Foo - ACL Tear??!!

So I just got home from the Ortho. He did a bunch of manual tests (MRI is tomorrow), looks at me and bluntly said, "You tore your ACL." I should sue him like the Fat Lady. I kid.

Fortunately, he said that I could be cycling again a week after the sugery (if I have it). This will ruin my snow season tho -- no skiing or snowshoeing :( Was really hoping to take someone snowshoeing. Maybe we can at higher altitudes at the end of the season. Sorry, rambling.

Ok, so the big question to those who have a torn ACL but did NOT have surgery, just therapy to strengthen everything else. Are you happy you took that route?


Here's why I ask that question with a bit of history...
If I tore it, I know exactly when it happened... May 2003. Friends and I were bouldering in Arches NP near Moab, Utah. I came to a four foot drop off, jumped and landed in a deep pit of soft sand. A huge crunch of my knee and I went down. I popped four ibuprofens cuz I knew it was bad.

While I'm restricted to non-technical hiking, I can. I can still jog, but I have to focus on foot placement and leg extension. It's 'only' caused me trouble on my bike three times. Since I am functional, I'm hesitant to have surgery. But maybe I should?

I know I'm being premature since the MRI is tomorrow, but this doctor has A LOT of experience from his own ACL tear, to diagnosing patients, and having performed the surgery many times.

Plus, I wanted to vent :D



UPDATE (9/6/05): Got the results back and did tear the ACL along with the meniscus.

I tore my ACL in a motorcycle accident some 20 years ago. No lasting discomfort. Just an uncanny ability to predict impending weather events. I wouldn't risk rock hopping down the face of a steep hill because of the now inherent instability of the knee joint.

My Orthopede told mw if I was an star NBA player, they'd whisk me off to surgery yesterday. However, I was just some poor sod with a tight fisted HMO so my recuperation was limited to rehabilitative physical therapy much like yourself.

Funny thing is... my 'good' knee creaks and groans like that of an 80 year old as I climb the stairs.

I can't tell you what to do, but I don't miss not having surgery. Now my back... that's a different story. Best thing I ever did was getting the herniated disk at L4-5 repaired.

Oh honey...I'm so sorry. You know I'd come give you a massage...make it all better...but me thinks you have a local friend to help you out ;) . At any rate...lots of rest and stretching. Feel better soon.

Funny thing is... my 'good' knee creaks and groans like that of an 80 year old as I climb the stairs.
well, that's just it, my good knee is compensating for my bad knee and starting to wear down a bit, I think.

Glad you got your back taken care of!



Oh honey...I'm so sorry. You know I'd come give you a massage...make it all better...but me thinks you have a local friend to help you out ;) . At any rate...lots of rest and stretching. Feel better soon.
Awww, you're too sweet. Thank you.

Sorry to hear that, LO. I have nothing constructive to add, really. However, does it cause pain in your knee if you twist your lower leg/foot out of alignment with your knee? Like, say, when you cross you legs/ankles or something? Just curious.

LO,

If you are compensating and it is affecting the other knee, I think I'd go
for the surgery. One thing I'd ask the Orthopod is will you have any
limitations after surgery? What is recovery time?
I think the skiing and snowshoeing would just further damage the knee
so in that light you're not really missing much .
Personally? I think I'd go for the surgery.
and then get a Kirke Pedicure!

Marty

Marty, yeah, I agree. Well, not with the pedicure part ;)



However, does it cause pain in your knee if you twist your lower leg/foot out of alignment with your knee? Like, say, when you cross you legs/ankles or something? Just curious.
Nope. Pain comes from hyperextending the knee. If I don't concentrate while jogging or hiking, I can easily hyperextend. Actually, now that I think about it, twisting does hurt. If I want to turn around, I've unconsciously developed a pattern of using my left foot all the time.

Do you have knee issues?

Follow-up question...
If I did indeed tear my ACL 2.5 years ago, would that be an issue for surgery or recovery?
(Yes, I'll ask my doctor, but some of y'all might have useful anecdotal comments, so TIA :) )

Marty, yeah, I agree. Well, not with the pedicure part ;)



Nope. Pain comes from hyperextending the knee. If I don't concentrate while jogging or hiking, I can easily hyperextend. Actually, now that I think about it, twisting does hurt. If I want to turn around, I've unconsciously developed a pattern of using my left foot all the time.

Do you have knee issues?
Follow-up question...
If I did indeed tear my ACL 2.5 years ago, would that be an issue for surgery or recovery?
(Yes, I'll ask my doctor, but some of y'all might have useful anecdotal comments, so TIA :) )


Hey, now, who's this thread supposed to be about, anyway?;) I was tryin' to be sneaky, but, yes, I get some pain when I twist my left leg or move too fast sometimes. Hurts like the dickens, too! Almost feels like it's trying to lock up on me. I have to be careful how I move or it feels like something might go 'pop' sometimes. Perfectly normal, I'm sure.:D

Hey, now, who's this thread supposed to be about, anyway?;)
bro, anyone who quotes ATHF gets a hall pass.


