[quasi]

Anyone had there ACL reconstructed along with a meniscus tear repaired at the same time? About 3 years ago I hurt my knee, it's been super unstable I kept telling my Doctor there was something wrong but it wasn't until around last Christmas he booked me an MRI.

Turns out my ACL is done, like as in completely gone doesn't show up on MRI and I have a torn lateral meniscus. I'm going to get surgery to repair them and forgot to ask the surgeon what the back to work time was.

Anyone have this done? How long until you were able to move around on crutches? I've searched online but it seems to be all over the place as far as time lines.

[roastpuff]

Had torn ACL and MCL. Had arthroscopy done, took me 6 weeks to be off crutches. Don't know about meniscus though...

[subordinate]

Will be reading this intently as well....

I need my knee checked, similar - it feels unstable, something is definitely wrong behind the knee cap ish area.

[MASTER_J]

I also have a lateral meniscus tear and a full thickness acl tear (few fibers remain), wait list for surgery right now..

[quasi]

I also have a lateral meniscus tear and a full thickness acl tear (few fibers remain), wait list for surgery right now..

You'll probably get in before me, please let me know how your recovery goes.

[frost91]

i had my right ACL and menicus tear fixed
i initially hurt it in my early 20's but it wasn't a problem till early 30's

- 4 months prior to my ACL and menicus surgery, i was on a exercise program to strengthen my hamstrings because my surgeon told me that's where they were cutting to create the graft for the ACL, i also needed my menicus shaved because it was in really bad condition. (my physio was also helping me prepare for my surgery)

- the 3 weeks after the surgery was the worst, i was in a lot of pain, i think it was a combination of both the ACL and menicus being torn. other people that i've talked to, who just had the ACL repair done, they were fairly good a week after surgery

- rehab starts the day after surgery, just lifting your entire leg up and down helps
- you are required to buy this ice machine, it costs about 3-400 dollars, just make sure your leg is always elevated, and that the machine is always on your leg (super cold)

- i am fairly active and consistent with my rehab so i was fully recovered about 7-8 months after surgery. everyone is different but i would say 1 year full recovery is normal

- i didn't listen to my surgeron when he said stop playing volleyball and i ended up tearing my menicus again 2 years later. the recovery for just the menicus tear was about 3-4 months.

HTH

Good luck! you can do it!

[quasi]

That 3 weeks, we're you stuck at home or were you able to move with crutches?

[frost91]

i was definitely home for 2 weeks (other then going to the physio)

i was on Oxycontin for the first 3-4 days. the first two days on Oxycontin was the best, i felt i was flying in bed.

i think by the middle of the 3rd and beginning of the 4th week i was able to drive to my physio. mind you, i have a truck and its fairly easy to get in and out of. but yes, i was still on crutches. everyone's healing time is different, just make sure you strengthen wherever they are going to cut to make the graft. it will speed up your recovery.

also i cant stress enough having your leg elevated, wrapped snug, and iced 24/7 after your surgery. it will speed it up a lot. the surgeon did not tell me that but my physio made me do it and it helped a lot

obviously everyone's recovery time is different, but best of luck to you. it's painful but you will get through it

[underscore]

When my fiance (then girlfriend) had her ACL and meniscus done she was off work for 2 weeks, when she went back she tried to keep her knee elevated and iced and even then there were days where she had to leave early. I'd take 3 weeks if you can. Backlog as many movies, TV shows and video games as you can as you'll be pretty useless for the first while, get pillows and things to keep your leg propped up. If you have a low bed be sure to have something solid you can use to help yourself get up or you're gonna need someone to help you.

- you are required to buy this ice machine, it costs about 3-400 dollars, just make sure your leg is always elevated, and that the machine is always on your leg (super cold)

We were able to rent one, it makes a massive difference.

[van_city23]

I've had my ACL done 3 times. Full thickness tear the 3rd time. Meniscus once. All in the same knee.

Like everyone above has said, ice, ice, and more ice. I tore all of mine in a 13 year span when I played basketball ending a few years ago so my recovery is probably very different than yours. Started physio soon after but at about 4 weeks after surgery we started doing exercises, started doing on ground running movement 3 months after (not treadmill or stationary bike), started really pushing it about 6 months after but didn't feel confident with movements till about 9 months after surgery.

I had the luxury of having access to a physio everyday although some of them were simply icing and ultrasound. A key thing that helped me was doing a contrast bath sooner rather than later. Contrast bath is where you ice for a minute then heat for a minute and do it for about 20 minutes. My physio had me doing that at about week 4.

Good luck!

