Cruciate ligaments :
What was the state of your knee before ACL op?? - - Posted by Elly (Elly), 12 September 2004
Hi,
Just wondering what kind of a state your knees were in before somebody decided it was time to operate?
I've tried physio, podiatry, rest+ice, ibuprofen and even total rest (eg - no exercise!) but the old knee is still wobbly etc (original injury 2 1/2 years ago).
I'm gonna try and see an orthopeadic consultant or whatever they're called - the last GP I saw said he'd refer me if needs be.
From what I've read some peoples knee's sounded worse than mine, but many seemed the same or not so bad. But that's reading between the lines and I want specifics!
At the moment I hardly trust my knee - it collapses medially, crunches and swells, and each time I injure it, it doesn't quite return to its previous ability.
Thanks for any info you can give me about how bad yours was before they operated! (and hopefully how wonderful it is now!!!)
Elly 
)
ps - I've heard you can even ski 12 months after op if all goes to plan!? I wouldn't have an ice cube's chance in hell of my knee surviving a ski trip at the mo!
Posted by heather_k (heather k from wales), 12 September 2004
I had an ACL recon in 1995. Before the op, my knee was totally unreliable, it would constantly give way and cause me to stumble or fall. I couldnt trust my knee at all.
By the sounds of it, your knee isnt much different from what mine was like.
Once I had the new ACL, and the rehab, it was almost as good as new. It was well worth having the op.
Sadly though in 2001 my knee went pear shaped and hasnt been sucessfully fixed....Yet.... This latest problem was nothing to do with the ACL.
Posted by Elly (Elly), 13 September 2004
Thanks for the reply!
Sounds like you must have spent a lot of time at the Knee Doctors! Did you have both your ACL and medial collateral igemnts fixed?
Hope your current problem gets fixed soon - out of interest, did you cause further injury because you were a bit adventurous with sport?
Happy healing!
Elly 
Posted by Gab (Gab), 13 September 2004
There was an 8 week period between the complete tear and reconstruction. I could not walk full weight-bearing, my knee was too unstable. If I tried walking it would either give up every once in a while or it would move just enough to trigger an inflammatory reaction. By the time I got surgery the swelling was pretty much non-existent (although it still looked puffier than the other knee) but I had lost a lot of muscles. I've been doing weights for 6 weeks now and my quads/calf/hamstring are slooooooooowly re-building up.
Posted by heather_k (heather k from wales), 13 September 2004
Hi Elly, In my 2nd knee op I had the Lateral Extra Articular Reconstruction, ACL Reconstruction, Notch Plasty and because my bone fixation was very poor due to very soft bones, I had a bone graft from the top of my shin and filled in with a load of bone staples.
Thanks for reminding me about the MCL bit, I must have been side tracked when I did the profile bit!. I did tear the MCL at the time of the injury in 1991, but it must have healed on its own and did'nt need fixing.
After that op I was back to full sporting activities with little trouble after about 18 months rehab. I did wind surfing, mountain biking, bunjee jumping and motorbike trials, the one where you ride over rocks and logs and stuff, no racing, its marked on how many times you put your feet down. Sounds sort of easy, but believe me its not and puts a huge strain on the knees. I know about 6 girls who used to ride who've torn their ACL's.
I managed to compete in the ladies European and World Championships for 3 seasons before my knee went pear shaped again.
The reason my knee went again was simply the repaired meniscus, un-repaired itself, causing a bucket handle tear to be caught in my knee, locking it. I then had a menisectomy in 2001, removing 90% of the meniscus. I really believe this is the cause of my knee continuing to give way and lock constantly. I had a scope in 2002 to look for the problem with no success, then a Revision ACL Reconstruction to try and tighten up the slightly lax ACL, still no success, then I was referred for a 2nd opinion. The new consultant scoped my knee, did a chondroplasty, excised the supra patella membrane and debrieded about 1/4 of the new ACL graft which had torn just inside the femoral tunnel, sadly there was still absolutley no improvement what so ever. And, I managed to get a huge hematoma on the side of my thigh, which has now thankfully dispersed.
Thats my story!.
Take care,
Heather 
Im now waiting to see yet another consultant, along with my current consultant so they can get their heads together to try and sort my knee out.
Posted by Elly (Elly), 14 September 2004
Ouchey!!
If you returned to trials biking (I know what that is by the way - looks VERY fun!) then maybe I could return to Capoeira one day (if they can find anything to fix!?). It's just too much strain at the mo.
To the other replier (whoever you are!) thank you!
My knee collapsed like you described for the first 3 days then lots of swelling in the joint capsule sort of stabalised it. It took about 10 weeks to get full range of movement, then I would re-twist it about once a fortnight to varying degrees. I don't know if I finally finished something off but recently I've been having loads of problems.
Thanks again! I think I'll deffo persue an orthopaed app. as my problems sound similar to a lot of people on this web site. (And sooooo many GP's sent me away with ibuprofen!)
Elly 
Posted by TNewlywed (hop-a-long), 15 September 2004
Hi Elly
To be honest mine wasn't THAT bad. But it stopped me doing the stuff I enjoyed. Walking or surfing was tough and made it swell up and unable to use the next day.
I was actually lucky that a screw coming loose after the original injury got me referred from the GP. (although to be honest the GP was not that keen to refer even though poor posture was trashing my back) But the surgeon made me a happy man - he said that I shouldn't have to live like that, my knee was clearly trashed. Once he had a look in and realised the ACL was completely torn, he felt it was clear I'd have bad arthritis probably within 15 years or so if I carried on as I was. He gave me the choice of an ACL recon, but once I had made my mind up he said it was a no-brainer and that my life would almost certainly improve.
Having said that, he did say that if I had have had some ACL already I would have a small risk of getting worse.
