Recent ACL tear...looking for some help!

[Kaputt_Knee]

I can really recommend the Townsend Rebel functional sports brace - no idea how much it cost but it is sooooooo comfortable and easy to fit - I was recommended this by an athletic trainer here on this site. The hinges copy the actual movement of the knee unlike most of the other braces on the market. My PTs and my surgeon were well impressed when the saw it. I've worn it for skiing on 3 occasions and have not even noticed it.

The web site is www.townsenddesign.com I think.

Sue 

[fritzrac]

Well, I am hoping i just overdid it today. The knee has been a bit tender after yesterday's pt but still felt good so I went to the gym today. I did my usual upper body stuff but I also did 10 min. on the bike, which was approved by my pt. It was stiff from today so I figured I'd do my quad sets, ice, and relax for the night. Also took some advil. Well, as I was doing them my knee was cracking, sort-of, and then I felt like I had to pop my knee. You know that feeling when you can't extend the joint so you pop it. No worries as I didn't. I stopped the heal drags and waited a bit. Then I thought maybe I could do the ones where you pull the towel and press your knee down...no good. some pains, all over the knee, including the back of it. So, I just stopped, evelated, and ice! I don't think i did anything to the graft but I think my knee is tired! I'm going to sleep w/ it elevated and hope tomorrow is a better day! I know normally I would be flipping out but reading all the posts here keeps me hopeful that this is all normal. although, some reassuring works couldn't hurt
Rachel

[fritzrac]

3 wks 1 day Post op

Well, the wonders of ice! We read all the veterans say ice ice ice! RIght? Well, I didn't listen. In my lst post I mentioned the locking feeling in my knee and I was worried about if there was a problem. Well I think the problem was not icing enough. And I know I wasn't. The next morning I had the same experience with the lockiing and kept thinking about Dancer's post on her thread about not icing enough and her knee locking. I read her thread, a good one too!, before I even posted on this board and made a mental note about making sure I ice and here I was in pain  and going backwards bc I didn't take the extra time to ice. Finally that afternoon, with lots of ice, I was able to do my excercises without locking. Yay! My knee was still painful and I had lost extension but at least is wasn't locking. It has been frustrating as I worked so hard on my extension to see it vanish in one night but I'm working on it. I went to pt last night, where I was supose to get more excercises, and talked to the pt. He figures I just wasn't icing and since there still isn't alot of stabilization there, still just working on flexion, extension, pain relief, the joint can do all kinds of stuff. I was able to complete all my excercises, although my pt held off on the new ones, with minimal discomfort. This morning I noticed that I was walking with a bent knee and couldn't get my knee to extend when I walked so I have been sitting on the coffee table on and off the rest of the day working on extension. Oh, and icing like crazy! Well, my knee feels great! I was even able to  do some laundry, cooked dinner, and did some dishes..great time for my dish washer to break! I just took it easy and when my knee got tired I hopped on the couch and iced. I noticed before my setback my knee felt heavy, I guess from swelling. Now I feel like I can move it better when I walk. So lesson learned! And I am sorry that I didn't listen to all the veterans here who warn us newbies to RICE! I will not forgot anymore! I have pt tomorrow and hoping to get more excercises but maybe he'll wait a little longer just to make sure I'm back on track. By the way, I did call my OS and they said they feel good bc it was improving and that my knee is goin through so  much right now I will have lots of twinges and stuff while I'm healing. Yay...more to worry about!

I really just want to express the importance of RICE. I couldn't get it into my head and I learned the hard way and set myself back a few days or so. So, if you are still reading this and are going to this right now, please make sure you take care of your knee and do everything the drs and pt say. I can't beleive the difference in my knee just after a few days!

Okay, lecture's over. Now I need to start another thread about weight control! Ughh.....
Rae

[fritzrac]

Almost  month post op!

Hey guys! All is well here! Went to the OS today and they said everything looked good. I need to work on my flexion some more, as I could only get it to just shy of 100 degrees. They said that's the low side of normal so I will be working on that. I also had pt and was there for almost 3 hours! Apparently this pt doesn't take off excercises so you are there forever! But as long as it works, i don't care. One patient summed it up, 'It's like a part-time job!" I got some new excercises today which was great. I like when I get new things b/c I know that means I've earned them! I'm down to one crutch and have taken a step or two without them. Now that I have a bit of strenth training added to pt I can see such a diffrence. It's amazing! It can be a little scary too b/c I want to move a certain way and then I realize, ouch, can't do that yet! Also, when I go to put my foot somewhere, like if I'm squating I need my feet shoulder width apart. I have to look b/c I can't tell if it's under my hip! Guess I will need to work on proprioception!
Hope everyone's doing well!
Rae

[BigSkyGirl]

I used to spend a minimum of 2 hours at the PT Palace, it truly is a part-time job.  It is so good to hear about your progress, time is flying by now and you will soon begin to do things without even thinking about it.

