Ruptured Patellar Tendon Surgery

[Kaddydee]

Kerri,  all the best with your operation!

Dan,  have you been massaging you knee?  My range of movement was slow to come back until I started spending 10 minutes morning and night massaging the knee.  Then is improved it really quickly.  Rowing, at the gym also really helped once I had about 40 degrees.  I would leave by bad leg on the ground and put my good leg on the machine and row away.

I'm about 4 months post op and feeling like I'm improving rapidly in the areas of bend and stability.  I'm a long way off being able to walk up stairs but that's because I started with no quad strength before the operation.  I am still fully reliant on the railings to get up even one step.  This is my next goal.

Thankfully, I never have any pain.  Just a bit of stiffness.

K

[aggie_ks]

I had my surgery yesterday and according to the Doc , it went well. It took a little longer than expected because of some calcium build-up. I am back at home now and just trying to rest. I'm sure I will have lots of questions once I start PT. Thanks for the welcome.

And I live on California's Central Coast just South of San Francisco.

Kerri

[nmacseven50]

Hello all

I had posted on here previously but I will update you on my situation. I have had a long history of patellar tendonitis. This eventually turned into a significant partial tear of the Patellar tendon, which I had repaired in December. I am not at 12 and a half weeks post op.

Everything seems to be going good with the strength. I am riding a bike with no pain. I am able to do lunges, squats, one leg floor touches etc. The one thing that has me a bit worried is the range of motion. The knee is a tad bit swollen still at this point. My range of motion is at 108 degrees, compared to 130 degrees on the non injured knee/leg. I think the repaired knee has been at this same point for about the past 3 weeks. This has me a bit worried. In doing some research I have heard people talk about a 'dip' In their recovery where the strength and range of motion hit a standstill and don't improve for a set time period. I do my PT exercises daily, and I ride an exercise bike daily for 20 days. I swam with a frog kick swim last week and it was a bit painful and tight feeling. Should I start over the heel slides that I was prescribed at the beginning of physical therapy. The current range of motion is not problematic in daily activities, but as an athlete I would like to get it back to at least 90-95% of the un injured knee.

[Kaddydee]

Nmacseven50,  glad to hear things are going well!
My physio gave me a good bending exercise yesterday.  It's a bit hard to explain but I'll try.  Standing up, I put my bad leg on a chair (knee and shin touching chair) and then I do a squat.  To extend this, you can roll a towel up under the ankle (to lift it up/bend it more) and then squat again - much harder!

Because I've only got about a 95 degree bend I can only squat about 5cm in this position. It doesn't seem like much but I can feel the stretch!

Kath

[Thomas99]

The adventure continues:

I had further surgery on the 18th February 2015 to clear out a large hematoma and to wash out the knee. All was going good with stitches due to be removed Monday.

Unfortunately on Saturday I had some concerning pains in the thigh & on the inside of the knee, so went to emergency as concerned could have been a blood clot. Ultrasound confirmed not blood clot, but another small hematoma was present. Just noticed Sunday night the wound has started to bleed outside of the skin into the bandage.

Doesn't help that I'm on blood thinning therapy.

Appointment to see my OS on Monday, concerned that I might need another operation to fix up the bleeding and remove this further hematoma.

Feeling depressed (trying to stay positive) as having setback after setback and the knee seems like it will never heal. Been a long 9 months since my fall back in June 2014. Also very hard on my wife who has gone thru hell as well.

[madvillain]

Hello all

I had posted on here previously but I will update you on my situation. I have had a long history of patellar tendonitis. This eventually turned into a significant partial tear of the Patellar tendon, which I had repaired in December. I am not at 12 and a half weeks post op.

Everything seems to be going good with the strength. I am riding a bike with no pain. I am able to do lunges, squats, one leg floor touches etc. The one thing that has me a bit worried is the range of motion. The knee is a tad bit swollen still at this point. My range of motion is at 108 degrees, compared to 130 degrees on the non injured knee/leg. I think the repaired knee has been at this same point for about the past 3 weeks. This has me a bit worried. In doing some research I have heard people talk about a 'dip' In their recovery where the strength and range of motion hit a standstill and don't improve for a set time period. I do my PT exercises daily, and I ride an exercise bike daily for 20 days. I swam with a frog kick swim last week and it was a bit painful and tight feeling. Should I start over the heel slides that I was prescribed at the beginning of physical therapy. The current range of motion is not problematic in daily activities, but as an athlete I would like to get it back to at least 90-95% of the un injured knee.

