Knee Injuries (Reconstructions)

[SpecialBruce]

In 2001, I was 17 and suffered my first. I had torn the Medial, Lateral and ACL and suffered lateral meniscus damage. The cartilage wasn't removed on the lateral side, but rather it was repaired. The medial and lateral ligaments didn't need to be operated on.

My rehab went well and I managed a season of football coming back after 9 months.

I landed on my knee at training in early March this year. I thought it was nothing serious as it happened a few times the year before. I decided to hold off just over a month to see if it can get better. It didn't

I need my second knee reconstruction in as many years (date undecided.) This time, both meniscus looked stuffed and most of the cartilage will be removed if not all. It also appears that the medial ligament didnt' heal from 2001 on it's own and its thickened a bit or something like that. It also appears that bone was rubbing against my graft which made it deteriorate over time. By the age of 20, I will have 2 reco's and probably not much cartilage left in the one knee.

I have been told that it will be hard to return to football. I am aiming at year 2005, but by then I would have missed 2 seasons and 2 full pre-seasons (as I didn't have any pre-season this year due to other injuries). Probably not worth more damage, but I'm not giving up until I know its unrealistic.

My question to all of you, have you ever had a knee reconstruction? More than 1? What age did you have it? Did you end up playing football again?

 

[NICK THE PIE MAN]

Im sorry to hear that mate.
Keep your chin up.

 

[FreoDocker]

I know it's hard to do, but keep positive about it.
Though I haven't had a knee reconstruction I had 2 pretty serious ankle operations by the age of 19. It got to the stage where I was forced to have the first operation on my ankle after injuring it playing footy.

I thought it would improve, but it just got to the stage where I couldn't even walk on it at all. After about 6-7 weeks on crutchers and 6 months off sport, I felt confident enough to try and get back to playing footy and soccer. Once again after about 4 months back, just when it was starting to feel strong again I managed to reinjure it. Again it got to the stage where I couldn't walk on it at all before I decided to get it operated on again. Thus another 5-6 weeks on crutchers and another 5 months off sport.

During the time I was injured, I severly doubted whether I would be able to come back and play any type of sport let alone footy. Sport is probably the biggest thing in my life, with all the cricket, footy, soccer and indoor soccer I play. But you've just got to think about the alternatives if you didn't have your injury worked on.

I'm 20 now and have been back playing soccer and indoor soccer for about the past 9 months without any too much trouble. While I'm still very aware of injurying my ankle badly again and it will never be as good as it was, the strength and confidence is slowly returning. Though I still don't think it's good enough to go back to footy. So all is going well at the moment (touch wood) and I might be able to get back to footy in the near future.

Chances are that the injured part will never be as good as it was, but just have the confidence that it will get back to a level where it won't restrict you in your everyday life and what you want to do.

....... and if anyone closes doors in your face at uni when your on your crutchers, give them a fair whack in the nads with them.

Chin up mate, good luck with it.

 

[carlyp]

try being a rower and then having your back give out on you! That sucks! Anyway...chin up special bruce! You'll be fine!