Injury/Rehab Knee reco ACL rehab.

Hi all. Today I'm two weeks post knee reconstruction for a ruptured ACL that I did playing footy earlier in the year. The first 10 days were very positive as I could see and feel progress every day through things like pain improving, swelling going down and little achievements like getting out of bed day 1 morning using a frame, getting around on crutches day 1 afternoon, going to one crutch day 5, getting around without crutches day 9. The last few days however, I'll admit to feeling a bit flat with the soreness of my hammy, and tendons around the knee, some pain behind the knee cap and the realisation that its not all going to improve as quickly as I want it to.

I'm hoping to hear from anyone who's been through a knee reco themselves and what timeframe they made progress over. Any advice, tips, things to avoid etc.

I'm really feeling for Matty Scharenburg knowing that he's been through this and now has to go through it AGAIN. Not fun.

Any contributions greatly appreciated.
Cheers
 

drummond2fevola

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Hey son

I too have recently gone through all this hooplah. I am now 19 weeks post-op.
As I'm sure you have been informed at your stage the most important thing is to get the swelling down and do your daily extension & flexion exercises. I don't recall any pain around 2 weeks post-op, I did ALOT of pre-hab and still lost a lot of muscle from the surgery, maybe you are trying to do too much? Keep icing it will be my advice, even now I still get swelling most days from walking around on it.

I was comfortable enough to be back in the gym 4 weeks post-op (upper body only), and I was swimming & cycling by week 6. Swimming was great, it felt fine on the knee joint and is a good way to do some cardio while you can't run.
I will be going for my first jog next Monday :) The physio has got me doing a 90 sec walk, 30 sec jog for 20 minutes. I look forward to it after been so restrained for the past 7 months.

I have no idea if I answered any of your questions, but happy to share my experiences.

Ulahoopski
 
Don't know about the "son" bit - I ruptured the ACL playing Masters footy - but appreciate the response. The main thing I've learnt is that nothing is set in stone. Seems everyone has a different experience and has gone about rehab in different ways at different rates. I have a mate the same age (49) who had his reco just a week after mine. Two weeks post-op and he's hardly bearing any weight at all whereas at the same stage I'd already ditched the crutches. I do worry that I've gone too fast with that but I can only put my trust in the physio and the surgeon who were both okay with that. The pain I get is in small areas at a time - directly behind the patella mainly. So hard to gauge as it can all feel fine one minute and the next it feels like crap.
I'm keen to know what sort of physio you were doing two-three weeks post op? I've been doing the extension stuff and flexing the quad, slow stretching of hammy but also toe to heel stands, slow bending of the knee while sitting (just past 90 degrees at this stage), and semi squats (holding on while I do the action of sitting down). Also on a balance board and very slowly on an exercise bike trying to get the full rotation.
Again, appreciate your input. Cheers.

drummond2fevola
 

drummond2fevola

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Don't know about the "son" bit - I ruptured the ACL playing Masters footy - but appreciate the response.

Sorry, I know that can be mis-read on the internet. I promise I meant it as a term of endearment :)

The main thing I've learnt is that nothing is set in stone. Seems everyone has a different experience and has gone about rehab in different ways at different rates. I have a mate the same age (49) who had his reco just a week after mine. Two weeks post-op and he's hardly bearing any weight at all whereas at the same stage I'd already ditched the crutches. I do worry that I've gone too fast with that but I can only put my trust in the physio and the surgeon who were both okay with that.

I was around the same. My first post-op review was 12 days later, and was told I no longer required the brace & crutches.

The pain I get is in small areas at a time - directly behind the patella mainly. So hard to gauge as it can all feel fine one minute and the next it feels like crap.
I'm keen to know what sort of physio you were doing two-three weeks post op? I've been doing the extension stuff and flexing the quad, slow stretching of hammy but also toe to heel stands, slow bending of the knee while sitting (just past 90 degrees at this stage), and semi squats (holding on while I do the action of sitting down). Also on a balance board and very slowly on an exercise bike trying to get the full rotation.
Again, appreciate your input. Cheers.

drummond2fevola

From 0 to 6 weeks I was on the exercises the physio at the hospital gave me, it sounds similar to what you are doing. Flexion, extension, and gently moving the patella around the joint. The exercises progressed with time in regards the amount of times I did them and the rep ranges.
After 6 weeks I went back to my normal physio, which is when I started stationary cycling, swimming, and some more extensive exercises in the gym which were all pretty much the same as what I was doing pre-hab.

The pain you are describing is something I fortunately did not experience. The most painful part of this whole ordeal for me was definitely the few days post-op when I would contract my hammy whilst lying in bed, it was like a tearing pain... very unpleasant.
Out of interest what kind of recon did you have?
 
Sorry, I know that can be mis-read on the internet. I promise I meant it as a term of endearment :)



I was around the same. My first post-op review was 12 days later, and was told I no longer required the brace & crutches.



From 0 to 6 weeks I was on the exercises the physio at the hospital gave me, it sounds similar to what you are doing. Flexion, extension, and gently moving the patella around the joint. The exercises progressed with time in regards the amount of times I did them and the rep ranges.
After 6 weeks I went back to my normal physio, which is when I started stationary cycling, swimming, and some more extensive exercises in the gym which were all pretty much the same as what I was doing pre-hab.

The pain you are describing is something I fortunately did not experience. The most painful part of this whole ordeal for me was definitely the few days post-op when I would contract my hammy whilst lying in bed, it was like a tearing pain... very unpleasant.
Out of interest what kind of recon did you have?
Sounds like the same as you - hamstring graft. I also had that hammy pain - felt exactly like a badly pulled hammy, and although it's settled down its very easily exacerbated with the wrong movement. If I'd had the patella graft I'd be less concerned about the pains I get. Hopefully it's just temporary whilst everything's adjusting. Think I've just gotta ease up a bit. I'm surprised you're ready to jog though - another mate who's gone through it said it was 7 months before he was able to run. Really hanging to go for a run again!
Thanks for the info.For the sake of comparison, are you anywhere near my age?
 

drummond2fevola

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Sounds like the same as you - hamstring graft. I also had that hammy pain - felt exactly like a badly pulled hammy, and although it's settled down its very easily exacerbated with the wrong movement. If I'd had the patella graft I'd be less concerned about the pains I get. Hopefully it's just temporary whilst everything's adjusting. Think I've just gotta ease up a bit. I'm surprised you're ready to jog though - another mate who's gone through it said it was 7 months before he was able to run. Really hanging to go for a run again!
Thanks for the info.For the sake of comparison, are you anywhere near my age?

Yea I too had the hamstring graft, the hammy exercises I am doing now are by far the hardest, not fun at all.

And no not really :p I'm 24.
 

keyboard_warrior

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I have ruptured my ACL playing footy so understand a bit of what you're going through. i opted for conservative management and give up pivoting sports because i was stable enough to get away with it.

You will get all sorts of aches and pains along the way with your rehab. and no doubt you will get a set back along the way. Everyone does. you will be going great then slip or trip or do something that you feel puts you back a bit but you get back to where you were pretty quickly.

As far as getting back to running and things that depends or a few variables. The surgeon and their protocols, your physio and their thoughts, and how well you do your rehab. Some people are looking at running at 12 weeks or a little earlier, others more like 6 months plus.

Important thing is to keep at it and be compliant with the rehab because thats the only thing that will get you to where u want and prevent you from doing it again
(from a physio)
 
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