Recovering from ACL repair

stifler2 · 09-08-2009, 01:51 PM

My acl was totally reconstructed after an injury July 6 2009. Im doing better since then, squats running and all that. I started to gradually retrain alil bit; I’ll do some work on the bag but im taking my time. However, how will this play out? How many other athletes out there had ACL repair and still managed to have a career in sports? Im skeptical that I’ll be ‘normal’ again, or to even consider taking a leg kick. Could this be mental?

pliftkl · 09-08-2009, 02:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stifler2

My acl was totally reconstructed after an injury July 6 2009. Im doing better since then, squats running and all that. I started to gradually retrain alil bit; I’ll do some work on the bag but im taking my time. However, how will this play out? How many other athletes out there had ACL repair and still managed to have a career in sports? Im skeptical that I’ll be ‘normal’ again, or to even consider taking a leg kick. Could this be mental?

Do you perchance mean 2008? If you had ACL surgery July 6th, I'm really surprised that your doctor would have cleared you to do squats and run. I had my surgery in June of 2008, and I'm not at 100%, but I'm pretty close. It was 6 months before I felt comfortable rolling, and it's only recently that I've felt comfortable kicking all out.

A properly rehabbed ACL will be stronger than your original ACL, but most people don't complete their physical therapy and never do the hard plyometric work that really strengthens it.

Cannon_6 · 09-08-2009, 02:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stifler2

Im skeptical that I’ll be ‘normal’ again, or to even consider taking a leg kick. Could this be mental?

You'll be fine. Just make sure you complete your post-surgery physical therapy, and ease back into training.

stifler2 · 09-08-2009, 03:09 PM

no man, im serious- i had ACL reconstruction july 6, with 2 screws put in through the bone.
The doctor said he's never seen anyone recover as fast as i have, since after a few weeks of rehab i was doing lunges across the floor. granted there is still alittle fluid in there- but it's looking healthier.
i manage to do the same work outs at home / gym that the rehab doc has me doing with him that way im not spending so much money and time waiting on him. he has me do squats so i stick to squats. if he has me do the stationary bike i do that at the gym.
it's the idea behind actually taking a kick or anything like that because there are times where i'll be up some stairs or something and it pops or feels tense. it's all in my head i guess but i will not roll with anyone at all..until i get a doctors note saying it's ok.
i heard minitaro had the same thing happen and now he's back? is it common for this stuff to happen and NOT stop your training?

pliftkl · 09-08-2009, 03:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stifler2

it's the idea behind actually taking a kick or anything like that because there are times where i'll be up some stairs or something and it pops or feels tense. it's all in my head i guess but i will not roll with anyone at all..until i get a doctors note saying it's ok.

Good. You've had some serious surgery to your knee. The idea of taking a leg kick SHOULD scare the living crap out of you - because if they have to redo the surgery, that recovery is going to seriously suck. Two months out the popping and tension is completely normal. Count yourself lucky that you heal fast, and keep at the rehab. Once you do start rolling, don't screw around with trying to escape anything to the leg - just tap if they are close.

I can assure you that this is a 100% recoverable injury, as long as you don't go screwing up your recovery by trying to go too fast. When the knee feels solid, you'll lose the fear, and this will be the most dangerous time for you. You need to keep working the rehab, and understand that there are two aspects to the healing - you are healing first from the surgery (it sounds like you are close to done with this). The second part of the healing is going to be having the replacement ligament calcify and truly connect to the bone. There's nothing you can do to rush this process - it happens over 6-12 months. It's the time between when the surgery has healed and the calcification takes place that you have to be very, very careful.

stifler2 · 09-09-2009, 03:15 PM

I appreciate the posts and information because honestly my leg some times scares me. I was walking to the computer now and it popped a few times like cracking knuckles. so, i'll take it back down a notch and NOT train and only do my rehab stuff..so im gaining wieght and getting out of shape. There has to be a way to train safely like other guys with money do! For Example, Rey Mysterio blew his ACL out and was back a few months...I hope the sound im hearing is just fluid leaving the knee or what not.

SMillard · 09-09-2009, 04:32 PM

The popping is normal. Just make sure your knee is in alignment if not do the stretches and exercises they tell you to do.

I had my acl replaced March 1 of 08 I was doing body squats a couple months after so you aren't a genetic freak at least not from that information. I couldn't run as quickly as you did because I also had a crack in the bone along with a torn meniscus. All said and done I was released for rolling in October of 08 by my doctor. He did tell me to go VERY light on the stand up (take downs and striking). If you follow the rehab you will be fine, do the stretches, massage the scars and use the stim, ice and heat when appropriate.

When you are released start doing light plyometrics and when comfortable pistol squats, they helped me immensely. If it feels uncomfortable stop doing it. Eventually you will have an after the moment revelation when someone takes you down, does a leg kick or something when you will realize the leg isn't as fragile as you worry it is.

Good luck. Welcome to the club

preppypyro · 10-18-2009, 08:31 PM

I know this thread is a few weeks old now....

I had a complete acl surgery around a year ago now, and my knee is back to tip top shape. During recovery the doctor told me it was his best work he has ever done, and he has never seen someone recover so well. I recovered fast too, but not superfast. I was walking in a month, jogging very shortly after.

Im finding it pretty hard to get back into shape though, hence the reason I am starting to lurk around this particular forum

Ive never done any sort of martial arts before and I plan on starting muay thai and BJJ from a local gym to start getting into shape, and I have no worries about my acl at all.

JoNo · 11-06-2009, 06:36 PM

I know it's been a while but i wanted to give you a bit of information that no one has touched on yet.

Even though your leg feels great and you have been progressing faster then usual the blood supply to the new ACL has not been fully restored. It takes a long time for the complete revascularization of the ACL to take place.

Heavy resistance training, plyometrics, and agility exercises should not be done too early in the rehab process, no matter how good the knee actually feels, until a proper amount of time has passed. 6 months is what i have seen as the time it takes to return to full out, all contact, american football.

Just keep that in mind as you progress back to training.

Viet-Tam · 11-06-2009, 07:10 PM

It was more of a mental thing with me when I had my surgery. They had me doing rehab 2 days after my surgery. I got back into real training around 6 months after surgery.