Has anyone had their ACL and MCL replaced? How long before you could ride on the road, and then back to racing DH or BMX? What kind of rehab did you do? What's best for ACL replacement - your own parts or cadavor? I'm pretty bent out of shape - I haven't really raced in 2 years, and I've been working really hard this winter. The Open is 2 months away, and it looks like I'm out a lot longer than that. Any help is much appreciated.
Recovery time from ACL surgery?
- Thread starter JLESLIE
- Start date
How long ago was your ACL torn? I ask cuz the BEST thing anyone can do is "rehab" BEFORE surgery. I lived with mine torn for two years -- hiked, biked, skied -- and it wound up strengthening my knee. I walked out of surgery without crutches and was on a bike trainer within a month.
DO NOT try to strengthen your knee for at least a month after surgery. You don't need to, you need to work on range of motion, but don't push yourself, follow your PT's advice. I really liked that range of motion machine, used it mildly for 10-12 hours a day. Was to 100° ROM within three weeks. Now my knee is solid and more flexible than my other knee and more so than it was before I tore my ACL.
As for which donor tendon, I went with my own hamstring and have been very happy I did. No chance of rejecting a cadaver and that whole patella tendon thing scared the poop out of me.
However, if you don't have a choice of doctors then go with his recommendation since he'll recommend the tendon that he's most experienced with -- meaning a higher chance of success.
As for racing two months from now, ask your doctor about postponing surgery? In fact, if you're not already scheduled for surgery, it's likely you won't get an appointment for 4-6 months. From first vist to surgery, it was seven months for me.
Good luck and try not to worry! it's not that bad
DO NOT try to strengthen your knee for at least a month after surgery. You don't need to, you need to work on range of motion, but don't push yourself, follow your PT's advice. I really liked that range of motion machine, used it mildly for 10-12 hours a day. Was to 100° ROM within three weeks. Now my knee is solid and more flexible than my other knee and more so than it was before I tore my ACL.
As for which donor tendon, I went with my own hamstring and have been very happy I did. No chance of rejecting a cadaver and that whole patella tendon thing scared the poop out of me.
However, if you don't have a choice of doctors then go with his recommendation since he'll recommend the tendon that he's most experienced with -- meaning a higher chance of success.
As for racing two months from now, ask your doctor about postponing surgery? In fact, if you're not already scheduled for surgery, it's likely you won't get an appointment for 4-6 months. From first vist to surgery, it was seven months for me.
Good luck and try not to worry! it's not that bad
I didn't have mine replaced, but had them both worked on. I was back on a spin bike 3 days after surgery. They did remove my T-Band and that took some time to get use too. My rehab was really different than most as I had Ear surgery the same time and had to wait 6 months before I could really push myself. Doctors orders. My suggestions is do some light spinning and hoop in a pool and do laps using a kick board. Other exercise to do would be, sit in a chair and do leg lifts, work you inner and outer thigh muscles (this was hard for me as I had no T-Band anymore), and calve raises. They will help build the muscles around the knee to help support it. Then when you feel like it or you Doctor and Rehab guys say so, do very light weight movements. It will take some time and you may never get your full strength back in that leg. I don't do but half of the weight on my legs as I have in the pass. There really is no need too. Good luck man!!!
I had mine done 7 years ago, they used my patella. Rehab hurt like sh*t but got through it. I started back road riding about 2 months after surgery, 6 months to start riding DH (very carefully) I would take it slow, they say it takes a whole year before you're completely healed. My advice..................Look forward to racing in the 2008 season.
Toughen up old man and take 800-1000 mg of Ibuprophin. 
I need someone to ride with at the Open. Otherwise, I will drop to Am.
I need someone to ride with at the Open. Otherwise, I will drop to Am.
My exact experience! Rehab hurts - bad!
Did y'all know that you can develop an allergic reaction to ibuprofen?Toughen up old man and take 800-1000 mg of Ibuprophin.
I took about 6 pills (200mg) nearly every day for an extended period. Now if I take more than 2-3, I get ringing in my ears. Go figure.
