Post Acl Reconstruction Help

Hi all, any help with this is greatly appreciated.

I'm a 21 year old male who recently had an Acl reconstruction on the right knee(hamstring Graft). Surgery was Mid October so i'm almost at the 6 month mark post op. However, for reasons i won't get in to my rehabilitation has been massively interrupted, for both reasons out of my control and within. Anyway, what's done is done and hopefully not irreparably so.

I was 2 months in to my rehab and able to achieve full extension and flexion, save a few degrees or so. For the next two months my physio dropped off, and only basic stretching exercise and sporadic cycling machine work were done. This has undoubtedly affected the scar tissue and general progress of the new graft, but to what extent? I've been doing gym work for the past month and everything seems to be okay in that degree. However i'm getting a lot of pain when i bring my knees up to my chest, i can achieve full flexion but only when helped with my hands clasped around my shin bone. I've begun playing tennis with no real complaints other than a slight wobble and the crunching sensation described in the next paragraph.

There are several things i can't distinguish between my lack of physio and general post operative complaints, for example, i still get radiating pain on both sides of my shin when i receive a knock on the general area of the main incision, after 6 months i'm wondering whether or not this should have ceased. I also get what i can only describe as a crunching sensation or sharp stabbing pain should i distribute too much weight on my bad side on the wrong part of my foot, this is less often but if i am to return to my main sport, football, this is obviously a problem.

My main question i guess, is will i be able to play football again? I've put semi-professional out of my sights, which is what i was working towards before i sustained the injury(december2008) and am quite frankly happy with 5-a-side and the odd 11-a-side sunday league match, but has my break from physio destroyed these chances?

Thank you for taking the time to read, feel free to ask any questions, i've tried to be as informative as possible but no doubt i've missed some crucial tidbits, cheers.

Anybody?

any opinions would be appreciated, even if you are telling me i'm a blooming idiot.

first of all, the fact that your playing tennis with not too many problems is a very encouraging sign.

the pain in your shins? could be sensitisation of nerves from the area the incision was made. you need to actually introduce different textures and temperatures etc to this area to desensitizae the area ie let the nerves get used to feeling different things again. if you havent been doing this it may be why its so sensitive still.

crunching/sharp pain in knee? acl rconstruction +/- meniscal repair etc is a big surgery and it along with the period of immobilisation and partial weight bearing on crutches etc afterwards can lead to joint stiffness and muscle imbalances etc that may cause all sorts of symtpoms.

have you been back to your surgeon, is he happy with how things are going?

i had my acl repaired with both menisci repaired in junel ast year and i just played my first match back last weekend. 10 months later. people differ in their rehab and return to sports after surgeries. some basketball p;ayers in the us are back inside of three months!

provided your acl is intact your knee should be stable, which is the goal of the surgery. it is a matter of slowly progressing strengthening, balance and sport specific activites at a pace suited to you until you are ready to return to contact sports involvong twisting etc.

its certainly not too late to go to an experienced physio who deals with acl rehab often and start putting a plan thats appropriate to you into place and setting a goal for maybe to play in another six months or maybe earlier.

dont rush back and just take each step as it comes. certainly dont rule outplaying football again.

Hi there Roycar thanks very much for the reply and congratulations on returning to sport yourself, reading that was helpful and encouraging! I played my first game of football tonight, just a kickabout and light jog around, was carefull not to twist or go in for any challenges and i came through it relatively unscathed, barring a twinge in the hamstring which i've been told is perfectly normal having had the graft taken from there. however i've come to the conclusion that this was too soon, even for a relaxed kickabout, and now after reading your promising reply i should really step up my physio gradually as opposed to diving relatively straight back in. Thanks again for the advice, tis greatly appreciated.

Hi
regarding scar tissues after the surgery, is good to unlock it, useing shallow injection into the scar with ie. lidocainum.

get well

Jarek
Fizjomanual I Fizjosport - Start