Ruptured Patellar Tendon Surgery

[agold55]

Well at week 10 now from bilateral RPT.  Feeling good....left knee was over 90 degrees & right was at 76 in yesterday's therapy session.  Still working hard at home with therapy.

Going in tomorrow to have wires that have held the patellars in place.  The surgeon said he will exray to see exactly where they are & make a small incision to remove them.  Not reallly looking forward to getting cut on again -- especially since I'm feeling pretty mobile.

Has anyone else had the wires removed?  If so, what was your experience with the recovery from this small procedure?

Thanks

[dtr42]

recovery is very quick ,I had op on a Tuesday and out same day after op removed bandage next day and had stitches removed a few weeks later ,could do small gym work but no swimming for the 2 weeks to prevent infection ,aa lot easier than op number 1

[dtr42]

Hi all. a wee update, its been 1 year 8 months since slip day, life has now gone back to normal ,no stiffness no swelling and knee is really stable with none of the knee drops that used to happen, usually when I was tired .Mountain walking has returned to full on with the only concession being using walking poles on descents ,and next week I am doing a hill range called the Cuillins on Skye [the most exposed ridge walk in Britain] so should be interesting.To all the future ,present and past RPT'ers   remember that hard work, a decent surgeon and physio and just good old get up and go will help through those sticky moments and as always Patience and a sense of humour goes a long way in helping your recovery.Good luck to all of us....

[lamoncarter713]

update*******

Ok I had my first rehab yesterday and its been 3 weeks post ops, my goal for yesterday was to bend my knee 30 degrees but I had a major victory and was able to bend it 50 degrees. The PT stopped there because its only been 3 weeks post ops and its still fresh but now the goal is to bend my knee in 3 weeks without pushing it just doing what the knee allows me to do. It feels so good to have homework 3 times a day to do at home, it helps the time to go by. Yesterday I was able to walk on my crutches with no pain and I even got the chance to go to freeboards which is a burrito place out here in Houston. It just felt good to get out of the house. I can see the end.

[agold55]

2 days out from day surgery to remove wires from both knees.  Was pretty sore yesterday, but a lot better today.  Time to get back to aggresive therapy at home.

Back to the Dr on Tuesday for a check up.  At time of this appt it will be 11 weeks Post Op.  Feeling stronger daily.  Still have braces on both legs....not a lot of fun when it's the 4th of July in the States....you have 2 jet skis and a ski boat begging for some attention.  I guess other family and friends will keep the engines warm for me.  Can't wait to get back on those....maybe in a couple of months.

Cheers to everyone fightinng through a quad or patellar injury.  Shoot to get better & stonger daily.
Oh, almost forgot....a couple of people on this site mentioned taking Cissus.  I ordered some and mix it in a shake daily.  Will keep everyone posted on the outcome.  My Dr didn't know about it, but said to go for it.
I think between the Cissus and taking some Collegen pills wih OJ, first thing in the morning, things have to get a bit more fluid in the ligaments. 

RPT - Bilateral 4/19  7pm
RPT - Bilateral surgery 4/20 1:45pm

[bryce73]

nice to see everyone is doing good progress 

a little update for me, a few days before  9 weeks post-op. I can walk without crutches but have to help myself when going up or down stairs (my left quad feel still quite weak). ROM has also improved, I can now bend to 120 without pushing hard. I have 2 PT sessions per week during which I work a little on flexion but moreover on my quad as it has lost 3 cms in circumference compared to my other leg.

