Did I RETEAR ACL GRAFT ?

[Scally101]

Hey everyone. I was amazed when I seen a forum like this. I see many of you have been helpful and I hope someone can help me out on here as well.

I am 10 months post surgery. I had successful surgery using a Hamstring graft. I play college basketball. I have been practicing for the past 3 months, playing pick up basketball as well after practice, and tennis on the weekends. Knee was holding up and felt normal to me.

6 Days ago we went to a tournament and played a game. ( My 3rd game back ). First play of the game i dribbled to the freethow line and looked to pass it to my team. As i came to a stop and rotated my body to make the pass I felt my knee shift ( Same shift of the tiba that I have felt in the past ). But this time I felt it catch, like my graft stopped it from shifting. It was a very weird shifting. I fell down in pain and was helped off but I wasn't it much pain. I was just thinking wow this can't be happening again. The university trainer came to assist me when they carried me off, she bent my knee all the way in and i was able to straighten it and push down againt her hand. I was able to walk but limp. So i was told i might be able to go back into the game. We iced the knee for 20 minutes, once i took the ice off my knee was very stiff. I was barely able to limp. I was crutch walking for the day and then able to limp and now walk since then. The Athletic therapist told me when he was doing tests that it was hard to tell what happened because from what she seen it looks like i just fell. After doing tests, she said I may of reaggrevated the graft, or stretched it, or might be a meniscus problem.
Right now it is 6 days after the incident, swelling is down alot and i can walk but still have problems with the ROM..  I am trying to think it is only a strech, doing as much research on the computer but it's been tough to deal with mentally. My knee shifted 6 times prior to my first surgery.  2 of the other 6 times it shifted, I was basically able to walk few days after and the MRI showed nothing and then the 2nd MRI should a slight tear. The last time it shifted, I knew i tore my acl because of i was in screaming pain and the MRI should full tear.

This shift felt like it caught.  IT was forsure the least of all shifts but still I amd very worried that something happened. I have had knee problems for the past 2 years and after I had surgery 10 months ago I felt like finally this can be a new beginning for me and I will be able to help the team. BUt now I am just confused and unsure. I see the doctor in one week.

Any thoughts or opinons will be appreciated. Thank you all  for reading and i hope to hear from you soon.

[emergRN]

Hi Scally,

I think it is worthy of getting it checked out by your surgeon.  If the graft is intact, I don't think your knee should shift/slide.  It is sometimes difficult to do the manual tests to check the graft when the knee is acutely injured and swollen.  Hopefully, the swelling and stiffness will be resolved somewhat by the time you see your doc.

It is not possible for anyone here to tell you if you tore your graft.  All of the things that the AT told you are possibilities.  It does sound suspicious enough to warrant a good assessment though.  I really hope that everything turns out right for you.  Basketball is a hard game to play with an unstable knee.  I do hope that you will not try to play again until you are seen by your orthopedic surgeon.

When you do get assessed, please post again to let us know what the verdict is.

I wish you the best of luck.  As someone who has had ACL surgery twice in 14 months, I would not wish that on anyone!

Take Care

W

[Scally101]

I really appreciate the reply emergRN.

Do you mind me asking how you managed to tear the graft and how did it feel ?

I have a MRI, appointment with physio therapist i worked with pre and post surgery, and appointment with my surgeon. I will post all results. I'm hoping it isn't to bad. That's the last thing i need.

Thanks again,

Scally

[emergRN]

Scally,

Sorry, I didn't realize that you had posted again!  You asked how I managed to tear my graft??  That is the question of the century!  I have no idea!  It was a graft failure, so it could have been for several reasons.

I did not have any symptoms like I had with the initial tear.  I did not have the same swelling or intense pain.  I think my graft may have torn over time, but there was no incident that I can really pinpoint!  I really knew my graft was gone when I had an episode of the knee "sliding out"!  I knew that feeling, and that was when I knew for sure what the problem was.  I just had a lot of medial knee pain over the year!

I don't know if you have been back on here since you made your initial post, but I am curious to see how you made out!

W

[NIGAV]

Im in a similar position.  11 1/2 weeks post op last saturday i think i may have done damage to my graft getting into the back seat of a car.  Woke up sunday and knew something had changed. I had resolved all post op pain but suddenly i had a nagging pain in my knee.  It felt looser than it had previously.  No swelling worth talking about.  Though some minor discomfort when i squeeze my quads to push to full extension.
 I was already booked for my 3 months follow up with the surgeon, and unfortunately couldnt get to see him any earlier. So ive another 10 days to wait to see him. Have been out on the bicycle today no problems. I had been jogging comfortably before but ive shelved that exercise until after i see the OS. Any slight limp has gone after 3 days. Though when i stand from sitting, i feel some small movment in my knee that wasnt there before the incident.  I have almost resigned myself to the fact that i have torn the graft, and the OS is just going to confirm.  If its the case i will be devastated to have undone all his and my good work since the op as id been making excellent progress.  Results to follow when i see him.