...yes, I get some pain when I twist my left leg or move too fast sometimes. Hurts like the dickens, too! Almost feels like it's trying to lock up on me. I have to be careful how I move or it feels like something might go 'pop' sometimes. Perfectly normal, I'm sure.:D
Yup, sounds familiar. If you've got insurance, definitely get it looked at. If you don't, get a new job ;)

Fortunately, he said that I could be cycling again a week after the sugery (if I have it).

Wow, how can that be correct? I've known several who have had an ACL repair (some using a cadaver, and some by cannibalizing their own parts), and all have had way more downtime than just a few days. Perhaps your doc means that you'll be able to ride a trainer not long after surgery as part of physical therapy? You'd hate to have a crash on the bike; destroy the ACL repair, and have to go through the experience again.

What have others experienced in terms of cycling downtime?

Wow, how can that be correct? I've known several who have had an ACL repair (some using a cadaver, and some by cannibalizing their own parts), and all have had way more downtime than just a few days. Perhaps your doc means that you'll be able to ride a trainer not long after surgery as part of physical therapy? You'd hate to have a crash on the bike; destroy the ACL repair, and have to go through the experience again.

What have others experienced in terms of cycling downtime?
I agree, I was surprised.

and you ask a good question.

In addition to that, if anyone has experience with ACL surgery -and- riding clipless, please offer some insight. How long after you started riding again did you go back to clipless? I assume you put platform pedals on your bike for the duration?

What's a torn ACL?
related to torn knees? or back problem?

What's a torn ACL?
related to torn knees? or back problem?

Anterior Cruciate Ligament (http://my.webmd.com/hw/health_guide_atoz/hw139757.asp?printing=true)

http://www.kneeguru.co.uk/KNEEtalk/
http://www.factotem.org/cgi-bin/kneebbs.pl

Two great sources of knee info. ACL doesn't heal by itself but it doesn't have to be repaired if it doesn't impede your lifestyle. Good luck.

Steve

Wow, how can that be correct? I've known several who have had an ACL repair (some using a cadaver, and some by cannibalizing their own parts), and all have had way more downtime than just a few days. Perhaps your doc means that you'll be able to ride a trainer not long after surgery as part of physical therapy? You'd hate to have a crash on the bike; destroy the ACL repair, and have to go through the experience again.

What have others experienced in terms of cycling downtime?


When I had back surgery, they had me up walking around the next day. Dr's. orders were to 'do laps' around the nursed station. As many as I could do, as often as I could do them.

With my ACL therapy, they had me on a stationary bike within days of being diagnosed with a tear. That and the damnable cold water hydrotherapy and me with frostbite in my feet. At least the cold foot pain took my mind off of the PT pain in my knee. :)

Hmm makes one wonder. I have this weird thing with my knee, which just came back last night, I think because I was spinning so hard but my leg feels like it will snap forward

Check yo PM.

Hmm makes one wonder. I have this weird thing with my knee, which just came back last night, I think because I was spinning so hard but my leg feels like it will snap forward
:eek: dude, go have that looked at! :eek:



UPDATE (9/6/05): Got the results back and did tear the ACL along with the meniscus.

Thanks everyone for your previous feedback!

I tore my ACL playing football in college. Never got it fixed, because I could play with it with a brace on, and 14 years later, I'm fine. I go through day to day activities and can't tell that my ACL is torn.

LO, you and Bode are practically twins ...admired and unique.

Bode Miller tore his left ACL and locked his meniscus February at the 2001 World Alpine Ski Championships in St. Anton, Austria. He was on snow 5 months later training with his team.

“Right from his first run in gates, Bode let it rip,” said US Ski Team President Bill Marolt. “He scared the daylights out of his coaches because he didn’t hold back, right from the first run.”

LO, Bode had his ACL repaired in Vail by the Steadman Hawkins Clinic (http://www.steadman-hawkins.com/athleteUpdate.cfm). Maybe your medical will cover work done by that clinic.

I'll help with the transportation and even throw in 4 comp tickets to Copper Mountain for you and a friend to help ease the pain.

:lol:

I thought for a moment you were talking about Vaughn Bode.

Hi
Newbie here....wanting to add a couple of cents...

My understanding is that it basically depends on how the ACL is torn. I severed mine and not having surgery wasn't an option. Slight tears can possibly never bother you again. But you sound like a very active person, so you might be at greater risk of doing more damage later on.

Also, surgical procedures vary. Some can be quick with very short recovery times. It's possible that you could be back on the bike in a week, but doing flats at a slow pace without the clips.

And a quick google search turned this up:
http://www.knees.com/qa3.html

Good luck!