A really good thing I found to help regain flexion and start muscling the quad is going to the swimming pool. I try do do 3 to 5 sessions of 1h/1h30 each week. I start warming up the knee for 5/10 minutes doing revolution movements with the injured leg, making my knee more flexible and feel less stiff. Then I swim for 1h/1h30. I regurlarly makes some breaks during which do again these revolution movements to improve the flexion. When I've finished and go outside, my knee feels soooo flexible.    I feel it really makes me progress and do so much good. So my advice would be go to the swimming pool as often as you can when you start PT! I haven't felt ready for home-bicycle yet, hopefully I may feel able to start next week...

keep up the good work everyone 

[mcgheea]

Hi all!
So glad that I've found this forum - part of the RPT community.
I ruptured my right patella tendon on Wed. 20th May (2015) - I slipped on astro-turf whilst recovering a tennis ball.  Crumbled into the floor and then realised that there was something seriously wrong with the mechanics of my lower right leg.
I had to wait 5 days before the NHS could schedule me in.  Pain was minimal until post-op...then it really kicked in and I had to be given Oxynorm.  Surgeon advised that she had managed to get to 50 degree flexion whilst on the operating table.
I was in a full leg cast until Wed. 24th June and put into an ROM leg brace.  I was also seen by a physio who gave me three exercises to do: knee bends, knee extensions and calf stretches.
First real appointment with physio scheduled for Wed. 8th July.

Having read a good few replies, there appear to lots of different experiences and results.  What advise would you give to someone who is only 6 weeks in to a long recovery road?

(I'm a fully qualified cognitive-behavioural therapist.  I can, therefore, reciprocate for those of us who are having a 'bad'  day!)

Best regards,

A

[John42]

Hi mcgheea

Welcome to the RPT club - not the best club in the world - you have sustained a very rare and serious injury.    You have done well to read some of the previous posts on this thread and suggest that you click on the undermentioned thread. This contains a collection of documents which I have put together
with KneeGuru - explains in detail about your injury and the rehab procedure. Ask your PT - have you seen this type of injury before?

You have some hard work in front of you for the next six months or so - DON`T push - listen to your knee.

Where do you live?

Keep posting your progress

JohnK/ Manchester UK

https://www.facebook.com/QuadricepsPatellarTendonRupture

[mcgheea]

Hi John K!

Many thanks for the acknowledgement.

I fully agree that this is a VERY serious and rare type of injury.  Certainly not the best that one can incur when you don't do it to yourself, e.g. a slip on a slippery surface, or a malicious tackle, etc.

Is there any other way that I can access the materials that you have post on Facebook as I don't use Facebook - ethical choices due my counselling responsibilities.

I live in a town called Erskine (Renfrewshire) which is a few miles from Glasgow International Airport.

Thanks for the advice re the PT and I will certainly be asking her if she's dealt with this type of injury before and what her success rate has been.

I have also ordered Cissus Quadrangularis and Vitamin C as I've read that these have some good therapeutic properties for tendon repair.

I welcome all and any advise - and will certainly be 'listening' to the knee.

Regards,

Alec

[John42]

Hi Alec

I have the documents on my PC - let me have your e-mail address, and I will e-mail you back with attachments - the documents are very comprehensive

Take care in the wet weather

Best

JohnK/ Manchester UK
[email protected]

[mcgheea]

Hi John,

Many thanks - e-mail on it's way to you.

Kind regards,

Alec

[jferran]

Hi everyone, new to the thread here, my name is Joe.

I had a complete rupture to the patellar tendon in my right knee on June 11th 2015. It happened while playing in a men's basketball league. I went up for a jump shot and when I came down I felt my knee buckle, pop, and this weird sensation as if my knee was being flooded with warm goo! Gross I know. Funny thing is that I had started playing basketball as a way of staying active after playing Rugby for ten years. I thought it would be a good way to continue playing sports while eliminating the risk of injury from playing rugby. I guess I was wrong. LOL.

Anyway, suffered the injury June 11th, and had surgery the morning of June 17th. Doctor repaired the knee by putting two holes in the patella and then suturing the tendon back to the knee cap.

Tomorrow is three weeks out from surgery. Doctor has me in a knee brace that is completely locked out with no flexion. He has allowed me begin doing some passive exercises such as laying on my stomach and passively bending my knee using my hamstring muscles. I ditched the crutches after about ten days, and I'm able to walk with just the brace. By far the worst part of this whole thing has been this huge brace that runs from my groin to the ankle.

