Posts
230
Joined
12/21/2015
Location
Landenberg, PA
US
DirtBikeKid46
2/5/2018 9:38am
2/5/2018 9:38am
Well, tore my ACL, MCL & Meniscus. From the research I've been doing, there are a ton of trade off's from one graft choice to another. Thought I'd ask some of other mx'ers that have torn an ACL of their experience. Doesn't sound like a fun surgery by any means!
I'm 40 and active, not so much for pivoting sports but like to ride MTB and dirt bikes but not really racing but still get after it.
My main questions are:
-Have any of you had a torn ACL and not have it repaired? Any problems with stability?
-If repaired, which graft did you opt for and how was the recovery?
-Curious about the anesthesia, were you put under general anesthesia or did they do a spinal similar to an epidermal?
Thanks for any input!
I'm 40 and active, not so much for pivoting sports but like to ride MTB and dirt bikes but not really racing but still get after it.
My main questions are:
-Have any of you had a torn ACL and not have it repaired? Any problems with stability?
-If repaired, which graft did you opt for and how was the recovery?
-Curious about the anesthesia, were you put under general anesthesia or did they do a spinal similar to an epidermal?
Thanks for any input!
In your case, I think it'd be silly not to get everything fixed. Do you want 8-14 months of hard work and discomfort, or a potential 10+ year case of a floppy knee, worrying about the slightest twist that could cause issues again? Most doctors will recommend allograft (IE cadaver) at your age.
Most research suggests even at higher ages, most surgeries are pretty successful with most returning to their previous activity level. Again, a lot of that will depend on your ability to recover and your insurance ability to allow for therapy.
I know people who ride with no ACL and/or other damaged ligaments. They can still ride fast, but I think several would tell you they are starting to suffer a bit with arthritis and significant issues in recovery after riding. And, for them, all it takes it one wrong bump and their day is done (yes, I know, any knee injury can occur with just a wrong twist or placing it wrong).
Like anything else, ask probing high level questions with your doc, do your research, and consider your options.
Some light reading:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3225626/
Get it done.
Regular anesthesia and surgery only took about an hour and a half.
I tore one in 1990 and the other side in 2000 ish,
I was able to do most sports that didn't involve quick direction changes, I even ran a half marathon,
At times when i was fully relaxed ( drunk ) i would buckle over but quickly get up.
Now days i can't even jog and i am in constant pain. may knees have different wear patterns that now means i can not get ACL repairs done, and now i suffer from daily pain and waiting for Knee replacements in the far future.
The Shop
I went a year with a torn ACL, until it got stuck somewhere inside my knee and locked it up. Needed surgery the next day.
Thanks for the help.
I have a patella tendon on the right and no ACL on the left with zero issues. Strong hamstring makes up for having no ACL. Will get it done later in life if it starts bothering me or knee replacement comes first.
My advice is to have it fixed. You wouldn't keep riding your bike if the rear wheel bearings went out would you?
I had the hamstring graft. Seems this is more popular in Aus but in America looks like patella is used more often.
General anethisia
Was at therapy two times a week 2 weeks out and was walking without crutches at about 6 weeks. I was back at my desk job after the 3rd week.
Back riding mx with a knee brace about 3 months later, sore as F knee but smiling... no I wasn't haulin ass but I was riding.
Pit Row
1. Get it done. You have the unhappy triad. You'll end up with a knee replacement in the next few years if you don't get it done
2. Best graft is the patella tendon graft. # 2 is hamstring. # 3 is cadaver. This is in regards to failure rates and what gets you closest to your native graft.
3. I wouldn't do an epidural for knee surgery. If you do it at the right place you'll get sciatic + femoral nerve blocks for pain help in the first 48-72 hours.
Good luck.
If your Dr. is recommending a Patella graft he hasn’t progressed. That’s 90’s Tech. Hamstring autograft, OOOR....I have heard technologies have progressed with how a cadaver ligament is “cleaned”. Methods when I had my knee done (2010) to strip the bio footprint caused them to be weak.
The hamstring will grow back eventually, Patella will NEVER grow back. My knee with hamstring autograft is considerably more tight and stable than my stock knee...I did have a weaker hamstring that was noticeable with the tension of knee brace straps when putting foot back and forth from brake to peg. I was riding at the 4 month point BTW. I didn’t do anything special to strengthen hammy and it was a few years before it became a non-issue.
P.S. This might be the worst place to ask for advice next to ThumperTalk.
- Left ACL torn + tibial plateau fracture and meniscus partial tear. repaired the ACL (hamstring graft). Healing process was rough, had to have an extra operation to clear out the scar tissue locking mobility in the joint. Took about 10 months total before I could get back on the bike ( injury happened with knee pads, no braces)
-3 years later, left torn again - opted for the synthetic graft to try something different. took about 6 months total before light riding. (Injury happened with asterisk cell braces - broke braces in half)
-3 years later tore the right ACL (used patellar tendon) , stretched LCL, stretched MCL torn meniscus and broken femur. This actually took the least amount of recovery - about 5 months of constant physical therapy & training.
(Injury happened in POD K700 braces - still great braces and would reccommend - no brace would've helped the way I hit)
All surgeries were gen. anesthesia
Now 3 years after my last surgery - I am living with 2 torn ACL's yet again at 27 years old - after having issues with both knees within the last year on and off the bike. I am opting on not repairing them which may not be the smartest option long term, but I've given up the idea that my knees are ever going to be 100%. So for now I'll be waiting for some bionic legs to be coming available while I stay as active as I can. I still ride once a week, definitely not at the level I once did, and am still fighting other issues with cysts rooting from my meniscus, along with the normal clicking and popping which is growing to cause more constant pain in my day to day.
For first timer's, I'd recommend at least trying to repair. Which I've seen the best results with the patella tendon.
PSA: PROTECT YOUR KNEES
Never really had much pain after surgery, more discomfort then anything. Did the knee machine and ice right out of surgery for 3 weeks and started PT after that at home just doing simple work outs getting the strength back in my leg. I was putting pressure on it in a brace a few days after surgery to get to the bathroom and what not. Doc then cleared me to walk with the brace at all times, one week after surgery.
At home, I am not using the brace as I try to stay still and not do too much. But if I am out and about running to stores or whatever I will wear it just to be save. Supposed to get my functional brace within a week or so and that I will have to wear for a few months basically at all times Doc said.
Had my first day of physical therapy tonight, cute girl stretched me all out. My insurance for PT blows and costs $80 a session so can't imagine I'll be going too much and need to work my ass off at home.
I'm restricted to a certain mile radius with my insurance so I need to stay with a doc around the Philadelphia area.
Hardest decision at this point is which graft to get. Are any of you Patella guys experiencing any pain on your knees when kneeling down?
Fast forward September of 2017, cross rutted in a corner and put my left foot down to catch myself. Saved the crash but destroyed my knee with braces on. Torn meniscus and acl. Had surgery Jan 19th of this year and with a different doc. Cadaver graft again and he told me I could walk on it as soon as I could tolerate the pain as one meniscus tear healed itself and he trimmed the other. 2 days later I’m limping around and a week and a half in I’m getting around like normal with only minor discomfort. What a difference from the last time. Range of motion is already really good.
I believe him green lighting me walking and moving the knee kept it from getting stiff and loosing range of motion. Physical therapy starts the 19th.
General anesthesia, in and out of hospital in about 4 hours for me. They were great too.
Post a reply to: Torn ACL - to repair or not?