Hello All,

I am scheduled for ACL surgery on Thursday of next week.
I am interested if others have had the surgery, what recovery time can I expect.
I had been running/hill walking for exercise prior to my injury.
I am wondering how long I can expect it to take before I can walk for exercise again.
OR possibly water aerobics.

Responses would be greatly appreciated.

TIA,

Never ACL, but I dislocated a knee before. Sorry I can't help ... Is it a total tear?

Total tear..disconnection is term orthopedist used

Good Luck to you!!

I was in a motorcycle accident in 1986.........my left leg was twisted around backwards at the knee........tore all the ligaments off the bone. I was layed up for 6 months........now, I have minimal problems, but will probably have to have a knee replacement when I get older. (much older, as they only last about 20yrs).


Good luck to you! Missy

Hi Valerie...
Well, I have torn both my ACL's. Right one back in '96 and left one in '99. Recovery time...actually, I think it is a personal thing. The first one took me almost a full year to be able to play a basketball game again. The 2nd only took me 3 months. The difference for me...I was in better shape the 2nd time. I tried to build up some muscle for a month after I tore the 2nd one before surgery. Basically, after surgery, your muscle is like jello. I can't remember how long I had to use my crutches but I bet I was walking with a brace and withour crutches within 2 weeks.

Best of luck to you!! And let me know if you need any more info!!!

Linda

I had my right ACL repaired about 6 years ago. My doctor had a very aggressive physical therapy program and I was up and around quickly. As soon as I got home he had my leg in a machine that moved and bent my leg for 12 hours a day. At the time I knew another girl that had hers done at the same time. Her doctor did not use aggressive physical therapy and she was on crutches far longer than I was. She never moved her knee until her physical therapy started and then they had to force hers to move she said it hurt alot. My therapy did not hurt.

I had my patella tendon used as the ligament replacement. What is your doctor going to use?

I went close to 15 years before I had mine repaired. I tore mine skiing and they told me it was a sprain. It was later in life when I found out the ACL was actally torn. But I was cycling regularly through many of those years and my legs were strong I didn't have any problems with my knee. It was only after I quit riding for about 5 years that I started to have problems when I played racketball.

My doctor told me that at my age (38) that if I wasn't going to be playing racketball etc., that if I was planning on being a couch potato that he would reccomend that I not get it done. But since I did play sports I went ahead and got it done.

I have to say that if I had to do it again I probably wouldn't as my knee bothers me more now than it did before the surgery. The only reason I had it done was because I was playing racketball and if I cut hard sometimes my knee would try to go out. Everyday living never bothered my knee.

Good luck with yours,dug

I had mine repaired about 6-7 weeks ago. They say it takes about 6 months to get back to regular activities (basketball, skiing) and a year to be 100%. I was off of crutches by the 4th day, I recommend you get rid of them as soon as possible. Try to stay on atkins during the first few days that you are stuck in bed. I gained 9 lbs that week and I havent lost it since .