Just had ACL Surgery, now I have a question

steezeandskis

steezeandskis

Member
Hey fellow NSer's, I had reconstructive surgery on my ACL this last Friday and am now able to walk around just fine with my brace on (even without crutches), perform all the exercises my doctor gave to me, and bend my knee farther than I am expected to (0-90 is easy). I also don't take my painkillers anymore (except for fun haha). But I am wondering if this is normal? It's been 3 days since my surgery and I feel like I'm already 4 weeks into rehab, did anyone else have a recovery like this? It is a completely isolated ACL tear but still it surprises me I am doing this well.

Sparknotes: 3 days post-op and I can walk without crutches (using a brace locked of course). Is this normal? Did my Doc forget to do the surgery? haha
 
You're killing it! It took me a month to ditch the crutches, granted I tore my meniscus a bit, but still... a positive mind is your best friend when it comes to injury. You'll be shredding again in no time!!
 
yea thats normalthats how i was but only with the brace onwhen i would take the brace off it felt really weird almost like it was going to fold back but i could straighten and bend it and i was always walking on it even though i was suppose to use crushesand a portion of my leg is numb now though
 
your experience sounds a lot like mine, clean tear, no meniscus damage. i had the patella graft done, and was off of pain killers my 3rd day, had 0-90 pretty damn quick and was able to walk without a brace after 4 days. what i can tell you from experience is that I started walking too soon. what i learned from my physical therapist a couple of days later is that even though i was able to walk so soon i was not walking with proper mechanics at all. don't lose the crutches (or use a cane, that's what i did) until someone who knows what they are talking about tells you to. what i learned from my recovery is that physical therapy is equally if not more important than the surgery itself. timing is key, you cant start certain things too soon or too late, and you need a good physical therapist to guide you. also, get a nice road bike. i was allowed to bike at the 6 week mark and it was honestly the only thing that kept me sane. follow what you are told and you will be fine. i'm a year out now and i cant tell a difference between the two knees.
 
Good to hear. I havent been to PT yet but am starting this week. I can't wait until my knee gets back to normal(ish) I've already had night terrors about not being able to ski.
 
Dang dude. Sounds like you're coming along well. I had mine on last Tuesday...the 30th and can put s little pressure on it and hobble around but that's it. I can't bend it either. I did have a torn meniscus tho so that might add. Where did you get your acl from? The hamstring? I might of missed that sorry ha. But I'm a little nervous after reading yours. How'd you tear it?
 
I just replied to you thread haha but ya it was hamstring. and a meniscus tear does make it a lot worse I think. Do you have one of those machines that bends your leg? My suggestion is to push yourself hard. Not so hard it kills but get it to a comfortable limit and use your muscles to make it feel uncomfortable. I know it feels super weird but a lot of the recovery is not forgetting how to use your muscles and not being afraid to use them.
 
My dad tore his ACL, had surgery, and went to work like two weeks later. Makes me feel like a pussy for sitting at home all summer when I tore mine.

Seriously though, getting well quickly is never a bad thing, but chicks dig crutches.
 
That sounds great.

Interesting I got mine done in March and wasn't allowed to start bending my knee until 2 weeks into rehab. The walking around part seems pretty normal for no complications. I could walk at day 3 but had to stop at day 4 as I had blood clots in my calf. I had to keep my straight brace on for 2 weeks, then was allowed to go to 45 degrees for a week and then was allowed to bend it as much as possible and start pushing it. Sounds like yours is coming along great. Don't get too over confident, stick to what your phsyio lets you do. I tried to do too much too quickly and it set me back a bit.
 
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