It took about a week-10days for the swelling to go down and start to get the range of motion back. The swelling really never got back to looking like my other knee though, and at the time I was working outside a lot, so I was forced to be up on my leg and be very active. The downside of that was my leg would often give out, which was very painful and would cause the swelling to come back again. If you have the time try to schedule a physical therapy session and just go once and have them lay out an excersise routine that will hit all the muscles but not cause more damage around the knee. Depending on the injury and damage they might not want you doing things involving leg bending, and instead do more straight leg lifts and stuff. I had also torn my MCL so I was rehabing that too, not sure if with it being just the ACL if it changes what you can/can't do. I really tore the fuck outa my knee..

4/9/2008 12:00:22 PM

Interesting. Well its been going on 4 weeks since tearing it and I still have very noticeable swelling above my knee cab. I can bend my knee entirely against my hamstring, but not under my own muscle power (have to pull with my hands, and it hurts a little). I've also noticed my quad is shrinking already!

I've been doing physical therapy exercises since the day after the injury (list of exercises given to me by the physical therapist at Breckenridge). My surgeon's seen my Xrays & MRI & visually inspected me. He's told me that I can go to the gym to exercise but to NOT run, do squats, stairclimbers, or dead lifts. So I can do the bicycle, leg extensions and curls.

4/9/2008 1:33:36 PM

I always had a bit of swelling for a while after, but I just meant that the initial "my knee looks like a grapefruit" swelling took about 10 days to go away.

The biggest thing they were always worried about before and after my surgery was my ability to straighten my leg out completly on my own. They weren't really worried about the bending but they said if I went too long w/out getting my leg straight the tendons would tighten and I'd have a lot of problems later on. So I use to prop my leg out straight on something and then put a weight on my knee to push the leg straight. I would do that a few times a day to make sure I didn't loose that range of motion.

4/10/2008 12:28:16 PM

Oh, well in that case maybe I'll just start going to the gym with the amount of swelling I currently have. Its not enough to hinder joint movement and isn't very painful. I still notice a lot of heat coming off my knee but as long as I ice down after the gym things should be fine.

How long till you were off crutches/cane after the sugery?

4/11/2008 1:30:32 PM

Some light work/movement can actually help push that fluid out.

4/11/2008 1:33:13 PM

I got rid of the crutches 2 days after surgery. They told me the quicker I was able to go without the better.

4/11/2008 10:47:20 PM

^how about driving? I've got a manual transmission too

4/12/2008 12:49:50 AM

Damn that will be tough.

Since I wasn't on any meds I was able to start driving once I could bend my leg enough to get it in the car. I think I had the surgery on a Tuesday and was driving the following Monday.

4/12/2008 5:32:05 PM

I've been feeling some real instability in my left knee recently. It scared me enough today to make me get out of a pickup game of basketball and go home and ice. It's not like a typical sore knee... it almost feels like looseness and some torsion in the leg. The soreness sort of twists from the front of the knee inside and to the back of the ankle...

[Edited on April 19, 2008 at 12:13 AM. Reason : just looking at some websites, I think if anything that would be MCL, no?]

4/19/2008 12:11:33 AM

go to doc perhaps?

4/19/2008 12:12:46 AM

You might want to get an MRI man.

[Edited on April 19, 2008 at 2:49 AM. Reason : its hard to say. The ACL attaches to the front of your knee behind your cap]

4/19/2008 2:46:59 AM

I have a torn ACL, MCL, and meniscus. This is all the result of a tear in my tibialis anterior a few years ago. I screwed around and didn't get it looked at for a few months ... big mistake. I had two reconstructive surgeries on that, but I ended up damaging my knee because of all the stress. I was on crutches for a little more than two years. My whole lower leg is still swollen a few years later, doctors tell me "don't worry about it."

I'm waiting to do a total replacement since I've been told the lifespan of a replaced knee is only 30 years or so. I am in pain almost all the time, I don't sleep well because I can't get comfortable. I'm not trying to whine because I know I'm lucky to have healed as much as I have.

I've learned the hard way about not taking care of injuries when I should.

[Edited on April 20, 2008 at 12:29 AM. Reason : sp]

4/20/2008 12:29:11 AM

i'm recovering pretty quickly from my plantar fasciitis ligament tear that i posted about around two weeks ago. i can get around fine in just a boot without crutches now, but my heel is still really sore. i go back to the foot doctor next week and i'm hoping i can get through this thing asap. it's driving me crazy watching and coaching basketball and softball and not being able to play.

good luck to you acl, mcl folks. my injury sucks, but i'm glad it's the bottom of my foot and not my ankle or knee. fingers crossed.

4/20/2008 10:23:17 PM

^^^ I played today again with my soft knee brace and it was better... I'm a little sore tonight but no swelling. I'm going to take it easy and if it acts up again go to the doctor and see if I should get a MRI...