It may make a difference if you are private or not - NHS I would probably have had to wait 3 years. Worth trying to see the surgeon though!
Can't report how great it is yet - only 9 days post-op
Good luck
tracy
Posted by krismatt123 (carolanne), 17 September 2004
hi elly,
after what seems a lifetime of knee op's (22years) six months or so ago i had a bakers cyst on my knee which the surgeon decided to do a routine arthroscopy to remove it, only to discover that the original ACL in 1985 had completly worn away alongside that of most of my cartlidge.he removed the necessary cartlidge ( left the cyst, as apparently they return whatever!) and booked me in for a revision ACL
i,m with the NHS and this process took under seven months , from the original arthroscopy to the Re ACL ( i,m four days post op )
it seems like a miracle with the NHS i know, but just keep pushing, it may help if your job is physical. it,s too early days to say how the op has gone, although before i left the hospital he did tell me that my MCL and PCL are shattered. to be honest i think it depends on how much sport you want to do and to what level you want to achieve which determines how healthy you NEED your knee to be, i,ll be happy with a bit of swimming , cycling and yoga
good luck with everything elly
hope this may have helped
carol-anne xxxxxxxx 
Posted by Elly (Elly), 19 September 2004
Hi,
7 Months - fantastic! I don't even know if i could have surgery yet - trying to register with a new GP has taken about a month!
I actually work for the NHS and my job involves moving and handling so it's quite important to have good knees!
Anyway, we'll see. I've had to give up my favourite sport (Capoeira) recently because my knee can't take it at the mo - each time it's just about healed, it sprains again, even with the best supports I can find. I'd love to return to it but chances seem slim currently. I could settle for regular classes and a bit of Salsa!
Thanks, Elly 
Posted by Elly (Elly), 2 January 2005
just a little post note..
I managed to see a clinical knee specialist physio and I was right - he said I have no acl!
Posted by TNewlywed (hop-a-long), 3 January 2005
Thanks for the update. Are they going to try and do anything about it?
Less than 4 months on, and mine is going well although I still get tired walking / hiking much more than 4 miles. But ice skating today and quad biking new years eve. such bliss to get back to activity!!
Tracy
Posted by myrtknee94 (myrtknee94), 4 January 2005
Elly~ I love your name BTW
I injured my knee 10 years ago, I was 15. I have arthroscopic surgery which found that I had torn my ACL and medial meniscus. So, they cleaned my up and sent me on my way and told me to get a custom fit brace and I could return to sports. They didn't tell me they removed over half of my medial meniscus though. My new OS says that I never should have been allowed to return to sports with my knee the way it was. It should have been fixed.
Now, I have early arthritis which is causing me pain in day to day activites and my knee constantly gives way and it gets hung up or caught on something sending pain into my ankle every now and then. I will be going in for a meniscal transplant and ACL reconstruction Jan. 20th.
I was told that I would be able to ski in a year...so that is my long term goal. Short term, I would just like to go grocery shopping!! I have alot of work ahead of me!
Good luck on your findings and let us all know what is happening!
~Kristen
Posted by Elly (Elly), 5 January 2005
Thanks for the extra info!
I forgot to say, I also have some meniscal damage but it's not deep.
I suppose I'll find out the ins and outs of it when I go under the knife! (I'm probably getting a hamstring re-construction btw)
Anyway, it seems I was a classic ACL tear from the start, and now I realise just how bad the old knee's been over that time. I'm now wishing I didn't just think it was an ordinary sprain in the first place (2 1/2 years ago), as all this could be well over by now !
Hey ho, shall keep you posted!
Elly
Posted by estogirl696 (estogirl696), 8 January 2005
Good luck when you do have the surgery. Depending on how well everything goes, you may be skiing before 12 months! good lucvk to you!
Posted by Elly (Elly), 9 January 2005
I have never ski'd in my life so the could be interesting!!
Posted by Peru_Footballer (Peru_Footballer), 10 January 2005
Hi Elly,
to answer your question mine has been very stable even though my ACL is completely gone. I completed the pre-op PT and now I use a brace only to play football (soccer). I hope I can avoid the recon for a long time.
Best wishes to you,
Ric
Posted by Elly (Elly), 10 January 2005
Thanks for the reply, Mr Peru Footballer,
Unfortunately, my knee is not so stable, and the kind of sport I do is all twisting/jumping/weight shifting,
plus I need FULL range of movement so waring a brace is not so practical.
Anyway, moan over!
Hope you continue to experience lovely stable knee - just don't let your muscles get weak, especially the quads!
Elly
Posted by FunkyWalker (FunkyWalker), 12 January 2005
Hi Elly,
My knee was fully intact before I needed the ACL operation. I tore the ACL and both minisci (sp?) playing Ultimate Frisbee. I don't know if it helped but I was able to get surgery only 3 weeks after the injury so my leg was still pretty strong going in.
I had a hamstring graft done as well as repair to the miniscus. So far it's been a pretty good recovery (despite my recent pain - which I think is due to overdoing my rehab exercises).
Good luck with the surgery. My only advice is to get a CPM for the first week and stick to a strict ice/pain-meds schedule for that first week too otherwise it gets REALLY painful
Posted by lshale77 (lshale77), 21 January 2005
Elly,
I just had my ACL recon. 11 weeks ago today. But before that I went and saw a PT before the surgury. To make a long story short I needed to get strength back in my leg because I was in an imobilzer(sp) for 3 weeks before anyone knew what was wrong with me (thanks to my lovely insurance co.). Had 6 weeks of physical therapy which did help me alot. But my knee, just like yours and others, would keep going out doing the stupidest things. Best thing I ever did was have the surgery! I know it is a long process but it is diffently worth it end the end.
Updated Sat Nov 21 2009
