Hi Dan,
I feel your pain, I've been there,man. I'm 4 1/2 months out from an ACL, PCL, MCL reconstruction and I am still on crutches, I just started using one every once in a while but have to use both usually, especially after my therapy sessions. You're only 11 days out, try and consentrate on pain management and keeping your quad and calf pumping. I started doing quad flexes and calf pumps day 1 after surgery then graduated to leg lifts. I was locked out in a straight brace for a month after surgery, no bending at all, it SUCKED!!!!  I did lots of ice, quad flexes and calf pumps. It's probably the suckiest time of recovery.
I'm 4 1/2 months out now and am able to ride the stationery bike for 20 minutes, leg press 120 lbs. for 3 sets of 15 and walk on the treadmill for 5 minutes holding on. The best advice I have for this injury is don't compare yourself to others with one ligament tears, this injury is a completely different animal. We are the statistical 0.02%.  Believe me, it gets better, just be patient and positive and try not to fall into a depression, I know it's easy to do but having a negative attitude is very counterproductive. Hang in there and stay positive. Keep me updated on your progress. If you want to hit me up by email too, you can. Take care, John.

Hi Dan,
I feel your pain, I've been there,man. I'm 4 1/2 months out from an ACL, PCL, MCL reconstruction and I am still on crutches, I just started using one every once in a while but have to use both usually, especially after my therapy sessions. You're only 11 days out, try and consentrate on pain management and keeping your quad and calf pumping. I started doing quad flexes and calf pumps day 1 after surgery then graduated to leg lifts. I was locked out in a straight brace for a month after surgery, no bending at all, it SUCKED!!!!  I did lots of ice, quad flexes and calf pumps. It's probably the suckiest time of recovery.
I'm 4 1/2 months out now and am able to ride the stationery bike for 20 minutes, leg press 120 lbs. for 3 sets of 15 and walk on the treadmill for 5 minutes holding on. The best advice I have for this injury is don't compare yourself to others with one ligament tears, this injury is a completely different animal. We are the statistical 0.02%.  Believe me, it gets better, just be patient and positive and try not to fall into a depression, I know it's easy to do but having a negative attitude is very counterproductive. Hang in there and stay positive. Keep me updated on your progress. If you want to hit me up by email too, you can. Take care, John.

hello to boyh you, I'm sorry for your injury....

but I don't understand a thing. now, today, do you walk with crutches??? after 4 months and 1/2month? Can I ask you what kind of surgery did the doctord do to you? with your tendons or with donor tendon?

For me It's too strange that you are able to do these gym exercises (cyclette, leg press, ecc) and you are not able to walk without crutches...


However, I am with you....  I had my surgery on september, 12, PCL and ACL with ALLographt (donor's tendons).... I, also, brake partially my MCL but this is "cicatrized"...

an other doctor wanted to reconstruct to me also Postero LAteral Corner, but my doctor said to me that It was sufficient to do PCL and ACL....ant the knee returned stable.... PLC evidently was not tottally broken, buat only partially......

A kiss from Italy and excuse me for my bad English...

Andrea

Thanks for the reply, Andrea. Your English is great, better than some Americans I know....
Let me get you up to date on my injury. I completely tore my ACL, PCL and MCL in March in a dirtbiking accident. The bottom half of my leg got caught between my bike and a rock when I fell and my leg was bent at a 90 degree angle at my knee facing outward. After I fell I popped my knee back into place, then I went to stand up on it and it totally folded up underneath me at a 90 degree angle facing outward again. We had to splint it with tree branches and I road out with my leg hanging off my bike for 2 hours then an hour in the truck to the hospital.
I had my surgery in May, reconstruction of my ACL, PCL and MCL with donor tendons and a lot of cleaning up in there. My Doc said it was a mess in there, lots of damage.
My therapy has been going great and I'm definitely getting stronger, as for walking, I'm getting there. Sometimes I'm able to walk with one crutch but usually have to use both, especially days after my therapy because of pushing it so hard. My body weight my be a factor too, I was a big guy before my injury and I'm even bigger now after riding the couch for 6 months. I'm working on taking weight off, in down 10 lbs now and that's made it easier.
How did you get your injury?  And how's your therapy going now?  Thanks again for the reply, it's always nice to be in contact with others that understand what your going through.  I have lots of pictures from my crash until now too, let me know if you want to see them. Stay positive. Thanks again, John

Nice to meet you (even if virtually  ), dear John....

