Help Needed: ACL ruptured -how incapacitated am I going to be?

[Kerryn]

Hi,
I'm new here, just found the site when checking reviews for new ski boots.
I'm now in Japan on my annual ski holiday,( I live in a surf/holiday town in Australia). Day 3 something happened, went over the front of my skis and pop went ACL. So have been iceing, resting, iceing and resting for 5 days now. I've had MRI and xray, and will need surgery at home, but how incapacitated am I going to be now and post surgery? (Language difficulties with doctors here).

I have my own women's fashion boutique where I work 4 days a week and on my feet most of the day; we like to help women "play" with clothes so I'm always running around finding customers different things.
I am concerned whether or not I'm going to be able to still work?

Can anyone tell how they went after their injury in regards to being up and mobile? (My knee totally collapsed after fall and I haven't put weight on it since)
Have read lots of great post already...Thanks
P.S. My son tells me I got the best 3 days on the mountain so far anyway...powder so light and dry it really is cross between a cloud and beaten egg whites, truly!

 

[altagirl]

Pre-surgery, chances are you won't have a problem working. Once the initial swelling goes down, it's not too bad and I was actually running and all sorts of things. It made me wonder if I really needed surgery except for the fact that if I pivoted on that leg to turn a sharp corner I'd wind up on the floor because my knee would give out again. So if you are anything like that - working probably won't be an issue as long as you take some care while walking on it.

Post-surgery - you're going to need to be off of it and keep it elevated until that swelling goes down, which could be weeks. I know for me, going back to work in a couple days wasn't a big deal, but I could sit at my desk with my leg propped up on the desk. If you can arrange it so someone else does the running around and you can sit at the register with your leg elevated over your heart (this takes some flexibilty...) that would be more of a possibility. If you spend much time at all standing on it to start with, that swelling is never going to go down and you'll be struggling with physical therapy forever....

 

[MaineSkiLady]

SO sorry to read this! :(
Do some hunting on the fitness/injuries section -- unfortunately, you have company. I think the thread I started re my DH was titled "The Eagle Has Landed" - about his ACL tale of woe, surgery, rehab, etc.

Like you, he had urgent need to get back on his feet and back to work ASAP. This was a major consideration in graft choice (he went allo patella tendon) and the general direction of rehab. His workplace does not allow (per OHSA) any ambulation devices (safety issue), so he had to be on his own 2 feet, and it was a critical time of year. Surgery was 3/2/09, and he was back at work full-time by 3/31. Still (obviously) had to do rehab but at least he was on his feet and able to walk - initially was instructed to get off feet every 3-4 hours and ice for 20 minutes. No ladders or crawling. Restrictions gradually lifted over course of the next 2 months.

 

[Pequenita]

I'll simply add that ACL ruptures often occur in tandem with other damage. To the extent your particular injury includes a tear to the meniscus, sprain of another ligament, or bone contusions, you may experience symptoms of those injuries, which sometime have effects after the initial swelling subsides.

If you haven't already, get a copy of your images to bring back to your physician back home so you don't have to get another MRI/x-ray.

 

[Kerryn]

Thanks for such great specific information Altagirl, really helpful. You don't mean running/jogging surely???
Can't quite picture managing the leg elevated above heart behind counter...yoga never has been my forte!
Spoke to one of my lovely staff and she organised everyone to cover for me my first week back if needed.
Thanks for stressing the importance of rest after surgery; I have a customer that did her ACL and two years later still walks with a stick and can't straighten her leg, so I will heed such good advise from you.
MSL thanks, sounds like you DH did all the right things to get back to work in a reasonable time - will check those other threads
And Pequenita, I have my MRI on disc , tucked safely in my case. OS here said it looked like only ACL damaged , fingers crossed. I haven't had much pain, just a bit uncomfortable feeling if I move wrong so hopefully things will improve so start strength training when home as soon as given the go ahead

 

[persee]

Kerryn,

Take a look on here for my thread "Knee Possibilities". That's a "short" summary of my experience with tearing my ACL last March. I'm back on skis and good. If you have some questions that aren't answered there just ask! I'm happy to share my experience.

 

[Kerryn]

Persee
thanks I will do . It's nice to know you're not the only one and someone else's experience can shed light on your own. : )

 

[volklgirl]

My experience was very similar to altagirl's. You're most definitely not alone.

After reconstruction, I was crutches only for 2 weeks, weight bearing as tolerated for 2 weeks, then rehab. I, too, could work at my desk and returned to work on Tuesday after a Friday surgery. Injury was St Patrick's Day, surgery was Memorial Day weekend (needed to let swelling subside, do pre-op strengthening of surrounding muscles, and increase range of motion before surgery), returned to running and rollerblading in September, back to skiing in December.

14 years later, that knee is in much better shape than the other one.

 

[MaineSkiLady]

Hi, in another thread, you asked about the CPM - here is some info:
https://www.activeforever.com/p-24645-optiflex-3-knee-cpm.aspx

Please keep in mind that surgeons' preferred graft choices, methods, and to an even greater extent, rehab protocols, are going to vary -- WIDELY. One will praise what another might admonish. It can be perplexing.

HOWEVER...BOTTOM LINE: what counts is OUTCOME. If you choose a surgeon who does NOT like CPM (and quite a few do not) or who does NOT want you to be "braced" for multiple reasons (which, if this is the case, will be fully explained), said surgeon will have reasons based on his/her experience.

It's all about trust. There is NO ONE METHOD that is ultimately preferable over the other. The surgeon considers your circumstances, immediate and future needs - and goes from there. It's all mutually decided upon.

