Ruptured Patellar Tendon Surgery

[Stuart Rulka]

Thomas99. Also check other medications you might be on( especially diuretics) as they might cause you to lose potassium.

[Thomas99]

Hi,

Ruptured left patellar tendon, 11 weeks ago. ROM 80 degrees.

I've got some questions about straight leg raises ?, I'm just over 10 weeks post op, but I still can't do a straight leg raise at all, can't even lift it off the bed. Why is this ?, is it due to my weak quad muscle or other reasons.

I also get quite bad pain (7/10) about 10cms (4 inches) below knee and about 4cm to left of middle of leg when I try to raise leg from sitting position or when I stand from chair. Is this where the tendon joins the tibia ?, doctor put in a wire to strengthen repair.

Forum has been a great help and appreciative of feedback from posters.

[John42]

Hi Thomas99

Sounds like the Muscle needs working on - otherwise  PATIENCE

Take care

JohnK/ Manchester UK

[carkeltom]

Thomas99, straight leg raises after you have been immobilized and not using the muscles are hard to complete, so give it some time and we have all been there.  Keep doing the static muscle strengthening and if by chance you have a muscle stimulator, they work awesome, but make sure you have a slight bend in the knee if you stim your quads.  Also, make sure you are doing heel props, to lessen your chances of having a limp when you get back to walking.  Even with all my PT and working, I am one year post injury and still have some pain and issues.  The wire might be a cause of the pain, but the healing is still not complete.  If I remember correctly, you had a mid tendon rupture, so there might be some differences in the healing process.  Good luck with the whole process.

Tom

[fishy]

Hey Thomas99, Fishy here.  Patience my brother.  12 weeks to heal the tendon and a lifetime to repair the muscles.  I am a double RPTer and you just have to let the healing take place.  Knowledge is power so read everything....we all have some setbacks, so prepare yourself for this journey. After almost 15 months I take this a day at a time and three days ago I walked directly in to a bench corner striking exactly in the center of my left leg tendon right at the surgery site, ....I think I created a new language!  It hurt just way more than I thought....but after a few hours and a few Ibuprophen, I ended up with a really sore spot  and now everything is back to normal.  Take care all, Bob

[carkeltom]

Nice Bob.  I think if I ran into something with my knees, my reaction would be muted.  I still have a significant amount of numbness in my knees, both the superficial skin nerves and some of the deeper nerves I believe.  I remember all of the bruising I had from the surgery where they had to retract the skin and such, and I think they really did a number on me.  I actually ran into my car door about 2 months ago and did not even flinch, but the thought of my reinjuring my knee made me cringe.  Also, still having some buckling issues with the right knee, which was the first I hurt and the one I fell on three times while in my post accident haze thought there was just something giving away, before the left one ruptured and then I knew something was seriously wrong.

Anyone happen to see that a baseball player from Anaheim ruptured his patellar tendon last week and I think I saw that a football player from San Francisco did the same earlier in the week?

Tom 

[dtr42]

Hi all.
10 month update after snap day .knee has now totally healed ,same rom as my other knee ,same amount of movement and same amount of squeaks and creaks on both knees  .Fitness regime still carries on with gym/swim and sauna 4-5 times a week I also done my first mini triathalon at the grand age of 50 years and 2 months with a 400metre swim ,a 10km bike ride and a 5 km run  I came in 30th out of 70 so was well happy especially when I beat my son at the finish line ,by all of 5 metres [Tbh I think he let me  ]
Have been back climbing my favourite hills in Scotland and have now regained my old confidence that my knee will hold me although no longer a mountain goat .Amazingly my knee now has feeling again no numbness although I still get the odd shooting pain ,usually at end of hard gym or walking session ,I have also bumped my knee and it's certainly an oooh poop moment but after the initial bump pain it settled right back to what is now the norm .Good luck and best wishes to the oldies ,the noobies and the unfortunate future RPT'ers remember it's a poor injury but with a good surgeon and physio and a positive outlook you will be amazed at what your body can do .There can be dark days sometimes and set backs but stay strong and be patient

[fishy]

Fishy here.  Just catching up with all the chit chat.....to all the newbies "welcome", you have joined an exclusive club.  Our motto is "Patience"....our workouts include RICE, and our cheer leader is John42.  Background for me:  male, 67yo, double RPT, 16 1/2 months post injury.  What a ride!!!  I was a marathoner (50+ events), now I am grateful to walk almost normal....I consider myself blessed to have recovered as well as I have.  I still have the occasional ache/pain, and running is not in the picture BUT I can walk.  If you are reading this and this is the first time you have read my story, well, I am not unique except for this injury.  You probably have a similar injury (maybe to JUST one leg...lol) and you are scared and uninformed.  My suggestion....use this forum as a source of knowledge, make sure you post regularly (update your progress, complain about pain, etc.) and as time goes by you will grow in understanding as you heal.  And you will heal.... take care all  Bob

[d_j_a_m]

Update for me, currently 16 weeks post op. Measured my active ROM at 134 degrees and improving. My PT is progressing me to more sports centric rehab in light of my progress and has also cleared me to start hitting the gym for strengthening. In your experience what are the best exercises that help regain strength, size, and definition? I've been getting on the bike and row machine, and want to add some pool work. Trying to get some inputs to put together a workout regimen.

