outrager 6 #1 October 1, 2005 Yo ! Had ACL reconstruction surgery (cadver graft) done 12 days ago. Going to start physical therapy on Monday. I would love to hear any stories about the post-op and rehab period. Especially interested in experience and opinions on how to work out as intensively and efficiently as possible, without stretching or damaging the ligament. bsbd! Yuri. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bbarnhouse 0 #2 October 1, 2005 Yuri, I had mine done some years ago and the surgery has progressed since then. I was in PT two days after the surgery with staples all down the front of my knee. (I hated my PT) Depending on the extent of the surgery, you may expect about a 6 month recovery time. Ash White (Airspeed vidiot) had his done just about the same time you did. Soon he will be ready for therapy in the water which is the one of the best ways to go. The fine athletic trainers at Nike put thier rehabs in the pool...so it should be good enough for us! If you have specific questions. pleas shoot me a PM. Always glad to be of help or PM ltdiver as she is our resident PT B2 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
icarusfx99 0 #3 October 2, 2005 I had mine done early 95 (January) and started skydiving that August. Basically, I did what the trainers in rehab told me. Don't take it too easy, a little bit of pain hasn't killed anyone yet. I think it took me about 3 months to be off the crutches and six months before I did whatever I wanted to (with a sports brace) after a year I got rid of the brace and haven't had a problem since. Good luck! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
eeneR 3 #4 October 2, 2005 Also do a search..I have posted my .02 on this several times ACL reconstruction, hamstring tendon graft, '93...cleared to ski 4.5 months after (wasnt skydiving, yet)She is not a "Dumb Blonde" - She is a "Light-Haired Detour Off The Information Superhighway." eeneR TF#72, FB#4130, Incauto Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
polarglitch 0 #5 October 2, 2005 I havent gone for my reconstruction although i tore up my inner and centre ones pretty bad. my leg just collapses on me or when i turn or put it at an angle almost once to twice a week. Its inconvenient but i guess i rather have it then go through an ACL op. I'll be interested in hearing more people talk abt their post op too.When you come close to losing your life, you learn to value it. I jumped, I survived, I learnt. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Cudlo 0 #6 October 2, 2005 Yeah.. that was fun... Went in for an ACL fixer up (hamstring graft). Was supposed to take an hour or two. Woke up about 5 hours later to the doctor saying "Hey, we found alot more wrong than we thought!". Found out, aside form the ACL being gone, I also had destroyed my medial meniscus, lateral meniscus, and... well about everything else in there. Rehab was... fun. Weight lifting, biking, and of course the chair. When you find yourself sitting on a rolling office chair in a carpeted room, dragging yourself back and forth with your bad leg, well.. it sucks. But, it must have all worked cause a couple years later when I re-injured it, I only destroyed the meniscus, ACL held up._________________________________________ "People demand freedom of speech to make up for the freedom of thought which they avoid." - Kierkegaard Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
eeneR 3 #7 October 2, 2005 To be completely honest with you, yes it was a bitch...but a hell of a lot better then the shoulder surgery I had this year. Keep in mind every time you knee gives out, you are slowly but surely doing more and more damage to your knee. ACL is a hell of a lot better then Knee replacememt I am now 12 years post op, and the knee feels damn good. It is also a weather barometer! if it is gonna snow I will know Which is good, my second love to skydiving is skiing... Basically the recovery went like this...got out of surgery, started PT next day, on crutches for couple weeks, doc said 3 I said 2.... I was basically moble pretty quick, it took 4.5 months for me to get to full strength, cleared to do as I pleased, though I did wear a brace for protection for the first year when doing hardcore stuff. And to be honest if im skiing hard, I still wear it. That brace was custom built for my leg. Not one of the the neoprene ones. I know there are quite a few other people on here who have gone thru this...She is not a "Dumb Blonde" - She is a "Light-Haired Detour Off The Information Superhighway." eeneR TF#72, FB#4130, Incauto Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
