Next year I'm planning a trip to NZ and was hoping to do a bungee jump or two. I'm just wondering if it;s a good idea after an ACLR or whether it might put some strain on the graft. Perhaps I could wear a harness instead of the tie around your legs. Thought I'd ask here as I can't see my OS or PT recommending it!

When did you have surgery ?  I personally am not a fan of bungee jumping, but if you will be more than a year out, I'd say go for it.....  Now there is no question in my mind that this is a risk, but I had my surgery so I could return to my life..  I dont plan to make any allowances for my knee at all... 
cheers
Kai

I did a Bungee Jump in Queenstown, NZ back in March 1994....see the photo....Its me!! . 
At the time I had a completely torn ACL, lax PCL, torn MCL and torn LCL, the medial meniscus also had a huge bucket handle tear........ Mmmmm, all I can say is that I must have been totally barmey to do such a daft thing
It didnt seem affect my knee as there was no twisting motion, but my ankles were black and blue from the tension of the bungee as I hit the botton and bounced back up again .
It was the most awesome thing to do at the time....all 240 feet / 83 metres of it 

If I were post op, I would definatley have got advice on whether or not it was a wise thing to do.
You have come a long way, please make sure you are safe to do it with your OS.

Good luck,

Heather

OH, by the way....My OS was very keen to get me back to my sports and encouraged me to return as soon as he saw me fit to do so.

Heather,

Want to know something freaky?  I have just about the EXACT same picture from my 1994 bungee jump at Summit Bungee in Queenstown.  I understand the site was closed down a few months after my jump-I was there in April 1994, I think. 

Here's my photo--you can see me, I'm the black silhouette at the end of the lefthand length of rope, somewhere between the lower two sections of Lake Wakatipu.  YEEEEEEEHHHHHHAAAAAAAAW!



Re: the trauma of the jump on knees.  I wore a brace periodically for hiking during this trip because my kneecap subluxed and popped out all the time.  I was convinced that the bungee would cause it to do this, but the Summit Bungee was FINE.  That was a 70m/210+ft jump and it was very smooth and gentle.  I did another bungee jump earlier in the trip at Taupo, and that was a shorter one--probably half the height.  THAT was rough on the old joints, very herky jerky.  In fact, I remember my back popping all the way down--knee was okay, though.

Truth be told, skydiving (10,000 ft tandem jump, also done in Taupo, NZ) was much harder on my legs because I had a harness around my waist/hips/shoulders/low back.  It felt like the weight of both skydivers was suspended on MY inner thighs, and it was very painful.  I had bruises for weeks where the straps were, and my knees were both sore.  But I guess that's another story.....

Heather, very freaky that we share yet another thing in common!  Maybe we are living parallel existences....?

Heather (the other one  )

Wow Heather, that is really freaky!!   At first I thought you had copied and pasted my photo, then I took another look
I also heard that the Sumit Bungee was closed down due to the platform being unsafe.
Just before I did my jump, one of the bungee crew rode a mountain bike off the platform wearing a body harness, it looked really quite funny.
Did you notice that the 'safety cussion' was no where near lined up?, when they lowered me down to the bottom after I'd stopped bouncing, I landed a good 10' away from the cussion on the wooden decking

Robin, did you ask your OS about the bungee jump at your last visit??.

Heather

Not for me!   

Hi,

I had an ACL Reconstruction in 2009,
Though i did recover fully, my doctor said to avoid any unnecessary stress/trauma to the knee as he said that after surgery,
it never goes back to the same level as it was before.
Can I do a bungee?

Thanks in advance.

If you contact the provider, they should have a harness that takes some of the strain away from the knees. I've seen people with poor knees do it. The normal harness is not that good at protecting the knee I was told when I enquirer for someone else. If they do not have a special harness then go somewhere else. I know someone with TKRs in both knees who has done numerous buggy jumps. Not my idea of fun, but whatever floats your boat.

Some surgeons are way too conservative because they know nothing about sports and are following advice given decades ago. Here in Germany you are actively encouraged to continue with your sports (within certain impact limitations). I know of several 70+ skiers with various prosthetics who are very active skiers, ski tourers, climbers and mountain walkers. They do not jog any more but cycling, including in one case mountain biking. It really is a matter of keeping the whole body healthy rather than protecting one tiny bit at the expense of the rest!