[Sharkey]

Nice Bob.  I think if I ran into something with my knees, my reaction would be muted.  I still have a significant amount of numbness in my knees, both the superficial skin nerves and some of the deeper nerves I believe.  I remember all of the bruising I had from the surgery where they had to retract the skin and such, and I think they really did a number on me.  I actually ran into my car door about 2 months ago and did not even flinch, but the thought of my reinjuring my knee made me cringe.  Also, still having some buckling issues with the right knee, which was the first I hurt and the one I fell on three times while in my post accident haze thought there was just something giving away, before the left one ruptured and then I knew something was seriously wrong.

Anyone happen to see that a baseball player from Anaheim ruptured his patellar tendon last week and I think I saw that a football player from San Francisco did the same earlier in the week?

Tom

  That was Garrett Richards of the Angels, he ruptured his tendon when his cleat got planted  between the turf and first base. He was their best pitcher, and was having a great season.  And I ruptured my quad tendon stepping off of a curb.  Freak accidents are the worst kind.

[JC55]

1 year anniversary of my surgery...wow.  On vacation in Maine and almost forgot to post...I guess that is a good thing since it means I'm not thinking about the knee.  I've gone back and read some of my posts from the early days and it brings back some of those dark times.  However, it also reminds me of what a great bunch of caring people there are on this site whose kind words of encouragement have gotten me through tough times and moments of utter despair.  Special thanks to John who has carried the flame all these years and whose commitment to knowledge has given us all a "leg" up on this injury.  To all the newbies and ones in the early part of their own journey...it will get better, you will heal, there will come a time when you won't have to hold on for dear life getting in and out of the shower and at some point you will look back and think it was all a dream.  To those who shared the journey with me, I thank you from the bottom of my heart!  You know who you are and I couldn't have done it without you. Cheers!

[John42]

Hi Jerry

Happy anniversary to your knee

Thats what it is all about - share the good and bad days with all the fellow RPT patients - I am ten years on, and still suffer to some small measure, but can put up with the discomfort,   help others is my motto,

Take care

JohnK/ Manchester UK

[JJ Rock]

Hi All,

I ruptured my pt on May 25th. I am 13 weeks post op and have been through it, like most ppl on here. I'm extremely just frustrated.  My doc cleared me for light physio 9 weeks after my surgery. I had to beg him to allow me to start physio. I really wish I just started much much earlier.

I went to my first session my pt measured me I was at 40 degrees mind you this is 9 weeks post op.  I noticed that she wasn't pushing me at all. Her exercises focused mostly on strength which is good but from what I've read ROM is equally as important. I asked my pt after the 3 rd session when are we going to really start to try and bend this knee. She stated she wants to take it slow because she doesn't want to cause any damage. OK...2 weeks later my os cleared me for more active physio. He also said he isn't happy with my progress so far. I told him that I'm having issues with my Pt. He states that I have 6 weeks to get to 90 degrees otherwise he's going to have to do a MUA. (terrified of this surgery)

My pt is still not pushing or doing any rom exercises.  She measures me 2 weeks ago and I was at 45 degrees. I hadn't gained much at all. My insurance covers physio so far i've spent $800 only to gain a few degrees. Tomorrow is my last session with this PT.

Last week I decided to try out another clinic. This PT is great she's all about ROM and getting me to 90 degrees. After 3 sessions I am now at 54 degrees. My new PT states that I have a very stiff knee.  I am scared that I'm still not going to be able to make it to 90 as I have 4 more weeks to achieve this goal.

Any thoughts??? is 54 degrees very uncommon 14 weeks post op?

This forum is awesome! The positivity is great on here.

[John42]

Hi JJ Rock

Welcome to the RPT thread on KneeGuru.

Would advise that reading your post tells me that you are making normal progress - some of us obtain a better ROM in a slightly faster time, you hould be able to reach the next milestone of 90ROM at about week 12/14.    Patience is the keyword - DON`T push it.

Suggest you should read previous posts on this thread and click on the undermentioned thread - it contains a number of documents which I have put together with KneeGuru.   Please continue to post your questions.

Where do you live?   How did you sustain your RPT injury?

Take care
JohnK/ Manchester UK


https://www.facebook.com/QuadricepsPatellarTendonRupture

[carkeltom]

JJ Rock, welcome.  Sorry to hear you are having such a difficult early recovery.  We have all been there.  Unfortunately, some PT and OS err on the side of caution.  Just remember, after 10 weeks, you were hopefully still healing.  I did not see too much from you on the extent of the injury and the repair.  I was immobilized for 10 weeks, no PT and my ROM did suffer.  I ruptured both Patellar Tendons at the same time, so my case was a little different.  I too was worried about ROM at the beginning, but it came.  I spent a lot of time before PT started massaging my knee and tendons, mostly to break up the scar tissue and encourage blood flow to the area.  Also, I had a muscle stim machine I used religiously, to keep the muscles from getting even worse than they did.  I would have to look back at the posts, but I am not sure when I actually got to 90.  I know after PT had started the gains were better than on my own.  Since I had to use crutches for about 16 weeks, I was pretty immobile, but I would do a lot of passive bending, sitting and letting the legs hang, bent and I thought that helped me.  Hopefully the MUA will be unnecessary.  I would give more encouraging advice if I had it, but keep positive and keep moving.  After 4 months, when I was really working it, I had the gains and I was done with PT after about 6 1/2 months.  I was right on track with most of the usual protocols and have been getting better ever since then.  Good luck and keep going and stay positive.

Tom