UGG . . . Torn ACL and Meniscus

[Hopeless]

Okay . . . I was stupid. So I am going to pass over that part.

I ended up tearing my meniscus and my ACL. I have not had a chance to make an appointment with and ortho yet, will do that on Monday. Riding is out of the questions for me right now, I know that. But how much walking and ground work can i do?

I am just looking for what others in my position have done. I am not really sure what to do with my horse and for how long I will be out of commission. He has been ridden but not a whole lot so is not really broke to ride yet, so leasing him out is not an option. He is calm and level headed, so I could do ground work with him as long as I am not hurting myself by walking too much, I am just not sure how much is too much.

I don’t want to hurt myself further … anyone else with experience with royally messing up their knee?

[4LeafCloverFarm]

Haven’t had a torn meniscus and ACL, but I do have some really bad knees, requiring multiple surgeries - the 1st at age 14. I have DJD caused in part by hypermobility of my joints.

Obviously, first and foremost, you should follow doctors orders. But this is how I’ve managed to keep working with horses and riding pre/post physical therapy and/or surgery:

• A good, well fitting, knee brace is essential. Not the cheap kind you get at a drug store. I use McDavid - but there are many brands that offer good support, and specialty braces for different needs.
• A Cryo/Cuff - essentially a knee brace that is hollow that fills with cold water from an attached cooler. This is a lifesaver. Not cheap, but worth its weight in gold IMO.
• Go light on the pain meds when/if possible - anti-inflammatories are great (like Advil), but can cause all sorts of issues when you take it several times a day (constipation is one)
• Elevate the knee as often as possible - take a pillow with you to the barn (or roll up a cooler), take a break when you feel a twinge or your knee gets tired and put that knee up for 15 min or so.
• Have small gel packs that go in the freezer/microwave - they are easy to take with you to the barn and use to reduce swelling when you are resting your knee
• Do the knee exercises you're told to do and do them religiously - even when it hurts, even when you're tired.
• Have someone spot you when you're working with your horse - maybe not standing there with you, but close by, so it you have to drop the lead rope or lungeline or whatever because Dobbin has decided to get frisky, you can shout and someone can assist - better to have a loose horse than tear your other ACL!
• You may be used to spending several hours with your horse at a time - you're going to have to adjust that, like it or not. Less is more - don't overdo it, especially at first. This is very hard, I know, believe me!
• If you are put on crutches, the first time you go to the barn, your horse may think you're an alien from Mars - so take someone with you or have a trainer or friend assist. Use treats and a calm voice until Dobbin figures out those crutches aren't going to eat him.
• Don't neglect your good leg - its going to be compensating for a while!

Wishing you a speedy recovery! :)

[Hilary]

I tore my ACL and MCL in Feb 2015 when the hayloft ladder slipped and I took a quick trip to the barn floor. It was not painful but it wasn’t stable and if I wasn’t careful about weighting my leg perfectly it would give out and I’d be on the ground.

Had surgery for the ACL at the end of March and while I pushed myself a bit I also did all the PT and was very careful not to reinjure. I would go to the barn and feed and I would drive the pony but I didn’t ride until July.

Not being nimble and able able to quickly react and move made me feel unsafe so I didn’t put myself in that situation. If you choose to have the ACL repaired there is a period of time about a month after the surgery where it is very weak and twisting risks a new tear and you will start over. That thought kept me quiet!

groundwork actually felt less safe because you are far more likely to be yanked off balance. Can you send the horse for training for a month or so? Or just leave him. Another 6 months in winter isn’t the end of the world.

I was riding quiet horses in August, and ran ran a mile around Halloween. It took another few months beforehand I felt ok doing things like jumping out of the truck bed.

You picked a good time to do this because by spring you should be ready to go. But it does suck and I’m sorry you have to deal with it.

There are people who live just fine without and ACL so discuss that option with your doctor.

[AKB]

Consider not doing surgery. A lot of people do well without an ACL and with a torn meniscus. When my daughter tore her ACL, the ortho who she saw had a torn ACL. His had been repaired, twice, and then torn again. He advised that she wait, as he said many riders do well without an ACL.

