Cruciate ligaments :

2 weeks out! - - Posted by ATsoccergirl (ATsoccergirl), 30 December 2004

Hey everyone,

I'm now two weeks out from an ACL revision and doing great!  I got rid of the crutches yesterday, but I still have to be locked in extension for another 4 weeks.  My ACL was completely torn to the point that there was pieces of it floating around in my joint causing all the mesicus symptoms I've had.  

The day of surgery and afterwards was horrible.  I work up extremely sick and shakey afterwards.  I started to cry incontrollably for like 20 minutes.  Once they realized what was happening they were able to change drugs and that went away.  I was then on a morphine pump for the next 15 hours or so.  

I have excellent ROM with full extension and 115 degrees of flexion.  I lost minimal muscle strength, and my surgeon is predictating that I should be on the soccer field again around 4 months.
Posted by jbluestein (jbluestein), 30 December 2004

wow, your OS predicts back to soccer in 4 months after a revision? I presume you'll be in a brace?

That's amazing, glad to hear you're on the way back AT.
keep posting your results.

did you have a repair of your meniscus? why was the recovery room so bad?
Posted by Gab (Gab), 4 January 2005

Good to hear !!  
Posted by ATsoccergirl (ATsoccergirl), 7 January 2005

My meniscus was actually intact.  All the meniscus related symptoms I was having was from pieces of the ACL floating around in my knee.  It's really up to me if I want to return with a brace, I'll be consulting with my coaches and team athletic trainers to help me make this decision.  I'm leaning more towards just using a counter force brace.
Posted by Gab (Gab), 7 January 2005

The same thing happened to me. I was in shock to learn that both meniscii were intact despite having random pinching and locking every now and then.

Just reading your signature, you plan on going back to play after all the things that have happened to your knee?!   I only blew the ACL and I'm almost promising myself that I won't subject my knees to that kind of potential trauma if only my knee could return to normal!

Anyway, hang in there!
Posted by estogirl696 (estogirl696), 8 January 2005

Hey, congrats on doing better and good luck on your recovery.  I'm going back at 4 months too(2 and a half more weeks! )  Wishing you a speedy and painfree recovery!  Keep us updated.
Posted by murtaughdog (murtaughdog), 10 January 2005

It motivates me tremendously to see others returning to sports so quickly (after hard work of course).
Thanks!


Rgr
Posted by Peru_Footballer (Peru_Footballer), 10 January 2005

glad to hear you are doing better and that there was no damage to your meniscus.

Posted by FunkyWalker (FunkyWalker), 12 January 2005

Good to hear your recovery is going well.  Being able to get back to playing after 4 months is amazing!!  I'm at 4 months now and wish I could be ready to go.  Good luck with the rest of your rehab!

Funky
Posted by ATsoccergirl (ATsoccergirl), 14 January 2005

Hey guys,

Everything continues to progress quickly, I'm now 4 weeks post op.  The knee is doing great, but I've developed compartment syndrome in my lower leg from my brace.  So I have to take some time off from rehab, but it shouldn't affect my time table to returning to sports.
Posted by jbluestein (jbluestein), 14 January 2005

compartment syndrome? tell me more.

I love it when you talk technical   best of luck AT, I'm glad to hear the surgery went well.

I'd like to know more about what your OS tells you about graft incorporation. Does it matter when it fully incorporates when considering a return to sports?

I've been told an allograft takes up to 18 months to fully incorporate. I guess a brace will protect the graft to some extent. What were you told?
Posted by ATsoccergirl (ATsoccergirl), 16 January 2005

Compartment syndrome occurs when there is an extensive amount of swelling in the lower leg and there is not enough room for the leg to accomadate the swelling.  The muscles are then pushed against the bone which results in more bleeding and more swelling which further raises the intracompartmental pressure eventually leading to tissue death.

Mine is relatively minor, but is still very painful.  I was told however, that if I get any numbness in my leg, I will have to have emergency surgery.  

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