena posting before I have to take a break. After a lesson I usually can’t walk the next day.

I am just curious what other riders with knee pain did to help alleviate it, or what changes they made to their riding to help lessen the effects. I am riding in a barefoot cheyenne with endurance stirrups. The stirrups have helped some.

Also, has anybody else had complications from an ACL replacement? What was the outcome? My surgeron really dropped the ball on this one, and I am now working with the University of Michigan to hopefully correct this disaster.

[rmh_rider]

I started to have horrible knee pain while riding my arab(s) endurance, etc. Lots of trotting, and lots of time in the saddle. It got to the point it was both knees, but one was usually worse than the other.

I went to the chiro, got straighted out. But still I have knee pain under my knee cap if I walk stairs, run, jog, or ride a trotting horse such that I have to post. Ice, ibp, riding a bike, and getting a gaited horse. It was a tough decision to go gaited, but there is light at the end of the tunnel, and also painfree riding.

I thought I was not ever going to ride without horrible pain, even from short rides and my riding days were over. I went gaited, and only rarely if ever does my knee hurt. Not riding endurance any more, can’t handle the miles, and there is still horrible pain with my knee. I can ride further on this horse than I could ever on a non-gaited horse - without pain btw. I am riding virtually pain free each and every time.

So, what did I do: changed my breed of horse. And yes, I still ride in my english saddle on my gaited horse it fits the horse so why not? I am sure I could have all kinds of things fixed on my knee - surgically - but not going there.

[Grace67]

mine is offset patellas and osteoarthritis

for many many years. Over the past ten years I’ve gone to a three step mounting block, no posting, no hills, shorter horses with easy to sit gaits, etc. However my left knee is beyond repair at this point so I’m headed in for a total knee replacement on 11/30. I’m nervous but optimistic that this will hopefully end the chronic, live with every day/every step pain and instability I feel however I’m also realistic and if riding isn’t in my future then I’ll learn to drive. I’m 42 will be 43 just before my surgery…

[LauraKY]

I was very lucky. I had a complete tear ACL and meniscus, plus a torn calf muscle. Used a Johns Hopkins sports medicine surgeon (Orioles team physician). I had 3 months of PT before surgery and 9 months after. Three days a week, 2 hours a day which was pure torture in the beginning. It’s almost as good as new, although I’m careful (psychological, I think) and it aches when the weather changes.

Make sure you find a sports medicine surgeon.

[Inese]

Similar story to LauaKY - torn meniscus from volleyball, took 2 years before I got orthoscopic surgery on it. Unfortunately, picked up a staph infection in the hospital, which got a good start before it was diagnosed. Took 2 more surgeries during a one week hospital stay to get ahead of the infection. PT was awful - cried more than once!

My sister moved in with me for 7 weeks. I was on so many pain meds, that I was not allowed to drive, and I hobbled around with a walker. Could barely get into her mini-van because the leg was straightish, and would not bend. Gave myself IV antibiotcs 3X a day for 8 weeks to kill the staph.

After my sister went back home, had to use the Senior bus to get to PT (still wasn’t allowed to drive - too many Vicodens!)

After 3 months at home, went back to work on crutches. Driving was scary at first… Riding was without stirrups. Cried again the first time I trotted.

PT made the difference.

Here’s a video of me competing 2 years after surgery ~

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M_JGdVAfgks

[Skyedragon]

Wow, I guess I should count myself lucky that I didn’t get an infection at least.

Mine was a complete tear of the ACL and the meniscus. They diagnosed it and then two weeks later performed surgery. I did 4 months of PT afterwards before they said I had built up scar tissue around the base of the ACL. They removed that and sent me back to PT. Four months later the PT told me that there was nothing else they could do for me, and here I sit. I am unable to straighten my leg fully, and have a lot of instability in the knee from side to side.

I too started riding again without stirrups, I cried. I cried in PT too. The first time I posted I cried.

I am unable to take anything more than a very small dose of ibuprofen. Anything else and I am reaching for the nearest garbage can. So its bad enough that I am in pain, but I basically just have to deal with it.

I finally gave the first surgeon the finger and am now working with a sports medicine doctor who specializes in knee injuries specifically. He came highly recommended as one of the leading experts in the area on ACL replacement. I wish I had gone to him first. He has refereed me to U of M for further investigation before another surgery, which I really appreciate. The more surgery I have the more freaked out I get about another one.

I love my horse, but I do wish she was gaited…or at least a little more “slow legged.” She is an english horse through and through with a wonderful forward english trot.

[Providence]

I ruptured my ACL in March of 2010. Did 7 weeks of physio to get all the muscles around my now weakened knee strong then was back riding and showing. Finished up at indoors then had surgery Nov 2010. Hamstring graft, surgery went well, physio wasn’t so bad and started riding again at the beginning of March of this year. I get stiff if I sit for too long and long car rides are tough. As long as I keep up with my exercises it feels pretty good. Sounds like I lucked out!!!

[Skyedragon]

[QUOTE=Inese;5929017]
Similar story to LauaKY - torn meniscus from volleyball, took 2 years before I got orthoscopic surgery on it. Unfortunately, picked up a staph infection in the hospital, which got a good start before it was diagnosed. Took 2 more surgeries during a one week hospital stay to get ahead of the infection. PT was awful - cried more than once!