[underscore]

Three things I forgot to add, the first is I'd highly recommend buying a good quality brace if you can. The one she got is carbon fibre and has adjustable limiters so she can set it to stop her movement exactly where the wants it. It was something like $800 which seems expensive but compared to going through the surgery and recovery again we figured it was well worth it. There were less expensive options too, they were a bit heavier but also very solid.

Second is find a good physio, even if you can't go very often it's good to have someone assessing your recovery and giving you exercises to do. It's tempting to slack off on the exercises but do your best to stay on top of them.

Last is transport, I think for the first 2 or so weeks back at work I was driving her (she had her right knee done though). If you've got a low car or a standard it'll take you longer so if you've got access to something higher like an SUV or a van then try to borrow that.

[Adorkami]

A friend of mine had arthroscopic surgery on his knee(ACL tear) because of an injury playing football, the surgeon told my wife(nurse) he had one of the fastest recoveries he has seen. Friend attributes lots of it to what he ate. I'll try to find out more info for you.

[quasi]

Three things I forgot to add, the first is I'd highly recommend buying a good quality brace if you can. The one she got is carbon fibre and has adjustable limiters so she can set it to stop her movement exactly where the wants it. It was something like $800 which seems expensive but compared to going through the surgery and recovery again we figured it was well worth it. There were less expensive options too, they were a bit heavier but also very solid.

Second is find a good physio, even if you can't go very often it's good to have someone assessing your recovery and giving you exercises to do. It's tempting to slack off on the exercises but do your best to stay on top of them.

Last is transport, I think for the first 2 or so weeks back at work I was driving her (she had her right knee done though). If you've got a low car or a standard it'll take you longer so if you've got access to something higher like an SUV or a van then try to borrow that.

Thanks, the brace I'm getting is custom fit and he did tell me anywhere from $800-1400 for that depending so I'm kind of expecting it.

I drive an SUV and it's the left knee so I'm hoping I can drive myself to work sooner then later. I'll probably fly my mom in from Sask. for the first week or two so I can have some help around the house.

[Adorkami]

Friend said to stay away from sugars, limit red meat, eat lots of green veggies. Essentially minimize inflammatory foods.

[quasi]

Friend said to stay away from sugars, limit red meat, eat lots of green veggies. Essentially minimize inflammatory foods.

That's good to hear, I've started doing all that stuff already because of some other health issues. :)

[hamsup]

Wow... im about to get a MRI as well too. same injury as yours !!!

[quasi]

I'm scheduled for Surgery on Tuesday, I'll update on the recovery time once I'm able.

[SSM_DC5]

Good luck

[quasi]

Surgery went well, pain level is quite high can't bare any weight and even the slightest movement is brutal. I'll update in a few days hoping pain levels decrease as I could use more them 3 hours sleep.

[Z3guy]

^ hope you have a quick recovery man. I am on wk 9 after my knee surgery for a torn meniscus. I was really worry about my ROM and pain after 6 wks, because still hurt like heck and I had limited ROM. Now I feel I am 80% back to normal and the pain is going away. If I could redo my recovery, I would spend more time on icing and massage to reduce the swelling. Especially around the knee cap. Good luck man

[frost91]

good luck

remember to elevate your leg and ice!!!!!

[Cr33pUh]

Remember to do METH!


Movement
Elevation
Traction
Heat

[MSREE]

Bone broth is great for healing after surgery. Collagen especially helps with repairing tissue.

https://purebonebroth.co/pages/where-to-buy

Kefir is also very healing.

https://vitamedica.com/wellness-blog/10-best-healing-foods-to-eat-after-surgery/

If youre taking pain meds, it wouldnt hurt to get a stool softener maybe something like restoralax/miralax is great. White grape juice is also good for that purpose.

Hope youre doing okay! My aunt had knee surgery and I had to change the dressings a few times. Sometimes the dressing got stuck to the wound and made it difficult to change but if you moisten the gauze up itll lift off easily.

[quasi]

Thanks my wife picked me some up tonight. I've been taking pain meds every 4 hours all day and night. I can't move without exrutiatung Pain, spending all my time in a recliner. A trip to the washroom takes my pain level to an 8 or 9 for 45 minutes as long as u don't move and legs supported it's mabagabkw with meds. I'm hoping this weekend I see some improvements.

[MSREE]

What kind of pain med? T3s or percs? Make sure you're ingesting enough fluids to help your liver and kidneys process the meds. I'd say double the amount that you regularly do. And watch out for rebound headaches from the med use if you'll be on them for a while. When the pain gets tolerable, taper off the meds gradually.

[quasi]

Tramadol, I don't think it's much more potent than a T3 but I could be wrong. I'm also using a cold therapy machine for swelling.

[quasi]

So I'm one week out of surgery today. I knew the recovery was going to suck but so far its exceeded all expectations pain wise.

