ACL reconstruction in 2009 - what to expect?

[Slide Panda]

Well... my summer started with a pop (not a bang) of my ACLs two halves going their separate ways. 

So it and my meniscus are getting fixed up tomorrow - i'll be getting a petellar ligament auto-graft fyi.  It's been a number of years since anyone I know has blown up a knee, so the FHE I can tap is dated.  So anyone else have this misfortune recently?  Care to share any wisdom?  Recovery timelines?  blah blah...

On the good side.. a number of folks have offered to make sure the oil circulates in my 900 - they also offered to test the stick of my tires too... and how well it wheelies...

[Bun-bun]

Break a leg um, Good luck Ian!!!

[Slide Panda]

Nah, they don't break stuff... they will just drill holes in me

[abby normal]

i had a partial tear and arthroscopic surgery to repair.  the surgery was a breeze,
but there wasn't really a separation to repair like yours.  follow the rehab instructions
and when its healed you'll be glad you did it. 

[NAKID]

Get into Physical Therapy as soon as your doctor recommends and adhere to the schedule STRICTLY for the best recovery...

[77south]

I blew out my ACL and my medial meniscus in Feb of '98 after a bad ski jump.  I recommend checking to see if your surgeon is a sports medicine (good) or geriatric medicine (less good) specialist.  Mine was a geriatric medicine specialist.  I believe it was a month and a half between my injury, and my repair operation, due to my surgeon's busy schedule.  Then it was another 8 or 10 weeks on crutches with my knee in an immobilizer to allow the meniscus to heal.  Then it was physical therapy  2-3 times a week till October and another surgery in early September to clear out scar tissue. 
   Biking is good therapy as long as you are in low gears, pushing big gears stresses the ligaments and can cause more damage. 

[Slide Panda]

I blew out my ACL and my medial meniscus in Feb of '98
Then it was another 8 or 10 weeks on crutches with my knee in an immobilizer to allow the meniscus to heal. 

Things seem to have changed a lot since that time.  Docs talking about 2 weeks on crutches, not 2 months. 
- I got a sports guy 

[JBubble]

Things seem to have changed a lot since that time.  Docs talking about 2 weeks on crutches, not 2 months. 
- I got a sports guy 

Thats what my dad experienced after getting his miniscus repaired a couple years ago. Couple weeks on crutches and he feels 100% better. But he didn't have an accompanying ACL tear.

[sugarcrook]

My gf had an ACL replacement about 20 months ago.  A great sports medicine guy did the replacement and it went pretty well.  She was bedridden for a couple days, but starting to bend it after 24 hours per the doc's instructions.  After being on crutches for about a week with a heavy brace, she was down to no brace and single crutch.  Overall, her recovery time was very quick.  

She started PT before the surgery and continued after it was complete.  I think the key thing in her quick recovery wasn't the PT, which certainly helped, but the ice pad she bought.  It's a flat pad that pumps cold water from an ice bath cooler:

http://www.icewraps.net/opti-ice-universal-cooling-pad.html

She used that for about 5 days.

I'm surprised by 77south's recovery time.  I'd say try to find the surgeon your local sports teams use.  She got lucky and found the guy that works for the Chicago Bulls and Blackhawks.  

[Slide Panda]

She started PT before the surgery and continued after it was complete.  I think the key thing in her quick recovery wasn't the PT, which certainly helped, but the ice pad she bought.  It's a flat pad that pumps cold water from an ice bath cooler:

I'm surprised by 77south's recovery time.  I'd say try to find the surgeon your local sports teams use.  She got lucky and found the guy that works for the Chicago Bulls and Blackhawks.  

Yeah, I'm lined up to get one of those icey gizmos. 

77's was also in 1998... things have changed a lot since then.  I knew folks who blew knees in that era, and his time line sounds similar to theirs.

[sugarcrook]

Are you doing a cadaver ligament? 

[Slide Panda]

i'll be getting a petellar ligament auto-graft.  They make me a new ACL with some of that ligament along with bits of bone from my patella and tibia

[pintsizejesus]

I blew my acl and tore my meniscus 3 years ago so things might have changed, I don't know.  Anyways, it matters whether or not they are removing the meniscus or if they're repairing it.  It will take longer to heal if they are repairing it.  I had a good chunk of mine removed and my acl reconstructed from a piece of my hamstring.  I was able to walk/hobble slowly I think two days after and walk carefully about 5 days after but I was also 18 and it was uncommon to be up that quickly(I was also in a brace).  I went into pt the day after my surgery which was pretty much required by my surgeon.  So 3 years later and my acl is fine, it's the meniscus that bothers me.

[r_ciao]

A little dated, but...

had complete ACL reconstruction 11 years ago.  did the agressive physical therapy and was out walking w/o crutches in 2 weeks.  still wore a brace for another month or so and is now doing fine.  key is the PT.  Good luck.

[rockaduc]

These days recovery time is much much shorter, and therapy can be much more aggressive.  Expect to be bending your knee (usually passively via a CPM machine while in the hospital) with hours of your Sx.  Therapy can begin in approx. 2-4weeks (depending on your surgeon) and you should expect near 100% normal movement within 2-4 months.  "Total" healing usually occurs at 7-9 months and rotational activites that place stress on the knee (golf) can be done at about 1 year.
Everyone heals differently and there are things you can do to speed up the process (ultrasound and E stim are just two).  The cryo cuff described above is also a good idea.
GOOD LUCK.