I've given some thought to waiting untill the year is over. I'm tempted but the dr. scared me into it. He swears I need to get it done soon, so I will be able to ride again.- He basically said that if I have a twisting crash, I could rip the cartilidge in the knee, and make it worse. I'm starting PT next week, and surgery on 4/19. Did I mention how pissed off I am? Thanks, for the help.
He's the doctor, but really, you're not likely to do much more damage.
That said, if you're already scheduled, I'd get it done now.
Also something to consider... if you wait until after this season, you'll probably miss the next season. From my limited knowledge, you're likely to miss a season regardless.
Good luck! Enjoy the drugs
That said, if you're already scheduled, I'd get it done now.
Also something to consider... if you wait until after this season, you'll probably miss the next season. From my limited knowledge, you're likely to miss a season regardless.
Good luck! Enjoy the drugs
I am kidding. John is on my team and has been on me about training this winter. I had to return the favor.
It sucks for him though since he has been in the gym 3-4 days a week, running 3 days a week and riding the trainer a bunch. That's not easy for someone with a family.
Perfect, your driving the shuttle truck at the Windrock trip.
Jeez Chris, swallow your pride and race Am with the rest of the slackers.
Then you, me, and JM can play 3 man crash up derby down the course.
Gaylego can be the cheerleader and Leslie can serve drinks at the halfway station.
Then you, me, and JM can play 3 man crash up derby down the course.
Gaylego can be the cheerleader and Leslie can serve drinks at the halfway station.
Just suck it up and forget this season. You are better off getting it done now anyways. When you put it off till next year you'll be faced with the same issues you're having now.
i would get it taken care of now. jsut had surgery for a torn mcl both meniscus and a ligament that holds your kneecap centered 6 montsh ago, full tilt now. had my acl done ten years ago when i was 17. was mtn biking 5 months or so after surgery with a brace, but wasnt DHing at the time. trust your doc. as for cadaver/patellar/hamstring, heard good about them all. i had patellar and worked great, ten years later it works better than the other leg. no worries. but trust you PT. that is THE MOST important thing, dont push it too early. you will just reinjure and then you are really done for. listen to them. good luck
I tore my ACL in my right knee in July riding in Whistler and rode on it for two weeks straight.
Then a week later I went home and had hell week for football. Because of one cut in football I tore my meniscus. I had my surgery in December and I will not be able to ride for three more months. Going to rehab twice a week really helped but because I tore meniscus along with the ACL I would not walk on that side for six weeks. Also I used my hamstring and can't even tell.
I would totally agree with your Dr. on forgetting this season and get it taken care of. I am just coming off surgery #6 on my left knee and it sucks, but i can offer some advice.
A little history:
I tore my ACL for the 3rd time in October of last year, but also managed to wipe out the remaining Meniscus in the knee (Had had 3 scopes on that previously also). I basically folded the cartilage into the knee joint locking my knee bent at 30 degrees. I sat that way for 5 weeks before finally having surgery. But because my muscles had already atrophied so badly (Lost 4" off my quadriceps) they wouldn't do my ACL until after I had regained full range of motion. Due to complications (DVT blood clot) I am now forced to wait a year before having my ACL reconstructed, so for now I have no ACL in that knee and just spent 15 weeks in physical therapy. I am just now getting back on the bike in the last 3 weeks and it still hurts like hell to really mash the pedals, and is very very uncomfortable to stand and pedal.
But having come through 6 surgeries, and what I figure to be about 2 years of total physical therapy time on that knee I can tell you that even when you get it fixed, you are not going to want to put any real pressure on the new ACL for at least a month, possibly 2 or 3. They will probably start you out using a passive motion machine, which will move your leg between extension and flexion for 4 - 6 hrs a day for the first week or 2 in order to keep your range of motion. Count on 12-20 weeks of physical therapy, and take my word for it, don't blow it off, your knee will only be as strong as the effort that you make immediately following the surgery.
Bracing is also as important and anything else when making your recovery. Make sure your Dr. prescribes you a brace, something that will limit the extension of the knee so you don't over extend the graft and potentially stretch or tear it before fully healing. I have had 4 braces in the last 12 years, from Donjoy, Breg and Sports Innovations. The CTi2 is a great brace, it is also very expensive, custom fit and not exceptionally durable. The Donjoy's seem to hold up the best since they are aluminum. I just ordered a off the shelf Donjoy Armor for this time around, and they are specifically designed for MX riders and skiers. Braces are also great preventitive measures for after your healed up. You should probably wear one whenever you ride from here on out. I didn't wear mine and paid the price this time around.