[BlueDrifter]

My boyfriend tore his ACL and meniscus slipping off my horse at a walk (eek!).

Nothing is done until swelling goes down… so RICE, Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation. Doc said not everyone needs surgery and for him to do PT for awhile and then decide. No difference in surgical results doing it immediately or waiting.

Move, move, move. PT got him up and balancing on that leg the first day. And yes, do all the exercises regardless of pain, range of motion is established in first 2 months, so keep at it.

A professional football player said the surgery can repair the ACL either too tight or too loose – it is not a perfect fit every time. He has had a couple. He would opt not to do it.

So – here we are - 4 months later and he is doing stuff like he always was. He rides a motorcycle and is only aware of his knee when shifting bike back onto center stand. He has ordered a fancy brace for when he rides his regular mountain bike, not wanting to take a chance. That might be your strategy.

Good luck, it heals better than you think…

[Hopeless]

Wow, thank you all for the great information.
@4LeafCloverFarm Thank you so much for all the great tips. I will look into those products!

Tank is such a mellow guy and we have been working on liberty stuff so I am not worried about just letting him go if things got hairy, but thanks for mentioning because as equestrians we do tend to hang on at all costs, don’t we. Good reminder to just let go.

Thankfully I can get around without crutches, but I think I might bring a cane to the barn just in case.

@Hilary

I wish I could afford to send him off for a month or two. He won’t rot if he just gets to hang out. It bums me out because first I had to get him healthy to really start working him and then when I get to that point I hurt myself! So frustrating. I was working to getting him broke to cart but now that will have to wait.

@AKB

Thanks for mentioning not having surgery. I have been reading up on just doing PT and that is something I am going to bring up to my doctor. I started going to the pool to do water walking today. That went pretty well.

@BlueDrifter

That is basically what I was doing too. I was just dismounting and came down on it wrong. SO embarrassing. Thank for for the information about range of motion. I am about 3 weeks out today. I can walk on it, and I have been getting more range of motion but I have not been pushing it yet. I did ice and rest it a lot after it first happened. As I said to AKB, I did water walking today, which was great because I could actually walk normally. I will be doing that more often.

[BlueDrifter]

@Hopeless

Thank for for the information about range of motion. I am about 3 weeks out today. I can walk on it, and I have been getting more range of motion but I have not been pushing it yet. I did ice and rest it a lot after it first happened. As I said to AKB, I did water walking today, which was great because I could actually walk normally. I will be doing that more often.

I forgot the angle they want you to be able to bend the knee, 120 degrees? He wouldn’t have done it if the PT hadn’t forced him – so get thee to PT pronto and continue it for as long as you can.

[Hopeless]

Thank you all again for your responses and advice.

I was able to get in to see the ortho today (finally). He told that I messed up my knee! But also that there was already damage from arthritis (Yea to getting old!). So no surgery and not any pt for right now. He said that I am doing a great job so far, thanks to the advice of you guys. He was impressed by my range of motion. I did stop by and talk to my PT (I had other issues earlier) and she gave me some exercises to work on plus the walk walking. Unfortunately, the doctor told me that knee replacement was in my future but not yet.

[BlueDrifter]

Ah bummer that it’s coming, but that an artificial knee (or two) doesn’t stop the women in my barn from riding. Neither do artificial hips…

[stressgirl37]

I have lots of experience with torn ACLs. After I tore the first one, I did PT in preparation for surgery (better recovery) then 5 months later had surgery. I didn’t ride for almost 6 months. This was in 2009 and knee has felt very stable but now hurts due to (I think) arthritis. Second knee I partially tore 5 years ago, did PT and it felt good as new. I even called it my good knee. 2 years later I finished the tear (it was unknown as to whether the first tear was complete or partial). Now it’s unstable and I wear a brace but still I know I am susceptible to injuring it further. In fact, I sprained it this summer and thought I had torn something else but thankfully I did not. I need to have surgery but am dreading it, especially with my other knee hurting. I worry that if I get dumped I will injure it further.

If you can, do PT. Some people can rehab the knee and be good to go. Definitely push for an MRI, as x-rays won’t identify soft tissue damage. Meanwhile get a good supportive brace made for ACL support. Good luck!