Ruptured Patellar Tendon Surgery

[Unlimited6986]

Carkeltom the self injecting was not fun. I hate needles and to give one to yourself is horrible lol.

Dtr42 that's awesome to hear. I get a lot of weird noises. I get the sound of like an old rubberband.

[JC55]

Jerry here...happy Spring.  28+ weeks.  TOM, I have pops and clicks and it really is the only thing besides the numbness that bothers me.  I'm fortunate that I really don't have any pain and stairs are easy up and a little soreness on the outside of my knee going down.  Going on vacation next week and will be doing LOTS of walking with a couple hikes.  I'm anxious to see how the knee does.  I have appt with new OS when I return because I'm pretty sure i have a torn meniscus on other knee.  Oh well, I'm not like I was before the accident but thankful for where I am right down.  I think the popping will get better the stronger the knee gets.  Let's hope so.  Hope everyone has a wonderful Spring...my knee is thankful this winter is behind us.  Peace to all!

[vonlehmd]

bball, I cant answer the knee cap height since I have the scars on both legs from the surgery, but the extension issue is touched on in this thread and in some of the literature.  My PT and OS both made sure I was working on extension, mostly with passive heal resting,  as the extension issue can make walking look a little less normal.  I still have issue with a hyperextension problem when my leg does not catch.  I sort of get that falling feeling and have to catch myself.  I have noticed that as the changes in strength and proprioception vary between both of my legs as I have rehabbed and although there is less occurence, I still get the wobbly leg feeling.

6986, I did the self injecting blood thinning med for 2 1/2 months and then a daily 325 aspirin since.  I was taking an 81 mg and will take that once I see the OS on 4/8.  And my passive and active flexion varied by a little more than 10 degrees, but it was not that far off.

On a brighter note, 4 softball practices this week and did good, except not being able to run or get into the catchers crouch to get my work in with the pitchers, but if I was not sitting on the bucket, I was able to work with the girls on mechanics.

And one question.  Does anyone else have loud clicking sounds and popping from the repaired knee or knees?  Starting to get a little worried with all the clicking.

Tom

Hello Tom,

As you know, I also am bilateral, and yes, I also experience the clicking in both legs in different degrees.  It used to be more pronounced with my right knee, but over the last month, it seems the left knee is taking its turn. 

If I bend the leg and then extend it, a click happens right "before" full extension.  This happens EVERY time, not just occasionally.  It is a very intense click/ pop.  Also happens when doing leg exercises, like squats, presses, extensions etc.  I am getting used to it but it is certainly not getting better or seeming like it will go away anytime soon.

I have also noticed, in reading about others experience, that this can be fairly common for up to a year or more after surgery.  I will be 7 months from surgery soon. 

BTW, it is not painful.

My right knee seems to crack and pop more than click (did I just write that?). If that makes sense....

Dan

[mpruett]

Good news!  It's 2 days shy of the 12th week since surgery, and at my 12 week appointment this morning, my orthopedic surgeon cleared me to get rid of the brace.  I still need to go to physical therapy "until I'm comfortable", which I think will be a good long while, but I'm cleared to do anything I want so long as it doesn't hurt.  No restrictions on exercise or activities, so I imagine my physical therapist will get more aggressive as a result.

Walking is a bit strange so far- I can feel things stretching as I bring my knee forward and it seems to move a little slower than my other knee as a result, but no pain or discomfort at all. 

I measured 108 degrees in flexion the other day at physical therapy, so I'm doing well there also. 

[carkeltom]

way to go mpruett!  I think everyone of us on this board was happy to get out of the brace or braces (for us doubles)  Good job on the ROM also.  PT was a pain, but worth it  I now wish we had worked more on the nerves and getting me less wobbly, the proprioception.  I was a nervous wreck the first few days without the braces.  I felt like a kid just learning how to walk.  I was in the braces from 7/19 to 11/1, so I was glad to get rid of them.  Good luck with the PT and get those muscles back up and going.

Dan, yeah, mine creak and crack and pop more than they ever did before.  I know the clicking is the patella moving.  I go back to the OS on 11/8 for a 9 month check up and hope he addresses it. 

I still have the issues with going down steps, but it is much better than it was two months ago when I could not extend the leg down while bending the other one.  So, that is me for now.  Take care all.  Jerry, how did basketball end for you?

Tom

[Fredharmon2005]

Hi Everyone....new to the ruptured patellar tendon club as well.  Did it playing basketball.  Generally, I have been pretty active.  I am 41, 5'11" and 190 pounds.  MRI was a full rupture tear at the bottom of the kneecap.  They did the process of drilling the holes in the kneecap and suturing it back on.  Currently, I am at 6 weeks.  I went for PT once per the doctor and was able to get roughly 60 rom.

Wasn't able to go to PT this week since I was out of town.  I have had to walk on it much more since traveling.  Has anyone experienced the quad above the knee getting sore?  I am thinking it is because I am moving around more.  However, it is sore almost like it is healing too.