I don't want to make this post "preachy" like some of my other ones but I will just reiterate that IMO "heel slides" are the base of any recovery (along with a few other PT drills) and even after you've regained the motion they are a great way to warm up the knees for more rigorous activity.  They are also very safe, which as we all know is critical.

I hit the 12 week mark on sunday.   I'm at full ROM (thankfully) and I had a really great gym session last weekend where subconciosuly I started RUNNING while doing high knees.  Previously I had not had the confidence or "bounciness" to actually have that split second of both feet off the ground while doing my drills.

I do a lot of agility drills now (quick feet quick feet!) and have stepped up the intensity in general.  Can almost do body weight squats to parallel but lunges are a step too far at the moment.  Do a lot of weighted step ups to 3 feet now.  Those are great.  Little steps ain't no thang after a few of those.

Stairs going up are no problem, as are hills (even that 20 degree section of Qn Anne in Seattle) but going down stairs is still an exercise (quite literally) in concentration and muscle memory.  Don't get me wrong, you probably wouldn't even know I was injured if you saw me when I was really trying, but on the way out the door in the morning to work I grip the rail still.  I wonder if I will ever just sprint down stairs again.   Maybe not.

And that leads to the MENTAL aspect which continues to be a challenge at times.   Life is hard enough without going through dual PTR (or one for that matter).   I have had a few people (old friends) tell me they think this injury has changed me for the better (more positive, emphatic) but I'd be lying if I don't miss sports like hell every day.  I just want to run, to sprint, to rip a forehand cross court.

We'll see where I'm at in 6 months.  It's been three, trying to stay patient.

[kajacos16]

Hey everyone, it has been a while since i last posted. I am now 19 weeks post op. I had PT a week ago amd he told me to start light jogging. I has in total been 7 months from the injury since i have jogged. How have many of you retrained yourself jogging. I can tell my gate is not right and i feel i am compensating even though i feel i do not need to. How have you guys learned to jog correctly again?

[Dan]

Time for me to post an update too.
Today is 8 weeks post op. Last Friday went back in to have the cable removed.
Dr said it went well, he even managed to flex my knee 90 degrees while I was under.
He then surprised me by saying to leave the brace off from now on.   
Was not expecting that, considering that PT hasn't even started yet.

Still not able to do any of the standard ROM exercices (heel slides etc).
So far all I can do is sit on a bench with my leg over the edge. I slowly lower it with a strap around my ankle, letting gravity do the work.
I can manage about 40 - 45 degrees of flex.

[darrellb85]

Hi everyone!!

I've been browsing this forum and specifically this thread for the last few weeks, but this is my first post. Today marks 2 weeks post op from my patellar tendon surgery, and I'm slated to start PT this coming up friday. Do you guys have any tips for what I can do to prepare for it? Thanks and you guys have been amazing resource for someone who was having a difficult time early on dealing with this injury.

Thanks!

Darrell

[John42]

Hi Darrellb85
Welcome to the RPT thread on KneeGuru.

How did you sustain your RPT injury?  - Where do you live.  My opinion is that you are starting three weeks to early for your PT - read the undermentioned thread and read some of the previous posts on this thread.

ASK questions

JohnK/ Manchester UK



https://www.facebook.com/QuadricepsPatellarTendonRupture

[darrellb85]

Hi John!

I sustained my injury while playing basketball in my city league basketball game. I live in Reno, NV. If that's the case, should I bring up some concern with my doctor (Dr. Kalisvaart with Reno Orthopedic Clinic here in town). I've been reading alot on these forums, and the one thing that was stressed was time and patience, all of which I'm more than willing to do, and if PT is too soon, I don't want to push it either....

Thanks!

