ACL problem
Author
Discussion

Pickled

Original Poster:

2,059 posts

172 months

Wednesday 20th August 2014
quotequote all
I had a slip a few weeks back, resulting in knee pain, sent for MRI and results are as follows

Partial interstitial tearing of ACL but there are fibres in continuity, there is some resultant mild anterior inflation,

I have an appointment with an ortho. consultant at the BMI hospital in Brentford on Friday, just wondering if anyone would have any idea (The Doc?) whether I am likely to need surgery, I know you can't (for obvious reasons) give a diagnosis just an indication to satisfy my curiosity - I know i'll find out one way or another on Friday but I'm an impatient bugger biggrin

jonamv8

3,268 posts

195 months

Wednesday 20th August 2014
quotequote all
Ive ruptured my acl and still no surgery

joeg

157 posts

204 months

Thursday 21st August 2014
quotequote all
Always better to get acl surgery if your sporty...it's like a frayed roped the more you use it the worse it will get. I opted for the surgery best descion I made

Terminator X

20,462 posts

233 months

Thursday 21st August 2014
quotequote all
jonamv8 said:
Ive ruptured my acl and still no surgery
Ruptured mine in 93. Kept collapsing after that (knee gave me no support) so went for surgery. 12 months later almost as good as before.

TX.

Mojooo

13,291 posts

209 months

Thursday 21st August 2014
quotequote all
joeg said:
Always better to get acl surgery if your sporty...it's like a frayed roped the more you use it the worse it will get. I opted for the surgery best descion I made
Conversley being told not to have surgey was a disaster for me as I ended up fully tearing it and damaging other parts of my knee.

Yes surgery might seem daunting but its not always really a choice - yes you can still live on - particualrly if you dont do much sporty type activity but its a risk if you do.

bga

8,134 posts

280 months

Thursday 21st August 2014
quotequote all
Mojooo said:
Conversley being told not to have surgey was a disaster for me as I ended up fully tearing it and damaging other parts of my knee.

Yes surgery might seem daunting but its not always really a choice - yes you can still live on - particualrly if you dont do much sporty type activity but its a risk if you do.
I also really regret not pushing to have mine operated on. 10 years on and it still gives me problems occasionally

Pickled

Original Poster:

2,059 posts

172 months

Thursday 21st August 2014
quotequote all
joeg said:
Always better to get acl surgery if your sporty...it's like a frayed roped the more you use it the worse it will get. I opted for the surgery best descion I made
That was my thought, I have an Alaskan Malamute (think super sized husky) that I do cani-cross with and I walk him 8 - 10 miles a day, so I guess surgery it is then.

Those that have had it done, what was the recovery timescale from op to full use?

joeg

157 posts

204 months

Thursday 21st August 2014
quotequote all
6-7 months depending on what you class full use as! Also think you mentioned you were going private if that is the case IMHO I think it's really important to research the surgeon and find some one who is good/has a interest in acls. Not the easiest surgery and it can make a huge difference to the recovery and long term results

Pickled

Original Poster:

2,059 posts

172 months

Thursday 21st August 2014
quotequote all
joeg said:
6-7 months depending on what you class full use as! Also think you mentioned you were going private if that is the case IMHO I think it's really important to research the surgeon and find some one who is good/has a interest in acls. Not the easiest surgery and it can make a huge difference to the recovery and long term results
Cheers for the reply, full use for me would be cross country walking/running 50 - 60+ miles a week .