As for the question about the donor graft or using your hamstring or patella for the graft. My Dr. is one of the best knee Dr's in the U.S. He is the team physician for the U.S. olympic baseball team and was also a team physician for a few major league teams, he will absolutely not use donor grafts. There is an inherent risk of viral infections from contaminated donors as well as the risk or your body rejecting it just as any other transplant. He only uses hamstring tendon grafts and said he has had no issues with durability in professional athletes.
Hope this info helps a little. Good luck and healing vibes
A little history:
I tore my ACL for the 3rd time in October of last year, but also managed to wipe out the remaining Meniscus in the knee (Had had 3 scopes on that previously also). I basically folded the cartilage into the knee joint locking my knee bent at 30 degrees. I sat that way for 5 weeks before finally having surgery. But because my muscles had already atrophied so badly (Lost 4" off my quadriceps) they wouldn't do my ACL until after I had regained full range of motion. Due to complications (DVT blood clot) I am now forced to wait a year before having my ACL reconstructed, so for now I have no ACL in that knee and just spent 15 weeks in physical therapy. I am just now getting back on the bike in the last 3 weeks and it still hurts like hell to really mash the pedals, and is very very uncomfortable to stand and pedal.
But having come through 6 surgeries, and what I figure to be about 2 years of total physical therapy time on that knee I can tell you that even when you get it fixed, you are not going to want to put any real pressure on the new ACL for at least a month, possibly 2 or 3. They will probably start you out using a passive motion machine, which will move your leg between extension and flexion for 4 - 6 hrs a day for the first week or 2 in order to keep your range of motion. Count on 12-20 weeks of physical therapy, and take my word for it, don't blow it off, your knee will only be as strong as the effort that you make immediately following the surgery.
Bracing is also as important and anything else when making your recovery. Make sure your Dr. prescribes you a brace, something that will limit the extension of the knee so you don't over extend the graft and potentially stretch or tear it before fully healing. I have had 4 braces in the last 12 years, from Donjoy, Breg and Sports Innovations. The CTi2 is a great brace, it is also very expensive, custom fit and not exceptionally durable. The Donjoy's seem to hold up the best since they are aluminum. I just ordered a off the shelf Donjoy Armor for this time around, and they are specifically designed for MX riders and skiers. Braces are also great preventitive measures for after your healed up. You should probably wear one whenever you ride from here on out. I didn't wear mine and paid the price this time around.
As for the question about the donor graft or using your hamstring or patella for the graft. My Dr. is one of the best knee Dr's in the U.S. He is the team physician for the U.S. olympic baseball team and was also a team physician for a few major league teams, he will absolutely not use donor grafts. There is an inherent risk of viral infections from contaminated donors as well as the risk or your body rejecting it just as any other transplant. He only uses hamstring tendon grafts and said he has had no issues with durability in professional athletes.
Hope this info helps a little. Good luck and healing vibes
I've just done my first days DHing the other day after having my ACL(not meniscus)done five months ago. I had a great surgeon here in OZ,one full day in bed,three on crutches,no knee brace. I went to a PT a few days after surgery,he tore my hammy or led me too so I never went back(I recomend you do),I was gently ridding a week or two later. I was trail ridding about four months after surgery. You can't rush it and your impatience and feeling good is your worst enemy from what I gathered,you shouldn't DH for 6months from what I gathered,I had just built a great 3min track while recovering and just got my new Lahar and couldn't be stopped,I got a Donjoy brace and hit it up. Definetly don't push it,just remember it's another six months if you blow it.
Someone above who hadn't had an ACL done mentioned doing leg weights sitting down,DO NOT DO IT,it's pulling your ACL apart every time,no weights unless instructed by your PT.
Good luck Buddy,it's torture not being able to ride,the longer you wait the saffer you'll be.
Do the Phyzio.
