ACL Reconstruction+Meniscus removal

[DanHolm17]

How much is this going to slow me down.

[=M=]

How much is this going to slow me down.

It depends mainly on your pain tolerance and willingness to do your PT.

I had this surgery done about 8 years ago. I was told that I would be in PT for at least 8 weeks, on crutches for about the same length of time, and in a brace for at least 6 months to a year.

I was discharged from PT in 4 weeks, off the crutches in 4 weeks, and wore the brace for about 6 weeks.

BUT...I did my PT exercises faithfully 3 times a day. So it does make a difference.

Your best bet would be to ask this same question to your doctor and physical therapist, then follow their instructions to the letter. They know what they're doing.

[DanHolm17]

My Doc...has been very conservative. I had to be on Crutches for 1 month and for the first 3 weeks I wasn't allowed to put any weight on it. Right now I am 2 months post op and I am stuck. I can do everything they ask, but they won't let me run/jog or do any light lifting.

[sLiPkNoT Fan]

It has been one year since surgery for me. I can squat 245 x 10 and am doing plyometrics and occasionally run. I have taken up road biking and quit hockey and lacrosse. My knee bothers me every day and sometimes can be painful. I need to go back to the PT soon to get an assessment. Keep active and do your exercise. I can tell you more if you want.

They used my hamstring tendon BTW.

[DanHolm17]

It has been one year since surgery for me. I can squat 245 x 10 and am doing plyometrics and occasionally run. I have taken up road biking and quit hockey and lacrosse. My knee bothers me every day and sometimes can be painful. I need to go back to the PT soon to get an assessment. Keep active and do your exercise. I can tell you more if you want.

They used my hamstring tendon BTW.

I wanted to do that, but my doc said he doesn't use that technique, so I went with an Allograft.

Also yeah, I'd like to know some more lol. What was your max squat pre surgery? How long did it take until you could weight lift again?

[honez]

I wanted to do that, but my doc said he doesn't use that technique, so I went with an Allograft.

Also yeah, I'd like to know some more lol. What was your max squat pre surgery? How long did it take until you could weight lift again?

Ehhh so they took it from a cadaver?

I got the hamstring done, got a bad staph infection that slowed me down. Initially I was off crutches after 2 weeks, but like I said the infection blew me down.
After 6 months I was cleared to run. Probably could have done it sooner but I blew off the PT (I was 17). Some docs will give you the green light sooner than that but don't rush it man. I know you're going to get all ancy because you haven't been able to do anything involved with legs for a long time, but it's not worth it to rush back into it. Listen to your doc and listen to your body.

Laterally, my knee has some play going side to side when I'm sitting down and manipulating it myself. When I play sports and lift, I have hardly any problems and most of the time feels better than the left.

[degrat38]

I had mine done 13 months ago. ACL reconstruction with a combination of a hamstring/quadriceps graft. Long story short, there were problems with the "other" hamstring graft they were trying to get so they combined the two. Worst experience of my life, incredible pain, couldn't walk for a month, VERY slow recovery. Had another surgery 8 months later to clean up scar tissue because it was causing me a lot of pain. The knee feels a lot better now but it's definately not 100%. I would say it's about 75% right now and I can't see it getting much better. Pretty discouraging stuff but I have to live with it. Here is a pic of my leg about a week after surgery. Notice SEVEN incision, including one on my quad area where they took that graft.