[fritzrac]

Thanks BSG! You are right, time is starting to move, finally! The first 3 weeks seemed like a lifetime but I can't believe a month has gone by! Just yesterday I started moving ways b/c I just thought I could. Of course my leg will usually say no no, not yet, but it's nice to feel a little normal at times! I'm still really careful about how I move but my leg seems like it's getting ready to rejoin the rest of my body! Oh, and remember my question about how long for crutches? Well, I didn't ask my OS but he said he'd like to see me off of them in 2 weeks. Well, that puts me at 6 wks so I don't think that's unreasonable. I was surprised that he said that but it least it wasn't unrealistic! He keeps asking me if I need more pain meds. And I tell him no every time but this time he said, "ya know, we want you to take them before pt." I didn't realized this! And honestly it's not an option as I need to drive myself and care for my 3 little ones during the day! But basically he wants me to take the meds so that I can push through the pain a little more in pt. PT generally doesn't hurt but today I did push a little past comfort, w/o pain meds. Hope that will be ok.  Just can't take that stuff at 9am!!!!

[fritzrac]

1 month and 1 day post-op!
Yay! 1 month down!!!! I'm so excited! I'm hoping the next few months go by even faster!
So, I'm really starting to feel better. I am off crutches at home which I never thought would happen. I remember trying to walk using crutches with full extension and my leg would shake and "feel" like it wanted to give out. I thought I will never be ok. Well, only a couple weeks later my leg is so much stronger! It has a long wy to go but I am seeing the difference every day! And with all this healing going on, I am still staying mindful that it's still lots of work, making sure I'm keeping up with my excercises and my icing! I learned my lesson once and I don't want to go back there!
My pt added a ton yesterday but it was great. I had gone around 12 and it was another 3+ hrs till I was done. I then had to take my kids to gynmastics (I stay there but am sitting) and then we had plans to eat out with some friends. So it was a long day for my knee. I iced, took advil, and a vicoden, and fell soundly asleep by 11. Well, I was up at 3 with an achy knee and just couldn't get past it. So, iced again and took some more advil and vicoden and needless to say, wasn't ready to get up this morning. I was so groggy from the meds this morning but at least my knee felt great! Hopefully tonight will go well and no meds needed!
I am just thrilled to start to feel good again. I can help my children and hubby more which is great!
I hope you all have a great weekend!
Rae

[fritzrac]

Okay, so another lesson learned!
I've been wanting to get off my crutches in the worst way. I'm 5wks 1day post-op and my dr. wanted me off them by 6 wks. So, I was getting nervous about hitting this milstone as I was still on one crutch and just wasn't getting strong enough. Well, I was slackiing in the SLRs although I was doing most of my others. I figured I better get back to my SLRs, and was able to add some ankle wights (strapped to my thigh) and I'm happy to report that in 2 days I went out today crutch free!!!! I can still feel fatigue in my leg and can only go short distances but I am thrilled that I could do it with confidence! YAY! I see the OS within the week and getting xrays to check on the bone blocks so I hope to have happy news to report then!
Have a great weekend!
Rae

[vinnic]

Glad to hear your crutch-free! 

[BigSkyGirl]

I know you are glad to be rid of the sticks, it really gives such a sense of freedom....enjoy!!

[blueberry09]

i am just interested, do you still use the crutches when you have to walk further or quicker, or do you not use the crutches at all and limit your distance / speed of walking?
just wondering as i found that once i reached the stage (pre-op still unfortunatly) i could walk say 200 yards without the crutches, sometimes i went without them, but i still used them quite a bit as i was always in a rush to get to school on time, or had to walk a longer distance than i could manage etc.  using the crutches meant i could do what i needed to do quick enough, and if i walked slowly then although it was great having my arms free i felt so resitricted in what i could manage.  how do you deal with this?

[vinnic]

Blueberry, I was so happy to get off my crutches after being on them most of last summer that I opted to slow down and concentrate on improving my gait.  I felt that the more I walked without the crutches/crutch/brace, the better off I was at strengthening the leg.  It was annoying to walk so slow at first, but now I'm back at my normal pace and I walk at a good clip.  In my case, the knee still cracks and the lower leg shifts every so often, but it's far less than it was even a couple months ago.  I'm still working on going up and down stairs like I used to though.  Everyone's situation is different, so do what you feel is right for you.  Hope this helps a bit!