6 months post LCL/PCL/ACL injury

[Irish_Jon]

Hi guys,

I finally found this site after many months of searching for something positive instead of the multiple doom & gloom articles/studies that I came across.

Basically, 6 months ago I had a horrific rugby accident. My knee had already hyperextended at the exact moment my trailing leg was spun so my knee had no option but to corkscrew itself - resulting in LCL, ACL & PCL tears, posterolateral corner basically torn apart, bicep femoral was destroyed and my tibia displaced and stretched my peroneal nerve resulting in foot drop.

I had surgery pretty quickly exactly a week post injury and then spent 12 weeks on a jack brace that took gravity off my tibia in the hope my PCL would repair itself. The surgery itself was LCL repair using a hamstring graft, recon of my PL-corner and some nerve decompression. The PCL did indeed heal itself, my LCL was a success, I still have a semi paralysed foot with nerve pain and the ACL repair is a consideration for the future.

My main question is….how long will a surgeon wait to perform a MUA? My rehab has been going great however when I first came out of my brace my knee had frozen at 70 degrees, 6 months later and a lot of painful pt sessions later and it is between 90-100 degrees. I myself do not feel I can push any harder as I am very strong and stubborn, my hydrotherapist stopped out sessions for the same reason as she feared I would not stop her going to far and further damaging me. So, at what stage in a MUA still a consideration as my knee is not improving?

Also, I also have just enough power in my foot to wriggle my big toe and I can dorsiflex when my leg is raised and relaxed but not whilst on the ground. I still suffer extreme nerve pain ranging from tingles and shocks, to my foot feeling like it is on fire and going to swell out of my shoe. I can walk short distances using an AFO but after a short while my leg and foot become tired and slap the ground which then sends the shocks through my shin and foot. It is all very exhausting and draining, and I need to rest up to recover for further walks. Is this recovery normal and what can I expect from my nerve damage and regeneration?


Any advice would be greatly appreciated