HELP!!! Stretched ACL..

[dannatt1]

Hi.

About 4 years ago i was playing cricket and i fell awkwardly and over stretched my knee resulting in a stretched ACL.

it took about 6 months to get a full examination and all the tests came up as an acl injury, all test showed extream laxity in the knee.

I had an authroscaphy which showed no damage.

and was told the knee was fine and got told to strengthen the muscles around the knee.

(still wasnt told I had a stretched the ACL)

about 12 months later i went back to the doctors who sent me for an MRI which again i was told came back all clear and to keep strengthening the knee.

again 6 months later went back had all the tests my knee was extreamly lax.. so for another MRI scan which again I was told was all clear....

sorry to bore you all..

but around 6 months ago i went back to see a different doctor who looked at all my nots and he told me i had a stretched ACL!!!! after been told for so long everything was fine by the surgeons i finally get a diagnosis so i am stuck now I dont no what to do..

I am so angry that i was fobbed off for all this time! I have not been able to play football and it has effected my work to I would love to sue the surgeons for pain and suffering!

I go to the gym 4 times a week and it just doesnt get any better!

any advice would be great

[emergRN]

Sorry to hear of your troubles with your knee.  An ACL that is stretched, but intact will show up as an intact ACL on an MRI.  If you are having ongoing problems of instability, you need to find an OS that will go by the results of the physical exam with your knee(which it seems you  have found).  Those test do not usually produce false positives. Your ACL will not shrink back.  You can work on building up your quads, but if you are still experiencing difficulty with instability after this, then you need to seek other alternatives.  If your latest OS states that you have a stretched ACL, and your knee has ongoing issues of laxity, then obviously there is a problem.

If I were you, I would spend your energy in trying to get your problems resolved, so you can get your life back.  You cannot change what has already occurred.  Get your knee problems resolved first.  If you are still feeling the same way later, then you can always see if you have a case. 

Good Luck!

W