I am truly sorry for you bike accident.....  Your description gives a good idea, it was horrible, of course..... But I am happy to read that you are making progress.... In this accidents we must have  a lot of patience.... if you want let me see your pictures....

My story is slightly different from yours... first, for the "times".... my injury occurred on 7 May 2007....  for 5 years I have lived with my broken knee..... Do you want to know like is occcurred injury?? I don't know  if you'll laugh or you'll cry....it was very very stupid!!


I was playing soccer, (a "casual match" between friends, I wa not a great soccer player  ).... I made goal (a great, a beautiful goal... i took the ball in midfield, I went through two opponent players,and also through in dribbling and I made  goal, but it was better if I didn't make this goal).....

after the goal I and all my friends were all "excited"  because these kinds of goal I made one time in one year  .... a my friend "embraced" me very "impetuosly"... He hung himself to me with arms and legs, with all his weight... (a imagine that we often see also in TV, a common image to sportive people)... I don't know as It is occurred,....perhaps because my leg was "unbalanced"..... perhaps because this friend is  more heavy than me), but my left leg didn't support his weight and folded totally..... my pain was horrible, but I was able to stand up and walk limping......

we in Italy have a proverb that regards me in this case : "fortune is blind but bad luck see very well"

my injuries were judged multple, but partial..... partial rupture of ACL, partial rupture of PCL, partial rupture of MCL.....

now you could ask me why I waited so much time for my surgery.... essentially for 3 reasons:

1)because I met several doctors that didn't want to do surgery to me..... They were afraid.....  It isn't a good thing when you, for example, see a great doctor (the head of a great orthopedic italian structure  ) that visits your knee and has a facial expression like if he should say to you that you have a cancer....  I don't know like is the situatione in USA, but here in Italy, all orthopedic doctors are able to do ACL.....for an orthopedical surgeon, today,  ACL  is like an appendicitis for a generical surgeon....but if you tear PCL in Italy....You have a lot of frustration for look  for a good surgeon that does also PCL.....

2) second reason was the work....  it's sad to say this fact....but in my beautiful Italy, if you have a "precarious work" (like me) You must be very afraid if you want to do a surgery a take a period of illness from work.... even if it's a your law, your boss at work can dismiss you

3)third reason was this: even if a had a horrible and multiple injury, after njury, I went to a good physiatrist and I did a long and hard gym work for developing my leg muscle.....obviously I abandoned every kind of sport but I was able to live a good daily life.... for 3 years, until 2010....

after summer 2010 my pain and my sensations of unstability adn weakness increased and so I returned to look for a good surgeon who was able to operate me without fear..... I met surgeons who were always afraid, and some surgeon (especcially the most young doctors) who appeared even "excited" to have a case like me..... a good injury for their curriculum vitae  aahahahahaah 

at the end I went to a doctor especialized in multi ligaments rupture..... in first month after surgery I must do (and I am doing) home exercises on my bed.....after 1 months I must go to physiotherapy center....

after about 2 months from surgery I should be able to walk withouw crutches and knee brace....

excuse me for this long message, I hope that I have not bored you  with my story

Sorry to hear about your accident. Isn't it amazing how much damage can be done in one split second? 
Wow!!!  I can't even imagine having to wait 3 years for surgery, I thought waiting 3 months was long, that must've felt like an eternity. I'm glad you're all put back together now and recovering. 
I'll email you my pics, it's pretty amazing to look back on my pics and think of how far I've come.
Keep me posted on your progress. Keep up the good work and stay positive.