I watched some recovery videos others had shared and thought not that bad. Up until yesterday the pain has been unreal most the time with spurts of comfort. Mornings and evenings are by far the worst.

I'm fairly certain I wasn't icing correctly for the first 4 days which set me way back. I was told not to ice direct it was wrapped on a tension bandage which I didn't remove. The bandage was to thick and the cold wasn't getting through. I've since removed and use a T Towel I can now feel the icing with that the pain has subsided slightly over the last few days.

I initially planned to be off work 2 weeks but unless there are some dramatic improvemts that will get extended to at least 3. If him able to tolerate sitting at my desk at home I'll work some from home.

I haven't started the rehab portion yet still to sore that said if I can work any types of stretching or heel slides in without to much aggravation I will.

Flying my mom in has been a godsend although she flys home day after next. It's been rough but finally seeing a little progress.

[SSM_DC5]

If you haven't done so already, look up DVT and third spacing for their signs and symptoms. If you're sitting around all day, you're definitely high risk for them.

[quasi]

Alright so Day 11

The leg still isn't weight bearing but I'm pretty sure that's normal, I see the surgeon on Wednesday. Pain levels have been getting better, yesterday was a little bit of a setback as it was worse than the day prior.

I can get around with crutches decently, I still can't climb stairs although I did scoot upstairs last night on my ass using my brace and a rope supporting my leg. I was able to put a chair in the shower and have a somewhat real shower. I slept in my bed for the first time last night and honestly it didn't go great I woke up with severe numbness in my hand, leg and foot I think it's the way I was propped up. I got maybe 4 hours sleep?

I'll report back after I see the surgeon.

[MSREE]

2 weeks off initially holy fuck. I would even say the level of pain youre still experiencing at least a month off. Listen to your body, dont rush going back to work. Your health and longevity are #1 above all things. Sometimes when a healing doesnt go as planned it can be discouraging so I hope youre taking it easy on yourself.

Just curious how youve been sleeping prior to your bed?

[quasi]

I've been sleeping in a recliner which isn't ideal but it's easy to get in and out of.

[quasi]

So over the past 6 days I've seen a lot of improvement. I've been able to get up and down stairs, sleep in my bed the past 3 nights. I met with the surgeon the other day he showed me photo's of inside my knee and we went over what he did, showed me photo's of the new ACL grafted in place. He cleared me to start physio and said start walking on it as soon as I'm able. New ACL from my hamstring. The meniscus on the inside of my leg was also torn and had to be cut away because it's been so long since I injured it there wasn't any life left in it nor was it repairable.

I start Physio this morning, no experience with this location I asked some questions prior to making the appointment hopefully there a good fit.

I can limp around although super awkwardly without crutches if going short distances. The amount of weight I can bare on it without discomfort is increasing everyday.

The worst part is this brace, surgeon wants me to wear it basically from when I wake up to when I go to bed for the next 6 months but I'll be honest that's not going to happen. I'll wear it until the graft heals 100% 8-10 weeks them I'm probably not going to wear it around the house or around the office, it's an annoyance. I've read a lot about it and there are mixed reviews, studies don't show that the brace actually doesn't do much and if anything it can actually hinder long term healing because your knee relies on it to much. I'm sure there are studies that say otherwise but that's some of the reading I've found.

[SSM_DC5]

Get a second opinion from your physio regarding the brace?

[quasi]

Get a second opinion from your physio regarding the brace?

Spoke to therapist about it today. She didn't want to give advice counter to that of the Doctor but in a round about way she basically said that once the ACL is healed (about 8 weeks) if you're sitting at your desk or at home there is very little chance of re injuring your knee through a movement. She's basically said without saying it that I shouldn't need my brace unless I'm out or doing things where there is risk of re injuring it which is in line with most things I've read.

[SSM_DC5]

Sounds about right, but how much walking does your work involve? Sounds like the surgeon is being on the safe side, or he knows you're very active in daily activities.
Physio sounds like they expect you to have a desk job and will only be walking from your desk to toilet.

It's good that you are doing your due diligence and in the end its up to you how you go about the healing process.

[Cr33pUh]

So over the past 6 days I've seen a lot of improvement. I've been able to get up and down stairs, sleep in my bed the past 3 nights. I met with the surgeon the other day he showed me photo's of inside my knee and we went over what he did, showed me photo's of the new ACL grafted in place. He cleared me to start physio and said start walking on it as soon as I'm able. New ACL from my hamstring. The meniscus on the inside of my leg was also torn and had to be cut away because it's been so long since I injured it there wasn't any life left in it nor was it repairable.

I start Physio this morning, no experience with this location I asked some questions prior to making the appointment hopefully there a good fit.

