ACL reconstruction June 25 2018 -advice gratefully received

[Diveskirun]

Hi I had a hamstring ACL reconstruction today.

I haven’t been given a brace although I was in one for 3 months after the ski accident that caused it-in the accident I had caused damage to my MCL too so they had wanted me to give that a chance to heal- which it has.

I can lift my leg no probs and earlier before the swelling kicked in  I had a range of 110degrees when bent and 7 degrees when straightening. In fact I’m feeling great and around the house am only on one crutch- I was even shuffling round the kitchen without anything earlier-  I have been told to weight bear as much as possible. However lying in bed I have moved my knee and I hear a squelching like a stomach makes when digesting. I wondered if I should remove the bandages thatthe nurse told me to leave on for 48hrs. I’m not sure what to do- any advice would be gratefully received.

[Vickster]

Leave the bandages on as instructed. They provide compression to ensure bleeding is stopped. They may be uncomfortable but you do NOT want bleeding in the joint. Assuming you had arthroscopy, the squelching is totally normal. The joint is filled with fluid so that the surgeon can see. It’ll be absorbed into the body in time.

Good luck. ACLr rehab is a long haul, marathon not sprint. Patience needed and crucial to follow the surgeon and Physio protocols to the letter so as to recover to schedule and not jeopardise the graft (it is at its most vulnerable at around 2-4 months)

[Diveskirun]

Thanks so much- I had no idea they pumped fluid into the knee- if they had warned me about the squelching I would not have been freaking out so much- it was horrible! It has stopped now thank goodness.