I have a grade 2 sprain ACL which according to the MRI is an acute ACL injury. It is not ruptured and the lateral meniscus in not torn torn either. My doctor recommends a ACL reconstruction surgery using hamstring tendon. Did anyone suffer anything similar and have the same treatment? I'm 58 and active in tennis, jogging. Is surgery the only treatment or can I treat it wit PT alone? All comments will be welcome.
The ACL Repair Forum Firsthand accounts of ACL surgery and recovery
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- Posted by nightowl0903 2 months ago. There are 7 posts. The latest reply is from nightowl0903.
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I tore my MCL and partial ACL 4 years ago. I had meniscus cleaned out at the time and was braced while the MCL healing but did not touch the ACL during sugery b/c is was minor at the time. Four years later I finished it off and just recently had the ACL repaired. MY point is that with a sprain you may be able to live and play without surgery for a good long while! I would suggest a good functional brace to help protect you on the tennis court and go on as long as you can.
Particularly at your age you should put ACL reconstruction off at all costs. I am 28 and a strong athlete... still very tough receovery. Just my two cents. Good luck!
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Thanks for your input, but its a bit too late. I had ACL reconstruction surgery with allograft and significant removal of meniscus on 7-13-10. The doc said that although the ACL had not ruptured, it had stretched beyond the point of restoring and healing to its original strength. So, he went ahead and replaced it with achilles tendon. This was the 2nd doctor and the first one said unequivocally that ACL reconstruction with my own hamstring was the only choice.
I'm on day 7 now and walking without a crutch and drove today for 15 mins. My doctor assures me that my knee will stronger than ever and I should be able to play tennis or soccer in six months.
I trusted his judgment and so far happy with my decision. I talked to another patient of his who had the same procedure done 2 years ago. She is very happy with the outcome. She is much younger than me (may be 40 or so). Did you use autograft or allograft? When did you have the surgery? How is the recovery so far?
TIA.
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Glad to hear all is going well. Most of my details are in the other forum topic we are chatting in. You can't ever go wrong with trusting your doctor! After all, if we don't trust them then we are all in a world of hurt!
You are my hero playing soccer at 58! I played soccer for 13 years when i was younger and loved it. Now I'm so out of shape (compared to the old days) its almost embarressing. Hopefully I'll be able to get it all back in shape during this recovery.
However, my primary goals are golf and snow skiing... 6 months from now: Colorado here I come! (hopefully)
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I made a typo when entering my age. I am actually 56 instead of 58 which makes me feel you might retract your statement. lol. I have abused my knees for many years playing, and running on hard surfaces and not taking precautions. I played competitive soccer in college and re-discovered my love for the game 4-5 years ago when a friend asked me to practice because they were short a defensive player for a tournament. I did and the rest as they is history. I kept playing against younger players and some very skilled. Last December, I blocked a close range goal attempt with a header and i had a mild concussion. I was carried off the field and didn't return. I played one more match after that and it might have been my final soccer match. I jog, and play tennis year round. I tore my ACL partially playing tennis in early May and it made my knee unstable. It resulted in an awkward landing coming down the stairs one night in late May which tore my meniscus pretty badly. It was very painful and made me regret my cavalier attitude toward life over the years. After consulting with couple of surgeons, I decided to go ahead and get the procedure done. I hope, in the end it all pays off. I am willing to endure the pain in the mean time.
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Hi Nightowl
Its stories like yours which help me decide to do the reconstruction! Sustaining an injury coming down stairs, is just a cruel blow! I would want to avoid that kind of thing at all costs.
Thanks for sharing, and for your response to my post.
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Blue,
Thanks for your kind words. It has been a difficult 3+ months for me. Life deals cruel blows when you least expect them. So, I try to take it in stride. The uncertainty, and pain begins to take its toll on you. I got my new knew brace today. Its Breg Fusion model designed to protect the knee from regular activities and non-contact sport like tennis. Its a huge improvement over the bulky leg brace which would make me very tired. This one I can wear under a pair of loose pants. Still, its restrictive and controls bending beyond a certain range. I am 5 weeks into the PT regimen. In 3 more weeks, I plan to end it and do the remaining strengthening of quad and hamstring at my gym. I might get a personal trainer for 6 weeks. The college where I teach offers it as a benefit to employees.
I hope you will make arrangements to care for your daughter after the surgery. The first few days are very difficult. I drove less than a week after surgery. My surgery was on Tuesday, the following Monday I drove with my daughter next to me. She almost fainted when I said I'm going to drive coming back from Autozone. She also knows stubborn dad does what he says. It was for 15 mins, but gave me enough confidence to go to PT by myself.
Good luck to you.
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