2 weeks Post ACL Reconstruction

Hi guys I ruptured my ACL a few months ago and had surgery 2 weeks ago, they used my hamstring to rebuild the ligament. The surgery went fine and I had the stitches out today with the doctor saying everything is ok, happy days. My only concern is that pre op my knee would click and lock a little with the physio saying its quite deep and it sounds as if its behind the knee and she'll have a look after surgery. She also says the knee joint might of moved? Now after surgery the swelling is going down and now im able to bend the knee a little more it still seems to lock and click slightly. I know we're all different but has anyone experienced similar syptoms to this? I have an appointment with the physio in a few weeks but can the physio sort the clicking out? Before op I was hoping to play football (soccer) again but the way I feel at the moment I think id be glad to run again! Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks Blakey

Hi Blakey
It would be good to know what your mechanism of injury was and also what all they repaired during surgery. Did you have meniscus damage as well initially? Did you have surgery to the menisci? s it a click or a locking that you feel in the knee?

Anyway, 2 weeks post-op is still early days, but the sooner the knee gets miobilised the better.
New studies show that the quicker the extension movement is improved the better.
Are you wearing a brace post-op? What are the range of movement settings on it at the moment?

It would help if you can answer some of these questions, but your physio might go through them with you.

Good luck.

Hi Sequence thanks for the reply

It happened in a football match where a player came across with a tackled and all I remember was a popping sound. The lateral collateral ligament swell right up but the MRI scan show there was only a ruptured ACL. From what i'm aware the only thing the surgeon did was replace the ACL with a tendon from my hamstring. When having my stitches out today the doctor had a look at the notes and did say they had to take a a bit of something out of my knee and said it could affect me later in life. I asked about sport and football and he did say as long as you folllow the physio's instructions you'll be fine.

When I saw the physio pre op with my knee on the bed it would click when fully extended. She put her hand on it and when i started to bend my knee she could feel the clunking sound and said it were deep, maybe it was behind the knee and the joint may have moved.

Im on crutches with no brace. I would say im putting 40% weight bearing on it with crutches. The bending of the knee is getting better but as I did before the op with the physio when I bend my knee now it seems to build up to a click rather than a click (hard to explain). When its extended say going up the stairs it feels as if its building up to a click again just below the kneecap. Most of the time when it does build up for the click it does click inless I move into a position to stop it.

Thanks for your help again

Blakey

Blakey

It sounds as if you did have some meniscal damage with the initial injury, which is usually the case with an ACL tear. Not all meniscus tears are visible on MRI. Just like an X-Ray, an MRI is a still picture and doesn't show what the structures of the knee do when moving.
During surgery the surgeon can move the knee and also detect a meniscus tear better.
Anyway, if they did take out something, it was probably a meniscal body.

I would say that if your range of motion (both flexion and extension) and weight bearing is coming along, and you dont have a "locking" of the knee, you shouldnt worry about the click too much- it is only 2 weeks post-op.

Your physio will give you certain exercises, and as your muscle control of the knee gets better, hopefully that click should improve too!

If it locks and clunks, then discuss this with your surgeon at the next follow-up.

Good luck.

Thanks for the reply Sequence.

I can remember the surgeon coming around after the op when I was still groggy from the anesthetic and saying the cartilage was damaged but couldnt remember what he said he did. With the doctor saying they had to remove something yesturday this seems to add up. I shall wait for the physio as they'll have the notes infront of them and i'll post a follow up on here next week.

Thanks again

Blakey

BLAKEY,

OMG this is more or less what i have just had done.... i shall explain my circumstance, after receiving a side impact tackle (basicly a shoulder barge) i felt a double pop in my right knee, after a year of discomfort had my ACL reconstructed using bits from the left knee (slightly different to yours) it is now 3 months since the ACL reconstruction, BUT my knee still locks and has some almighty cracks out of it, but my main concern is that it is locking a lot more now compared to pre op, and yes it is painfull when it locks but as with you i can walk and stand normally but evry 20th step or so, or depending on the type of movement i am doing it locks and i physically have to push out the lock, if you put your hand on the back of the knee can u feel the lock unlocking ? for me it feels like a thud or a twang. this probubly isnt wanted u wanted to hear ! but dam this locking is pissin me off :(

I am due to see the consultant middle of may and will explain that this locking hasnt gone away, i even spoke to physio about it and he doesnt have a clue, he thought maybe hamstring but myself i think its Meniscus Tears which i will speak to consultant about.