4/20/2008 10:25:02 PM

I've started going to the gym on a steady basis for my legs and haven't really felt much discomfort. Of course I'm sticking to the exercises my surgeon told me to do and nothing else.

Though, every once in a while when I'm walking I might feel a small sharp pain in my knee.

4/22/2008 1:28:56 PM

Sigh, they didn't tell me a side effect of this surgery was part of your knee being permanently numb

Hell, I would have done it anyway...



[Edited on July 1, 2008 at 4:33 PM. Reason : yay!]

7/1/2008 4:21:08 PM

I haven't read, but have any females had problems with sex positions?

7/1/2008 4:53:10 PM

Yeah, I have two numb spots, one on either knee. I actually think it's a plus because I can use it to as part of the sympathy card "I can't feel either of my knees"

7/5/2008 12:00:36 AM

damn you've had both knees done?

7/6/2008 10:14:54 PM

Quote :

"Sigh, they didn't tell me a side effect of this surgery was part of your knee being permanently numb"

Sounds nuts, but I can feel a lot more now than I could in the year post-op.
I couldn't feel the entire right side of my knee/leg.... now it's just a spot.

And side note... the spot that is still numb constantly has ingrown hairs.... strange?!?

7/6/2008 11:42:47 PM

I tore mine in middle school. I was out of sports until pretty much high school and had to hobble around with the giant brace and crutches for a good while. But it got me out of carrying my books myself. I didn't end up having surgery for mine, but will probably have to have knee surgery eventually for it. I have god-awful arthritis as a result and when I snowboard I have to stop every now and then to give the knee a rest, or I'm excruciating pain.

My dad tore his golfing as well, and was slated to have the surgery, but then it began healing on its own and he's good to go now.

7/7/2008 6:39:47 AM

^did your dad just have a partial tear? B/c a severed ACL will not heal on its own.

You should really just suck it up and have the surgery, why have you inconvenienced yourself and let yourself get arthritis? Thats just dumb. The younger you are the better you will recover from surgery. I had mine less than 4 weeks ago and I've been walking without a brace for over a week and barely have a limp.

[Edited on July 7, 2008 at 12:11 PM. Reason : s]

7/7/2008 12:09:35 PM

one of my former roommates tore his ACL and when he finally got off crutches he went camping

while camping he ate psychadelic mushrooms

everything got too real and he flipped out and since he was still kinda laid up with the bum knee he sat in the dining room area of our house on a computer blasting music and writing and talking to himself for like 4 or 5 days without sleeping

then he went in the road and tried to stop cars and then wanted to drink the swimming pool
asked me to help him build a time machine

his girlfriend tylenol-PM-drugged him to knock him out and we called his parents

he spent 2 weeks in Durham Regional psych ward

went home for a semester

gained a bunch of weight

pretty awesome guy

7/7/2008 12:55:05 PM

What does his knee have to do with him wigging out off some bad 'shrooms?

7/7/2008 1:09:34 PM

you got me there.

fucked his vertical up for good, though.

did it falling back into defensive stance during an intramural game

7/7/2008 1:12:42 PM

Sucks about his vertical. But if he didn't get it back then A) he had a shitty surgeon or B) he was lazy about his physical therapy or C) both.

Based on his mushrooms experience gone wrong I'm guessing B

[Edited on July 7, 2008 at 5:51 PM. Reason : k]

7/7/2008 5:51:24 PM

I blew mine out. Torn my acl, mcl, meniscus and cartilage in my left knee. Never been the same. I had to be non weight bearing 5weeks before surgery and 6 weeks after. Went from 205 to 175 sitting around. I couldnt do my rehab well bc I was in optometry school at the time, so I could only get there when I could. now my other knee hurts and my back hurts where i have shifted my weight to the other side. Really changed my life. Can hardly bend it and have little strength.

7/7/2008 6:08:19 PM

Thats horrible, but thats also a lot more than just a torn ACL. What kind of crazy rehab schedule did they want you to go to that you couldn't make even with optometry school? I could bear full weight on my knee same day as surgery.

7/7/2008 6:23:03 PM

I tore mine like 2.5 months ago playing ultimate frisbee. Surgery set for aug. 22nd so I could enjoy summer and build up the leg muscles.

7/7/2008 7:53:29 PM

My rehab schedule was an hour a day 4 days a week. The problem is they took thier last patient at 4 and across town. We saw our last patient in the clinic at 5. So somedays I could make it, others I couldnt. Anyway, it was at healthsouth and most of the machines didnt work anyway. They kept saying they were going to be fixed.

qtpie, I have the same numb spot with ingrown hairs too. Ive always wondered if others had that too.

Tke, I put a picture of my knee after surgery in my gallery.

[Edited on July 7, 2008 at 9:00 PM. Reason : .]

7/7/2008 8:53:51 PM

^thats a pretty crazy photo man, how many days after surgery was that? I ask b/c it looks like the swelling isn't that bad (comparatively). Those staples are rough too! I had internal stitches thank God. My therapy regiment calls for 3 visits a week (each about an hour or so long). In addition, I do exercises myself on the off days (whatever I can do without specialized equipment).