My sister moved in with me for 7 weeks. I was on so many pain meds, that I was not allowed to drive, and I hobbled around with a walker. Could barely get into her mini-van because the leg was straightish, and would not bend. Gave myself IV antibiotcs 3X a day for 8 weeks to kill the staph.

After my sister went back home, had to use the Senior bus to get to PT (still wasn’t allowed to drive - too many Vicodens!)

After 3 months at home, went back to work on crutches. Driving was scary at first… Riding was without stirrups. Cried again the first time I trotted.

PT made the difference.

Here’s a video of me competing 2 years after surgery ~

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M_JGdVAfgks[/QUOTE]

Finally got to watch your video. Looking good! Nice to see somebody that has had this type of surgery riding english. I have kind of given up on it…trotting is just so painful.

I noticed that you are wearing a knee brace, I am assuming its on the knee you had surgery on. Do you find that it makes a significant difference in how your knee performs or how it feels?

[LauraKY]

Oh, yes. ACL brace for 9 months…the big old hinged one. When doing physical work for 2 years. Forgot about that nasty contraption.

[red_mares]

[QUOTE=Skyedragon;5929403]

I am unable to take anything more than a very small dose of ibuprofen. Anything else and I am reaching for the nearest garbage can. So its bad enough that I am in pain, but I basically just have to deal with it.

:([/QUOTE]

Unfortunately I have become somewhat of a connossoire of pain killers. Have you tried or has your doctor suggested anything other than oral painkillers? Many come in patch form (Lidoderm (lidocaine), Flector (diclofenac) or in a cream. I take a buffered, EXPENSIVE (but I have a good coupon ), version of Aleve because after a number of years of NSAIDs, my cast iron stomach has started to corrode. There are some good drugs out there, and they don’t all make you a homebound zombie.

There may be some options out there besides sucking it up until you get a more permanent fix. Augmenting the sports med guy with a pain management guy might help.

If it makes you feel any better, it took me three trys to find a doc who could fix my ankle.

[Inese]

[QUOTE=Skyedragon;5932002]

I noticed that you are wearing a knee brace, I am assuming its on the knee you had surgery on. Do you find that it makes a significant difference in how your knee performs or how it feels?[/QUOTE]

Thanks for the kind word Skyedragon!

The elastic brace is meant for bicycle riders, wraps around and fastens with velcro. Its function is to keep the joint warm - I sweat like a little piggy under that black thing!

But the warmth seems to keep the knee joint loose, and provides a little support during jumping.

I also take aspirin before a horse trial or jumping competition. It helps reduce the joint stiffness and soreness the next day. Being in my 50s means lots of joints are achy after riding! LOL!

[Skyedragon]

Okay, I was thinking maybe if I got some type of sport knee brace that maybe I would be a little less sore during and after I ride.

[BasqueMom]

I’ve had some knee surgeries (just ortho up to this point)…have had good
luck with the Professional Choice knee brace for riding. Have been without
a right ACL for 8 years…docs wanted to do knee replacement and wasn’t
ready for that. Function normally…once in a long wheel, it wiffles a little.

[smilton]

I just tore my ACL for the third time this summer playing soccer. I am in very good shape but I have noticed a few things.

1. the less I weigh the better my knees feel. Even 10 lbs seems to make a difference. This sounds terrible and people think I look healtier when I weigh more but honestly its not vanity its that my knees don’t bother me at all when I get below a certain weight.

2. The quad exercises they give you in rehab should be continued long after you think you have recovered. (Especially for riding). I still do quad sets at my desk at work. Single leg squats will really help strengthen you weak side. I noticed the stirrup leather on my good side was stretching because I carried more weight in it.

3. My first repair did not go well and no matter how hard I rehabbed it still took me 2 years to feel close to normal. (I was a D1 soccer player at the time and doing rehab 8 hrs a day and it still took 2 yrs) Sometimes time is what you need.

4. When my knee got sore I worked on my seat and rode without stirrups. It really helped my balance as I rarely took the time to do it when I was healthy. Lengthening my stirrups until I got stronger also helped.

This last time I have opted to go without having my 4th surgery and 3rd reconstruction. I can run a few miles without issue (but no quick stops). I haven’t started jumping again but its been fine for flat work (I partially tore my Achilles a few months before re-tearing my ACL so that has prevented my for using stirrups too).

[smilton]

[QUOTE=Skyedragon;5929403]

Mine was a complete tear of the ACL and the meniscus. They diagnosed it and then two weeks later performed surgery. I did 4 months of PT afterwards before they said I had built up scar tissue around the base of the ACL. They removed that and sent me back to PT. Four months later the PT told me that there was nothing else they could do for me, and here I sit. I am unable to straighten my leg fully, and have a lot of instability in the knee from side to side.

I too started riding again without stirrups, I cried. I cried in PT too. The first time I posted I cried.

. :([/QUOTE]

I had the same issues my first time around but they waited a year before they did the second surgery to remove scar tissue. It was really frustrating trying to get them to understand that something wasn’t right. Luckily my surgeon started me out with my leg straight so extension wasn’t an issue. Getting back my balance and strength took forever.