Good luck in your diagnosis/recovery scally101

[NIGAV]

Well i saw my surgeon today and was glad to be told everything is still in good shape. Graft is still in place and good and tight he says. He also commented on how well my quads were building since id last saw him 9 weeks ago. The 'loose' feeling i had has all but gone and im back into the physio and strength programme again and doing all the balance work.  Just stiicking to cycling for the meantime for cardio as im not confident enough to go back to the jogging for a few weeks.  Still a wee bit of pain 1st thing in the morning on the medial area of my knee around the joint line but that goes after i do my morning pehab routine.  OS coudnt pinpoint any issues to explain that but its becoming less of an issue every day.
Anyway, such a relief to get reassurance from the surgeon who performed the procedure. Now i can crack on with getting over this injury and back towards normality.

[Scally101]

Hey Everyone,
Turns out i fully ruptured my graft and small meniscus tear.. What caused my knee too lock was the graft got stuck in between. I am 7 weeks post op now and feel great, thanks god.

Once again, I appreciate everyones input and wish you the best of luck with your Rehab.

[BB13]

hiii!

I had my second ACL reconstruction using a patellar tendon autograft on my right knee on June 4, 2012. last week i went to sky high and was jumping on the trampolines (STUPID IDEA) when i landed off balance on my right knee the one i just had reconstructed. it felt like it hyper extended followed by a loud pop and gave out. it didnt really hurt as much as the two previous times i tore my acl but it swelled up alot and i have limited ROM. I cant fully extend or bend it. it has felt very unstable and as if it is slipping out from under me i guess is the best way to explain it. have i retorn my ACL graft or could it be something else???   

[Ciara05]

Sorry to hear that you may have hurt your knee again. I had my right knee ACLr for the first time about 4 months ago. I just returned to my job which is where I tore the ACL. Mine was caused by a drunk driver from a crash. I have returned to my normal activities, but I am paranoid of something happening like to you. I hope you will be ok. Are you going to contact your doctor?

[Snowy]

While the only way to tell for sure is to get a surgeon or physiotherapist to check you out, it does sound from your description as though you may have done some damage to the knee. The swelling, instability and limited ROM aren't good signs, unfortunately.

I'd get a proper assessment of the knee done as soon as you can. Even if the graft is intact, swelling and pain indicate that you've injured something in the joint. Much better to find out what and make sure you're doing the right things for the knee rather than guessing as to what's wrong.

Good luck - I'll keep my fingers crossed for you.

[BB13]

yeah i just saw it, Thank you. i was supposed to be seeing my surgeon for my six month post op nest weeek but he moved it up to tomorrow. Thanks again! hope its not torn again!

[Snowy]

Glad to hear you've been able to get the appointment moved up. I hope it's good news!

[BB13]

he said hes pretty sure my graft ruptured. he said there was still alot of swelling so he gave me pretty strong anti inflammatories to get all the swelling out and i go in for my mri next week! if that confirms the tear i would have to do an acl revision which would be two surgeries. one to clean out joint and get the bone tunnels to close and then in a few months to do another reconstruction using my other knees patellar tendon. which would suck. hope the mri has good news next week!!

[1jessicalsmith1]

So I'm just over the 6-month mark post-surgery (did the hamstring graft) and yesterday I slipped on some ice and hyperextended the crap (and maybe twisted in the process) out of my knee. Its swollen and painful "inside", and I can feel some clickIng/catching inside as I straighten it.  I'm terrified that I tore my graft - overreaction or a real possibility? I have my six month post op appt with my ortho guy in 4 days but am going crazy with worry. Thoughts?

[Alm74]

I had a similar incident as well. 6 weeks after I had the hamstring graft slipped tweaked knee and landed on it bent. Was swollen and bruised next day. Pain association to the fall was evident. ROM seemed ok. But the whole knee definitely felt different then before the fall. The earliest I could see my OS was 3 weeks from then. During those 3 weeks i felt small clicks and cracks in my knee (similar to pre surgery, but still post tear) so it added up that I had damaged my graft.
After I saw my OS he assured me everything is fine. knee felt tight and norm.
Since then all pain has gone. occasional small click come from knee but nothing painful. ROM is ok. however it still feels weird compared to before i fell.
I am still not 100% at peace with this or in agreement with the diagnosis. I am going in for another check up soon. Hopefully an MRI.

I am curious what happened to you is everything ok 1jessicalsmith1?!?