Yes going private, this is the guy I'm seeing tomorrow http://www.bmihealthcare.co.uk/consultant/consulta... seems arthroscopy is one of his specialties (they really need to sort the crime watch style photos out hehe)

joeg

157 posts

204 months

Thursday 21st August 2014
quotequote all
And the other thing is once you have had the surgery it is important not to rush your return to training and really concentrate on physio to build all your muscles back up. It's amazing how quick they waste away after surgery. I think they used to recommend waiting for surgery to build the muscle back up first but I think this is no longer done so much

joeg

157 posts

204 months

Thursday 21st August 2014
quotequote all
And the other thing is once you have had the surgery it is important not to rush your return to training and really concentrate on physio to build all your muscles back up. It's amazing how quick they waste away after surgery. I think they used to recommend waiting for surgery to build the muscle back up first but I think this is no longer done so much

Terminator X

20,462 posts

233 months

Thursday 21st August 2014
quotequote all
Pickled said:
Those that have had it done, what was the recovery timescale from op to full use?
12 months imho + important to stay away from football (perhaps running?) etc during that whole time in order to let it heal properly.

TX.

Pickled

Original Poster:

2,059 posts

172 months

Thursday 21st August 2014
quotequote all
Terminator X said:
12 months imho + important to stay away from football (perhaps running?) etc during that whole time in order to let it heal properly.

TX.
yikes Looks like i'll be buying the dog a treadmill!

crossy67

1,570 posts

208 months

Thursday 21st August 2014
quotequote all
I snapped mine when I was 18. I went to the doc who poo pooed what I said so I just left it. 18 years later I had private medical and the knee had collapsed once too often and was becoming painful. I went in and had it done after a consultation with Jamie Wooton (looked like Stephen Mangen a bit back in the day).

Fantastic surgeon. I was walking within a couple of weeks and (don't tell anyone) playing 5 a side within 6 months. Both my knees are now knackered, the one he did the ACL on simply because of the cartilage damage done in the 16 years I didn't get anything done about it thanks to my old GP and the other one through another accident.

If the ligament is damaged don't leave it, the consequences are crippling, literally. I'm 45 now and am in daily pain and can't stand up from a crouch without something to hold on to. They cause agony.

Pickled

Original Poster:

2,059 posts

172 months

Friday 22nd August 2014
quotequote all
Off for another MRI, consultant suspects there is some cartilage damage as well that has been missed on the first scan.

The_Doc

6,249 posts

249 months

Saturday 23rd August 2014
quotequote all
joeg said:
6-7 months depending on what you class full use as! Also think you mentioned you were going private if that is the case IMHO I think it's really important to research the surgeon and find some one who is good/has a interest in acls. Not the easiest surgery and it can make a huge difference to the recovery and long term results
This, times a lot.

It is usually a good idea that the surgeon does >50 ACLs a year, and even better if he does re-do ACLs ( revision surgery) as he'll be used to seeing all the ones that go wrong.

I find....

Lots of other good things being said on this thread too.

John D.

20,945 posts

238 months

Monday 25th August 2014
quotequote all
Ruptured my ACL and MCL on 31st May. Had ACL reconstruction done on 22nd July. I've been walking around the house without crutches since last week. Expect to go back to work 8th September (I have a long commute via train/tube into central London so this has been a problem!).

I don't play any sports but not having surgery was not an option for me. I help run a building site for a living so being confident on my feet is a must.

Went private with a knee specialist at Circle Hospital Reading. PM me if you want to know who. He seems very good so far. Fortunately I didn't do any cartilage damage and the MCL does not require reconstruction.

Muscle wastage is an utter bd. Expecting 6-7 months to get back to normal.

John D.

20,945 posts

238 months

Monday 25th August 2014
quotequote all
Ruptured my ACL and MCL on 31st May. Had ACL reconstruction done on 22nd July. I've been walking around the house without crutches since last week. Expect to go back to work 8th September (I have a long commute via train/tube into central London so this has been a problem!).

I don't play any sports but not having surgery was not an option for me. I help run a building site for a living so being confident on my feet is a must.

Went private with a knee specialist at Circle Hospital Reading. PM me if you want to know who. He seems very good so far. Fortunately I didn't do any cartilage damage and the MCL does not require reconstruction.

Muscle wastage is an utter bd. Expecting 6-7 months to get back to normal.