Darrell

[alexws]

Monday was 8 weeks post op for me.  In pt they have me pushing for 110 of rom by week 10 at about 107 right now so feeling pretty good about that.  Doing light closed chain work(legpress) and some balance work(heel to toe bad leg in the back standing with eyes closed) which is a lot harder than i thought.  I usually get on the bike about 15-20 minutes a day, walking around with almost no problem. At this point short of climbing stairs id say day to day life is at about 75% just cant do the fun things yet.  Havent even thought of taking a jogging step or getting back to any kind of activity.  I get some pain in the tendon area doing straight leg raises and I am starting to see a little patellar alta, have toned it down a bit since these started, go back on the 20th to the doc so we'll see what he says then.

[John42]

Hi Alexws

Reading your post today, I see that your PT is pushing you 110ROM at week 10 - a slight word of warning - the tendon has not yet fully healed and at 10 weeks one should be nearer the 90ROM mark.

The next milestone is 110ROM at week 12/14, so just listen to your knee, because you don`t want to rerupture it.

Take care

JohnK/ ManchesterUK

[Kneetoknee]

I'm thrilled to find this forum because I live in a remote area of Costa Rica and will not have access to PT. Initially, I experienced a luxation of my patella in August of last year. Stupidly, I didn't see a doctor and tried to do exercises on my own. Towards the end of February, I had a massive hematoma...boy was that fun going over bumpy roads to San Jose in a 4 hour car ride. At that point I would have let the surgeon cut off my leg. I had surgery on the 24th and I'm 3 weeks post op. My ligament had been totally ruptured and my surgeon had to clean out a lot of scar tissue. It was done under a spinal block and light sedation. I actually sensed the surgeon bending my knee to see that it could be done... I felt nothing but could hear the movement if that makes any sense. He told me later at the hotel he had tried it 3 times to check on the flexibility. I've read a lot of comments and don't find many people who had a cast but I do...for 6 weeks.  I'm 67 but have always been active. I ride and care for 4 horses and swim 40 minutes a day. (Yes, I am going stir crazy.) I have never experienced any pain post op and could bear weight after the surgery. I stayed overnight in the hotel at the hospital. Costa Rica does a lot of medical tourism. I went to stay with friends and my doctor visited me everyday. He is a friend of the family so I feel fortunate that he is not only my surgeon but my friend too. I didn't need the pain pills but I took the anti inflammatory, antibiotic, and anti coagulant. At 3 weeks post op, I am back at my remote finca looking longingly at my lap pool. Doc has told me I can swim as soon as the cast is off. I will be doing all my exercises at home without a physio therapist which isn't ideal but I will have help in the house for a month. The only discomfort is the cast which rubs on my heel. I wear a high boot but have to keep hiking up the cast. If anyone has used a pool for exercises and swimming, I'd love to hear about it. My cast comes off In 3 weeks. Presently, I do 4 sets of leg raises from a sitting position, with full extension of course, in the cast. Unless you count sitting on the toilette to pee with a straight leg. He told me no more then that. I am allowed to walk and bear weight as long as I have no pain. So far so good. I realize there are as many different surgeries and therapies as there are patients but I would like to compare notes with those on a more conservative recovery process. I don't plan going to the Olympics this year and I'm very afraid of reinjuring the tendon. Comments welcome.

[John42]

Hi KneetoKnee

Welcome to the RPT thread on KneeGuru

If my memory serves me right, you are the first person to post from Costa Rica - You do well to read as many of the previous posts on this thread and likewise click the undermentioed thread - this contains a collection of documents which I have put together with KneeGuru and explains the serious nature of your injury and the rehab procedure.

If the plaster cast is moving, it sounds like the swelling has gone down, you should have the knee replastered as it should be in place for at least six weeks.  Then the fun starts with PT. Should explain that most people in the UK have a plaster cast, whilst in the USA a brace is used.

Sleep with a pillow/cushion between your knees, DON`T push it, you are in for a rough period for six months until such time as you get back to some normality.  ASK questions - we are all out here to help you.   Don`t drive a car until you get clearance for a doctor & I hope that you drive an automatic drive car.

Keep posting.

Take care
JohnK/ Manchester UK




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