[carkeltom]

Hi Fred.  Welcome to the club.  I had the same injury to both knees with the holes drilled in the patella and sutured to the tendon 9 months ago.  Glad to hear you are walking around and yes, quad tendon soreness is common I believe.  Make yourself at home and read what you can.  Time heals all wounds, including this one.  Good ROM for 6 weeks.  Focus and concentrate on quad rehab, as they have to be strong to keep you up and when you have been off the one, you will depend on the good leg, which Dan and I did not have the luxury of doing since we ruptured both.  Basketball is a common activity for this injury.  I still have some assorted pain when after working out, but my main problem is the numbness due to the incision.  I feel disconnected from my feet sometimes.  Listen to your knees as John42 will tell you and patience, as it will get better.

Tom

[carkeltom]

Anyone have some good concentrated VMO exercises?

Tom

[Fredharmon2005]

Thanks Tom.  I was lucky enough to make it through life without surgery or any major injuries other than the occasional sprained ankle.  Sometimes when that doesn't happen, you think it will never happen to you.  Of course, I had some precursors to this with a jumpers knee which was around for me since my 20's.  If I had known that something like that weakens the tendon over time, I would have given up basketball or sports that require that level of activity long ago.

In terms of the quad, I was hoping that was normal.  My quad has wasted away as most others had since being off my feet.  It was just somewhat alarming and made me think I had done something wrong or that there was another repair that I didn't know about.

Really glad to find this site with everyone that is so helpful.  I never realized that next to a knee replacement that this was the mother of all injuries.   

[John42]

Hi Fred Harmon 2005

Welcome to the RPT webpage for RPT patients.

Very important to read previous posts on this thread and suggest that you have a look
at the undermentioned thread as it contains a collection of documents which I have put together with KneeGuru.

Patience is required - a long rehab in front of you - listen to your knee -  where do you live?

Keep asking questions as there are quite a number of persons ouyt here to help you overcome this serious injury.

Take care -
John K/Manchester UK

https://www.facebook.com/QuadricepsPatellarTendonRupture

[vonlehmd]

Anyone have some good concentrated VMO exercises?

Tom

Hack squats if you have a machine for it. 

Also simple leg extensions.  Don't go heavy.  Just extend with whatever weight you can bear to hold for 5 seconds while quad is contracted at full extension.  Then lower weight and go right back to extension with a hold for 5 seconds.  Do high reps this way.  15 to 20.  Also, if you have a choice, choose a machine that allows weight to be loaded on each leg independently,  (so you are not using both legs to lift the same weight).

Another is lunges. I am not back to doing these with weight.  At my gym, there is an arm curl set up for free weights.  It has to rails that catch the weight (think parallel bars).  I step into a lunge and grab these rails as I lower to provide support.  I then stand up and let go of the rails as I feel comfortable.  Any kind of lunge move is good for the VMO. 

Also leg presses help, but more I the mid to extended range of the movement.  You could just do partial reps from the mid point to fully extended. Really concentrate on flexin and firing the VMO as you get to full contraction at the top of the range.

[Fredharmon2005]

Thanks John.  I will absolutely look at the link provided.  I live in Seattle, WA. 

[Fredharmon2005]

I am curious those that might know.  What kind of pain should I expect when the scar tissue breaks loose?  I have heard stories from just pain to burning.  Want to get some thoughts on what to expect.

[fishy]

Hi my Peeps, Fishy here and week 47 begins.  One workout last week and my legs told me to slow down.  My butt was sore, my quads were sore, I have been religious working out three time a week but this last week I stopped to heal.  Today my legs are rested, my butt doesn't ache, so I will get back into my program.  I have been dieting for the last 4 weeks and have lost 7.8 lbs down to 189.8 lbs.  I need to lose the weight to compensate for weaker quads (a fact of life,  though my quads have increased in strength and mass, I still have not returned to my former size/strength).  Being a double RPT I think its important to leave as much info on this site for future doubles.  My brother doubles have been leaving a good legacy.  I am older at 67, Tom and the others are younger, so between us we should cover the full spectrum.  Take care my family of RPTers, stay strong and positive.   Bob
PS tanning for Hawaii trip....can you tell I am a happy camper?  I am.....

[dtr42]

Good to see everyone improving . I have now completed my first hike and hill climb on Sunday since snap day , we done 19.3 miles total and with a climb and descent of 320m [1000 foot]on a wee hill [the one I snapped my tendon on way back in November]very scared going down hill and happy to survive and actually enjoy it .5 months to the day and I cant believe how much my life changed from the shock to depression to acceptance to belief that things would return to near normal to actually getting back to what I love doing .My legs today ache and are stiff but it is a great feeling  .I hope all you guys and gals continue to improve and remember there is light at the end of the tunnel and sometimes you are allowed to run towards it .