ACL surgery - how long did it take you to fully recover?

[Draftmare]

I tore both of my ACLs, both of meniscus, and my PCL on my left knee. I have had five surgeries total to fix all of these problems. My right knee has fully recovered, but my left knee is now two years post-ACL replacement, and one year meniscus repair, yet I still don’t have full range of motion. I also still have some pain, and surgical related numbness down the front and inside of my shin and calf.

For those of you with surgical related nerve damage, did you ever regain feeling in those areas?

And for those of you who have had ACL repairs, did you ever get full range of motion back? My right knee is fine, but I am frustrated that my left knee isn’t fine yet. Each knee was done by different surgeons as well.

[Rytterhus]

I have had 3 ACL reconstructions and meniscus tears. I do have full range of motion but it took a lot of PT. The nerve damage will always be there but I don’t really notice it. I have gained some feeling back. My arthritis in my right knee is pretty bad so I have gotten in a routine of having HA shots every 6 months. Those really help. Stay away from steroid shots. They can damage overtime and actually increase the inflammation over time. By 1 year post-op you should feel back to normal. If not go back to PT. I would see if they will do a follow-up MRI on you left knee to see if there is anything causing you to not have full range of motion yet.

[Coreene]

Check to see how much scar tissue there is. I had the ACL, PCL and LCL replaced in December 2011, and a slip a few months ago popped the last of the residual adhesions - and that is when it finally got to about 85% “normal.”

Edited to say that range of motion was not much of an issue prior to slipping, but on and off pain and Knee Awareness With Each Step was.

[Draftmare]

I like that, Knee Awareness With Each Step. I get that a lot too in my left knee. Mostly I notice the numbness because my cat will brush against me and its like I can tell that he is there, but I can’t feel how soft his fur is or how warm he is. That, and I feel like I do struggle a bit with some of the finer points of riding due to the numbness. I have been thinking about going back to the doctor, but the last thing I want right now is them thinking I need another surgery.

I am also worried about down the road too. Already changes in the weather make me feel achy in my knees.

[Coreene]

Do you drink diet soda? Try giving up any and all artificial sweetners. Sounds silly perhaps, but cut them out for a few months and see if it helps a bit. Did wonders for a few friends who were also tortured with multiple knee surgeries.

I gave it up on Monday. Sucks, but time for it to be for a rare treat only.

[Draftmare]

[QUOTE=Coreene;8559425]
Do you drink diet soda? Try giving up any and all artificial sweetners. Sounds silly perhaps, but cut them out for a few months and see if it helps a bit. Did wonders for a few friends who were also tortured with multiple knee surgeries.

I gave it up on Monday. Sucks, but time for it to be for a rare treat only.[/QUOTE]

I don’t know if I could survive without caffeine though! :eek:

[Hilary]

I am a rookie compared to you guys with just one injury, but I am just shy of 12 months from ACL surgery (hamstring graft).

I cannot yet sit on my heels - it just doesn’t bend that tightly.

Getting on my horse from the ground is the one thing that reminds me it is not quite 100%. The combination of pushing off the ground and twisting feels icky.

However, I can do all the other activities I used to do -ride, run, gym exercises. I’ve been told that the lack of bending will likely go away within another year - I am 90% there, and there is just a tiny bit of inflammation, but since there’s no extra space in the knee joint, it is enough to prevent the full ‘sit on your heels’ flexion I used to have. And I’m crooked and stiff/tight on my right side from the lack of activity.

I was cleared for “whatever” in December by both my surgeon and Physical therapist.

[Coreene]

[QUOTE=Draftmare;8559525]
I don’t know if I could survive without caffeine though! :eek:[/QUOTE]

You can. If I can give up Diet Coke, you can as well :yes: Have your caffeine in tea or coffee, but ditch aspartame and all other artificial sweetners.

And remember, lots of times knee surgery can compromise your lymphatic system in that limb, which of course increases the poof.

[amastrike]

[QUOTE=Draftmare;8552485]
For those of you with surgical related nerve damage, did you ever regain feeling in those areas?[/QUOTE]
I tore my right ACL in May 2010 and had it fixed about 2 months later. Basically no nerve damage from that. However, I also broke my left leg (compound tib/fib) in the same accident as my ACL tore. It’s been almost 6 years, and there are a couple areas on the broken leg that do not have full/normal sensation on the skin. The skin below where the bone penetrated the skin has, I don’t know, 60-70% sensation? I had less sensation shortly after the accident, so I regained at least a little feeling. The really weird thing is a patch of skin on the outside of knee has very little feeling. I noticed it not long after the accident (maybe a week?) and I don’t think it’s regained any sensation. No clue why that random area has nerve damage, but whatever.