GoodLuck with the physio mate and let me know if u find a cure :)

my e-mail address blakey is [email protected] please no spammers plz

Hi nordenfeldta

To be honest the locking has gone from me. The knee is feeling really good and I'm really pleased. I see the physio Wednesday and they'll proberly confirm what I had done but I do think the cartilage had moved or was damaged. They removed part of it and it seems to be doing fine. The doctor said I may suffer later in life but with sport it should be ok if I stick with the physios instructions. Your consultant should pick up why its locking and your surgeon should of noticed it while in surgery. My locking was on the front of the knee just below the kneecap.

I hope you get yours sorted good luck, keep me updated.

Thanks

Blakey

Hi Blakey,

Thnx for the quick response, glad to hear your knee is working again, and thnx for the advice, i seen consultant today who is arranging an MRI and belives it may be cartlidge problems or meniscus.

keep up the rehab and all the best.

Good luck nordenfeldta;)

Ive seen the physio and she was very helpfull. She says I need to start getting the muscles around the knee stronger and gave me some exercises. Im still on the crutches thats 3 weeks post surgery but I can walk a few steps without them but with a limp. Its still swollen but ive started over the past 3 days to make an effort of keeping it elevated with ice around it and its made a big difference. In general i'm happy as its improving everyday but it is a slow process.

Thanks all for your advice

Blakey

Hi guys

Just thought id update you on my ACL. 5 weeks post op and my knee is doing fine, its still a lil swollen as im working it in the gym but theres no pain and hardly any clicking now. Ive spoken to the physio about the clicking and she says its proberly because the joint is out of place when swollen and its not a problem at all. Really pleased on how its going i'm on the cross trainer, bike and rowing machine in the gym doing about 40mins of exercise a day and im losing the weight I put on lol. Physio is pleased and although its a slow process its the first time ive felt I can play sport in the future.

happy days

Blakey

Keep going. I had my ACL reconstructed 22 months ago. I ruptured my ACL playing football with no physical contact and I was unbelievably depressed afterwards thinking I would never play again.

It took me 12 months to get back, and I missed an entire season of playing, and despite me still playing catch up when it comes to my physical fitness, thanks to my efforts and also the excellent work from my physio I have just played a key part in my team winning the league.

I may have been a bit part player, playing a part in 17 games (mostly as a sub playing 30 mins or only lasting 60 mins from the start) but I was top goal scorer with 15 goals and touch wood, my knee feels just fine.

Just make sure you follow the Physio's instructions and keep up the hard work and you will be fine!

PS: I scored from the halfway line on Sunday with my right foot (ACL leg) so anythings possible!!

Mark

Thanks for your post Mark much appreciated.

I'm glad you made it back to football, my dream too haha!

If you do have any tips on any exercises or anything at all about the rehab please could you post here.

Cheers buddy

Blakey

Greetings,

I ruptured my ACL, LCL, and Meniscus playing soccer. I had surgery 3.5 months ago. The doctor used graft from my Hamstring to replace the CL's and trimmed the Meniscus tear. I exercise in the gym about 4x's wk - running on the treadmill and eliptical machines. Prior to surgery I couldn't run without my knee collapsing so that is an improvement. However, now my knee locks and (loudly) pops quite frequently. Prior to surgery it would do this some but not nearly as severely - it was not as firmly locked and the pop wasn't audible to others. I'm curious if others have had this trouble? If so, does anyone know what causes it and how to treat the problem? Many Thanks!