Regarding numb spots, I've noticed that on the numb side there is some dry skin peeling away. On the good side nothing. If I start to get ingrown hairs I'll bring it up.

7/7/2008 10:50:15 PM

It's now been 6 weeks since my surgery and I'm walking without a brace or limp. I still have a little work to do on the flexion. I'm somewhere around 135 right now.

7/8/2008 12:52:30 AM

damn, are you really flexible or have skinny legs? B/c the best I can bend my good knee is about 131, let alone my bad knee (I don't have fat legs either).

My limp's almost gone.

7/8/2008 2:41:10 AM

Tke, i think that was after my 1-2 wk follow up. It was the first time I had all the bandages off.

7/8/2008 9:10:29 AM

I find it increasingly weird that I keep feeling itches on the numb part of my knee. I scratch, but thats an exercise in futility.

7/9/2008 3:08:36 PM

I have my ACL surgery tomorrow! Patellar tendon. Wish me luck. For those of you who had it done, feel free to post something encouraging.

8/21/2008 8:16:28 PM

Good luck man! You'll do well recovering, just push yourself and try as hard as you can.

8/21/2008 8:42:39 PM

Good Luck!

8/22/2008 8:26:57 AM

bump for Mark. He told me he's recovering well.

Here's to a continued good recovery!

9/18/2008 4:11:00 PM

Good lord, I hope I never tear any ligaments.

9/18/2008 4:16:34 PM

about 8 months out from mine

back to doing heavy lifting and just started running again...just gotta make sure to stretch it out a lot beforehand and after, otherwise my flexibility is less than my good leg and it throws off my alignment and I end up with a sore hip and back. Other than that small problem, everything is good.

9/18/2008 4:21:10 PM

I started occasionally going on 15 minute jogs about a month ago. Also played tennis for about 90 minutes a few weeks ago. Had my operation on 6/11.

Recovery seems to be going well

9/18/2008 4:27:11 PM

One month post-op for me tomorrow! I'm doing well, walking with no noticeable limp, and in the process of rehabbing. Everyday is a new day when it comes to rang of motion and how it feels. Generally, it feels better everyday!

9/18/2008 11:54:54 PM

This damp weather fucking blows. My knee hurts

10/10/2008 8:47:01 AM

This weather does blow, it typically increases my everyday pain to a slightly higher level.

About 4-5 years ago I had surgery for a hypermobile knee cap, they essentially went in and cut all my ligaments and muscles in that area and made them shorter to reduce the range of motion. Before the surgery my kneecap would fully dislocate at least once a day with just walking /standing. After 3-4 months of physical therapy I opted for the surgery. I was in a straight brace for 6 -8 weeks, then confined to crutches for another 2 months after that to build the strength and range of motion back up. I remember once I was off the crutches my knee would still swell fairly bad if I were standing for a long time.

Then after problems developed in the other knee, I started the whole process over again. The surgery completely fixed one knee, and drastically reduced the times the other knee dislocates and the extent of the dislocation. But, I have fairly bad knee pain every day, and I am unable to run since it increases the likely hood of another dislocation.

10/10/2008 5:31:20 PM

^damn thats harsh!

Went to Duke Sports Medicine last Friday for a KT2000 knee ligament test, and a strength test. In the ligament test any difference between knees of over 5 millimeter (in ligament movement) is a failure. 2-3 is a good surgery. In the 6 measurements none of mine varied by more than 1 mm Therapist said it was one of the best she'd ever seen (this test is all surgeon, not patient).

And in the strength test my left knee was even stronger in a few measurements, and overall I was on par with an average NCAA athlete's leg strength

Ski Season, here I come!!

12/12/2008 1:24:51 PM

My dad and I have both torn our ACLs in sporting related accidents. Neither one of us had to have the surgery (but I might someday, hella arthritis already). We both wore the giant braces, did crutches, and had physical therapy. I've found that walking a ton and snowboarding make me have to wear a brace again (been years since the injury). Snowboarding in particular hurts unbelievably.

12/12/2008 6:23:49 PM

Unless your surgery won't cover it, GET THE SURGERY. This is your life man, don't let it hold you down.

12/13/2008 1:29:53 PM

I just had the surgery on friday, now I'm laying down recovering... shit hurts like hell though, I wish I had that nerve block that they inject before the surgery...

12/14/2008 11:38:08 AM

unless you had meniscus damage, put weight on that shit asap, pop some oxys and move around as much as possible, it'll keep the swelling down and cut your pt by weeks as soon as you can have the soft cast off, start bending it, you should be walking on it by the time you get the staples out, don't hobble and favor it, just walk very slow, normally

after three acls, and a list of other surgeries i can tell you, the faster you get after it, the faster you'll be back up and going, you get oblivious to the pain after a while

12/14/2008 11:47:02 AM