I’m not a doctor or an expert, but I’d guess that after a couple of years, lost feeling is probably lost for good… or at least, regaining full feeling is unlikely.

@Draftmare;8552485

And for those of you who have had ACL repairs, did you ever get full range of motion back? My right knee is fine, but I am frustrated that my left knee isn’t fine yet. Each knee was done by different surgeons as well.

Yes, I did. After surgery/before PT, I was lacking a lot of extension, probably a good 20 degrees. Are you lacking flexion, extension, or both? What about physical therapy? I’m surprised PT would discharge you before you regained full ROM. IMO you should go back to the ortho. If you like the ortho who did the right knee better, go to him and say you want a second opinion on your left knee. (One ortho fixed my broken leg and ordered the MRI for my ACL. I hated him and went to another ortho who fixed my ACL and took over care for the broken leg. So you can go to a different ortho.) You probably need to go back to PT to work on ROM and strength. The ortho may be able to give you something for the pain. Diclofenac is my savior.

[Draftmare]

[QUOTE=amastrike;8560990]
I tore my right ACL in May 2010 and had it fixed about 2 months later. Basically no nerve damage from that. However, I also broke my left leg (compound tib/fib) in the same accident as my ACL tore. It’s been almost 6 years, and there are a couple areas on the broken leg that do not have full/normal sensation on the skin. The skin below where the bone penetrated the skin has, I don’t know, 60-70% sensation? I had less sensation shortly after the accident, so I regained at least a little feeling. The really weird thing is a patch of skin on the outside of knee has very little feeling. I noticed it not long after the accident (maybe a week?) and I don’t think it’s regained any sensation. No clue why that random area has nerve damage, but whatever.

I’m not a doctor or an expert, but I’d guess that after a couple of years, lost feeling is probably lost for good… or at least, regaining full feeling is unlikely.

Yes, I did. After surgery/before PT, I was lacking a lot of extension, probably a good 20 degrees. Are you lacking flexion, extension, or both? What about physical therapy? I’m surprised PT would discharge you before you regained full ROM. IMO you should go back to the ortho. If you like the ortho who did the right knee better, go to him and say you want a second opinion on your left knee. (One ortho fixed my broken leg and ordered the MRI for my ACL. I hated him and went to another ortho who fixed my ACL and took over care for the broken leg. So you can go to a different ortho.) You probably need to go back to PT to work on ROM and strength. The ortho may be able to give you something for the pain. Diclofenac is my savior.[/QUOTE]

I am lacking both. I have most of my extension, just missing maybe the last ten degrees. Flexion is much harder, I can’t squat down at all, and getting up from the floor is kind of a three step process. :lol:

Thankfully I can mount up just fine, but I get very sore after riding English for any length of time. Part of my motivation behind switching to western last year besides my horse’s obvious preference. The weird thing is that I can post the trot in the western saddle and I am not limping away afterwards vs riding in the English saddle where I find myself limping for a day, sometimes two after riding.

Sadly my first ortho retired. The second ortho is one of the top knee surgeons in the US… Also sadly, most pain medications make me so sick its not worth the pain relief that they give. I just have to grin and bare it.

[Draftmare]

[QUOTE=Coreene;8560845]
You can. If I can give up Diet Coke, you can as well :yes: Have your caffeine in tea or coffee, but ditch aspartame and all other artificial sweetners.

And remember, lots of times knee surgery can compromise your lymphatic system in that limb, which of course increases the poof.[/QUOTE]

I know I really probably should. As a migraine sufferer, I know that aspartame can make headaches worse.

[2ndyrgal]

Just had MCL repair…

Into week two of PT. Extension is 100% flexion is not… We are no longer referring to them as “the good knee and the bad knee”. We are calling them, "the repair knee and the “currently unaffected knee”…

[beckyk571]

Talk to your doctor about scar tissue removal. My daughter is a gymnast, tore her ACL, meniscus and MCL 4 years ago at the age of 15, surgery was done at HSS by the best surgeon I could find and 4 months later she still couldn’t flex or extend completely. He went back in and removed what he said was about 10 pounds (am sure it’s an exaggeration) of scar tissue, went right back through the previous incisions and it was like a miracle surgery. Minimal recovery and she was on a skateboard with a perfectly straight leg less than 12 hours later. She is now a successful college gymnast with minor aches but nothing to hold her back. Good luck to you.