This is actually good news for you, as there are so many different ways of getting to the goal.

Good luck and keep us posted.

 

[altagirl]

Thanks for such great specific information Altagirl, really helpful. You don't mean running/jogging surely???

Oh yes. I was in the army and they wouldn't send me to a specialist right away ("just take more motrin, you'll be fine"), so it didn't get diagnosed for almost 6 months. It was swollen up the size of my head at the beginning, but I just forced myself to run on it and believe it or not, I think all the movement helped keep the swelling down. For quite a while, I was running 3-5 miles twice a day on a fully torn ACL, primarily because it kept my knee loose. (If I stopped it seemed to swell more). Of course, I couldn't change directions very fast unless I wanted to be lying in a heap on the ground, but I could run in a straight line just fine.

I'm not really recommending this - but when you can't get in to see an orthopedic surgeon for 6 months, you just figure out what works on your own....

Can't quite picture managing the leg elevated above heart behind counter...yoga never has been my forte!

Yeah, it definitely requires some flexibility... You could also set up a chair with both legs elevated up nicely. But how long this is needed really depends on your body and how much swelling you have, etc. Everyone is a little different.

I have a customer that did her ACL and two years later still walks with a stick and can't straighten her leg,

Yeah - that is why your physical therapists will be very tough on you about doing your exercises to get full extension back in that leg as soon as possible. (And obviously swelling in the knee is one of the biggest things prohibiting full range of motion). It is probably the most painful part of the whole recovery process for most people, but having seen what happens without full extension is certainly good motivation to push through it!

Sorry you are having to go through this but best of luck! Unfortunately all too many of us have been through this, but at least you have lots of people to compare notes with.

 

[MaineSkiLady]

that is why your physical therapists will be very tough on you about doing your exercises to get full extension back in that leg as soon as possible. (And obviously swelling in the knee is one of the biggest things prohibiting full range of motion). It is probably the most painful part of the whole recovery process for most people, but having seen what happens without full extension is certainly good motivation to push through it!

Oh yeah to the above. This was super-mega-major hard for DH, both "pre" hab and rehab. "Pre" because of the meniscus tear; post - well, post is what it is: hard. I don't think he totally has major extension to near hyperextension (2 years after the injury), and his VMO still has catching up to do. But otherwise? Really doing well. Amazing. (surgery at age 55) Surgery was in early March (09), he was water skiing by mid-August. No brace - ever. Surgeon and pt didn't (and presumably still don't) approve.

 

[Kerryn]

Kerryn,

Take a look on here for my thread "Knee Possibilities". That's a "short" summary of my experience with tearing my ACL last March.
Nice synopsis Persee, gives me an idea of what's ahead.

Altagirl ,I made a point of raising my leg and laying down -so leg above heart and noticed a definate difference last night, so am doing the same today -Thanks for the tip...still can't believe you were running!

Thanks Volkgirl and MSL all good info .I'm sure I'll be asking more soon enough.

 

[ScottishGirlie]

Kerryn, best wishes for a really speedy recovery. Really sorry to read the bad news.

 

[Kerryn]

Scottishgirlie Thanks for the well wishes - am on holidays with my 2 "boys" but miss my girlfriends at at time like this. So nice for practical advise and some emotional support...glad I found this forum

 

[ScottishGirlie]

Hey Kerryn!

That's just rotten being on holiday too and so far away from home. Glad you enjoyed your first few days though. I would love to ski Japan someday.

This place is great for advice, fun, a giggle and support!!

Take care.

 

[Kerryn]

Are you lucky enough to live in the mountains Scottishgirlie?
Where is you 'home ' mountain?

 

[ScottishGirlie]

I live near "little hills" and have great views of them, but you can't ski there!

I'm lucky in that there are five ski areas in Scotland, the nearest one is around 90 minutes away and the furthest about three hours away. My favourite places are Glencoe and Nevis Range.

Check out www.winterhighland.info which will give you an idea of our ski areas. The "public report" section has lots of nice trip reports and pics.

How about you, how far away are you from the nearest ski-ing in Australia?

 

[Kerryn]

Well, it's the last day of my skiing "holiday" -it's certainly been more restful than my other ski holidays...think I would rather be totally exhausted, with 2 knees intact!
Off to Tokyo tomorrow. I 've saved lots of money on this holiday by being laid up so I think a little retail therapy might be the order for the day. Hmm...think there's a Tiffanys in Tokyo.
Thanks for all the support and really useful information. Good luck to anyone out there with injuries - we're women we can do it!
Will post something when home, and I'll have to ask for some ideas as I have been trying to get my 'boys' to go to the US for a snow trip, Heavenly, Mammoth or even Colorado not sure really.
I will have to pass the word on this great website to some more Aussies. Love it.

 

[ScottishGirlie]

Go for it girl - shops are made for shopping!

Enjoy Tokyo!

Have a safe journey home.

Take care and keep in touch.

 

[RockSki]

3rd-degree (translate: nasty) ACL tear almost two years ago, with some other damage at the same time. Tons of rehab, and ongoing exercise. 6-months post injury, I was assessed by a top-notch orthopod who advised against reconstructive surgery in my case - not because he is against this kind of operation, but because of my goals and circumstances. I mention this because, at the time, it seemed like the big choices were about surgery (where? when? with whom? or not at all?) but the rehabilitation and regular exercise are also crucial for long-term outcomes. As I am in the health research field, I spent a far bit of time trolling peer-reviewed publications on this kind of problem, and as MSL has said, opinions vary -- WIDELY. Everything that I could find highlighted the value of exercise (modified, of course, during rehab...)