I can limp around although super awkwardly without crutches if going short distances. The amount of weight I can bare on it without discomfort is increasing everyday.

The worst part is this brace, surgeon wants me to wear it basically from when I wake up to when I go to bed for the next 6 months but I'll be honest that's not going to happen. I'll wear it until the graft heals 100% 8-10 weeks them I'm probably not going to wear it around the house or around the office, it's an annoyance. I've read a lot about it and there are mixed reviews, studies don't show that the brace actually doesn't do much and if anything it can actually hinder long term healing because your knee relies on it to much. I'm sure there are studies that say otherwise but that's some of the reading I've found.

Gonna chime in here.

Make sure your Physio doesn't just put you on the machines. Make sure they use manual therapy. If all they're doing is putting you on machines/heat, find a new Physio.

What physio said is correct. The brace is good at stabilizing knee so that it can recover in the proper position initially. Later on, you want to develop those stabilizers (via movement) within the knee so you don't want to be wearing the brace too frequently.

Good luck with rehab. =)

[quasi]

^^

Yeah I have a Physio friend unfortunately she's in Australia. I talked to her prior to booking a Physio and she stressed the samething, manual therapy.

The place I'm going is all manual therapy and 1 on 1 so it's been good so far.

[quasi]

If anyone is curious about before and after this is a photo of the inside of my knee that the doctor provided. You can see the new ACL made from hamstring tendons. If you're squeamish don't click on it, looks like a cow bone to me. :)




https://imgur.com/a/YUK4y

[quasi]

So I'm 15 weeks post op tomorrow.

The recovery has been challenging to say the least. I seen the surgeon in early January and he was concerned about my progress. He told me if I don't see improvement over the next 4-5 weeks he's going to go in and remove scar tissue and do a manual manipulation.

I've been working hard at it and last week I finally seen some real improvement. It was actually the Graston Technique (Breaks up scar tissue) performed by my massage therapist that had the best results. My flexion improved 12 degrees overnight, I was sore to the touch for a good 5-6 days but totally worth it. I have another appointment for more this Friday.

I see the surgeon next week so it will be interesting to see if he's happy with the progress or he's going to schedule the surgery to remove the scar tissue.

This injury is a tough one, I go to physio twice a week and RMT usually once a week on top of the exercises I do at home. I'm still limping although I can get around, grocery shopping ect...

[frost91]

stay positive! you'll get through it!!

[Cr33pUh]

So I'm 15 weeks post op tomorrow.

The recovery has been challenging to say the least. I seen the surgeon in early January and he was concerned about my progress. He told me if I don't see improvement over the next 4-5 weeks he's going to go in and remove scar tissue and do a manual manipulation.

I've been working hard at it and last week I finally seen some real improvement. It was actually the Graston Technique (Breaks up scar tissue) performed by my massage therapist that had the best results. My flexion improved 12 degrees overnight, I was sore to the touch for a good 5-6 days but totally worth it. I have another appointment for more this Friday.

I see the surgeon next week so it will be interesting to see if he's happy with the progress or he's going to schedule the surgery to remove the scar tissue.

This injury is a tough one, I go to physio twice a week and RMT usually once a week on top of the exercises I do at home. I'm still limping although I can get around, grocery shopping ect...

I'm surprised your physio didn't do any manual therapy for scar tissue removal. IASTM is the shit. I gotta learn it haha.

But yeah, Keep moving your new if possible within ROM.

[quasi]

I'm surprised your physio didn't do any manual therapy for scar tissue removal. IASTM is the shit. I gotta learn it haha.

But yeah, Keep moving your new if possible within ROM.

She has used some machine that moves up and down like an automated hammer I'm not sure what it's called but it didn't have near the results that Graston has had.

I see surgeon tomorrow, hoping he's pleased with progress the last month.

[quasi]

Well I'm 7 months post op now, I would say my knee is 85% a lot better then it was. I'm still seeing the physio therapist but working more like a PT right now which is good for me. This is a tough injury to rehab from but I'm glad I had the surgery.

Lots of walking next week in Vegas we'll see how it holds up.

[PiuYi]

Interesting read, 2.5 years ago I had a partially torn meniscus (only confirmed with MRI 10 months after the injury) and family doc advised against surgery since it wasn’t fully torn. Was still limping significantly 2 months in, and only about 80-90% after a full year. Even now it’s still noticeably weaker than before, don’t feel as “springy” when I run and my motion still feels a bit unnatural... been told it’ll never be the same as before :(

Glad to hear you’re recovering, hope it gets to 100% soon!

[underscore]

Has anyone dealt with having a second reconstruction on the same knee? MRI confirmed the ACL is gone again and the options are to use the other side or cadaver.