Someone above who hadn't had an ACL done mentioned doing leg weights sitting down,DO NOT DO IT,it's pulling your ACL apart every time,no weights unless instructed by your PT.
Good luck Buddy,it's torture not being able to ride,the longer you wait the saffer you'll be.
Do the Phyzio.
quoted for emphasis.
I tore my ACL in October of 06, after having the doc diagnose the injury I opted to work for 4 additional months, I rode my bike every day anywhere from 10 to 30 miles daily. This was with the doctors approval. Initally, my leg got really strong. By the end of the third month my leg from all the use, work and riding, (overuse) got sloppy, so sloppy in fact that I could not function without my brace.
I was operated on Feb 5th and there was signifigantly more damage than anticipated. I had major tears in both my medial and lateral meniscus which had to be trimmed and stitched. The ACL which had to be reconstructed, the tibial plateau had odd bone growth which had to be ground down, this was believed to be caused by my first ACL replacement. Finally, to allow my kneecap to track properly they performed a lateral release. I opted for the cadaver tendon. The doctor and I discussed this in length, there is a posiblity of rejection but the other option was to use my tendon from my other leg since I had already harvested my hamstring from my first ACL surgery.
I'm 6 weeks out of surgery and can walk and lift weights, machine only no free weights. I have 110 degrees of ROM but because this is my second time they are keeping me on a real short leash.
I've just finished building up my bike for this season sadly after my last conversation with the doc he alluded to no hard downhilling and since this was workers comp if I injure myself riding well I'm prety much screwed, so I have a real pretty pice of art for the season
. Hey sixsixtysix, hows your new ride coming? JK
I was operated on Feb 5th and there was signifigantly more damage than anticipated. I had major tears in both my medial and lateral meniscus which had to be trimmed and stitched. The ACL which had to be reconstructed, the tibial plateau had odd bone growth which had to be ground down, this was believed to be caused by my first ACL replacement. Finally, to allow my kneecap to track properly they performed a lateral release. I opted for the cadaver tendon. The doctor and I discussed this in length, there is a posiblity of rejection but the other option was to use my tendon from my other leg since I had already harvested my hamstring from my first ACL surgery.
I'm 6 weeks out of surgery and can walk and lift weights, machine only no free weights. I have 110 degrees of ROM but because this is my second time they are keeping me on a real short leash.
I've just finished building up my bike for this season sadly after my last conversation with the doc he alluded to no hard downhilling and since this was workers comp if I injure myself riding well I'm prety much screwed, so I have a real pretty pice of art for the season
. Hey sixsixtysix, hows your new ride coming? JKJohn
As stated above, get the insurance company to buck up for a CTi brace so you don't do it again.
As stated above, get the insurance company to buck up for a CTi brace so you don't do it again.
Rides done! :biggrin: Now if I could actually get out and ride it on anything other than XC trails it would be great. I pedal it 7 miles 3 times a week, just skirting around the base of my local mountain. I keep telling myself that I WILL be back riding the top of the mountain someday soon, but havnt had the nuggets or stupidity to go up and try and real riding yet.
Anyways, here she is. Weighing in at 47lbs she's a little plump, but i look at it as weight training for the knee.
The bike looks sweet At least your riding, every time I see my PT it's your not ready to ride, not to mention Galfer still ahsn't shipped my brake lines, but I get my shock back form Hippie-tech on Monday. Shameless plug for a great shock tuning shop.:biggrin:enjoy the trails for me JK
At least your riding, every time I see my PT it's your not ready to ride, not to mention Galfer still ahsn't shipped my brake lines, but I get my shock back form Hippie-tech on Monday. Shameless plug for a great shock tuning shop.:biggrin:enjoy the trails for me JK
This sucks to hear John, even more so after seeing the work you have done to get ready for this season. I would stick with your current schedule and get it fixed now. Work with your PT and push yourself with their approval. Knowing how fit you are now I think you will recover faster than the doc is predicting.
Looks like you are going to have to write of this season and just focus hard on 2008. Use this to fuel your hunger to become faster and race harder.
Looks like you are going to have to write of this season and just focus hard on 2008. Use this to fuel your hunger to become faster and race harder.