I start physical therapy Wednesday July 15, with will be 1 month from my surgery date. I'm looking forward to it and hope that I can ditch the brace as soon as possible. I've enjoyed reading about everybody's different experience dealing with this injury and decided I'd share about mine.

A little about me. 32 y.o., 6'2 230 LB. from Fredericksburg, VA. Former football (american) and rugby player. This is my second major knee injury. In high school I tore my ACL,MCL, PCL and Medial and Lateral Miniscus playing football in the opposite knee from my patellar tear.

[lamoncarter713]

Hi everyone, new to the thread here, my name is Joe.

I had a complete rupture to the patellar tendon in my right knee on June 11th 2015. It happened while playing in a men's basketball league. I went up for a jump shot and when I came down I felt my knee buckle, pop, and this weird sensation as if my knee was being flooded with warm goo! Gross I know. Funny thing is that I had started playing basketball as a way of staying active after playing Rugby for ten years. I thought it would be a good way to continue playing sports while eliminating the risk of injury from playing rugby. I guess I was wrong. LOL.

Anyway, suffered the injury June 11th, and had surgery the morning of June 17th. Doctor repaired the knee by putting two holes in the patella and then suturing the tendon back to the knee cap.

Tomorrow is three weeks out from surgery. Doctor has me in a knee brace that is completely locked out with no flexion. He has allowed me begin doing some passive exercises such as laying on my stomach and passively bending my knee using my hamstring muscles. I ditched the crutches after about ten days, and I'm able to walk with just the brace. By far the worst part of this whole thing has been this huge brace that runs from my groin to the ankle.

I start physical therapy Wednesday July 15, with will be 1 month from my surgery date. I'm looking forward to it and hope that I can ditch the brace as soon as possible. I've enjoyed reading about everybody's different experience dealing with this injury and decided I'd share about mine.

A little about me. 32 y.o., 6'2 230 LB. from Fredericksburg, VA. Former football (american) and rugby player. This is my second major knee injury. In high school I tore my ACL,MCL, PCL and Medial and Lateral Miniscus playing football in the opposite knee from my patellar tear.

Wow welcome to the site under these unfortunate circumstances, reading your story I felt like I was reading my own story, we are a week apart as far as surgeries. I am on week 4 post op and  started rehab last week. I know how you feel, but you are heading into the final stages, the healing and regaining motion part. I am still using my crutches (per instructions of my PT and doctor).

[John42]

Hi Joe

Welcome to this exclusive RPT club - no membership fee, but you have done well to read some of the previous posts.  Keep on reading - you will learn a great deal and ASK questions. Listen to your knee.

Please do carry on posting....

Suggest you click on the undermentioned link - contains a number of documents which I have put together with KneeGuru.

Take care

JohnK/ Manchester UK

https://www.facebook.com/QuadricepsPatellarTendonRupture

[lamoncarter713]

So today I had 3 victories as I am calling them.

1. after doing my exercises for the second time I wanted to test my knee a little, I wanted to see where my flexion was currently at. Now at my first rehab session I was at 50 degree flex, so I positioned my good knee at 90 degrees. And I did a heel slide with my right surgery leg until I felt pressure, I assumed I was around 70-80 degrees flex, if that is correct I will be one week ahead of my rehab schedule.

2. I finally got the chance to stand in the shower and take a shower, what a magnificent invention, hot running water that comes out of a spout at different pressures. We take a lot of these things for granted, I couldn't stay in long but it was so great.

3. I walked around Walmart and Lowes today and did a little shopping, I wanted to give up because I wasn't able to keep up with the people I was with ( mom and wife) but I pushed through it. Its funny because I would pass people and they would look down at my brace and look at me with this sad face of sympathy, what they don't know is the worst is over I am on the incline people not the decline.

Just thought I would share my victories today, have a great day.