another torn ACL....can you say OUCH!!!!!!

riverfreak

haven't been on here in a while 14 hour days have made it near impossible, but busy schedule changed this past Sunday

jumped up with a nice tail grab 180 cleared, high and cleared the wake by 5 or 6 ft.....have done it hundreds of times......I guess I didn't straighten or get my stance back just before I landed and the right leg was boned out.....then POW.......when I landed I felt the pop....right knee

so I'm dying in pain....get in the boat and try to stand....the tibia goes outward to the right and the femur inward to the left.....oh Shi#@##$ very scary....it was at this point that I knew I had a serious injury.....

I spained this same knee snowboarding over the holiday....so perhaps this was bound to happen.....

5 days later I'm amazed that I'm just now seeing the purple/black brusing all around the knee down to the mid shin....swelling.....

still waiting on the MRI results - had to wait for swelling to go down before I even had the MRI.....Doc says 99% sure torn ACL and MCL......I'm trying to stay positive and I am extremely bored.....cant walk.....but most of all - damn - there goes the summer!!!!

at 36 - almost 37 - I hope this isn't then end of my riding......

Skywalker022 · Outlaw Joined: 25 Mar 2009 Posts: 205 City: Tuscaloosa

Tore mine last year. I know it is a mother. Just hang in there, they can rebuild you!

kmagnuss · Posted: Jun 22, 2009 3:33 pm Post subject:

Tore mine 5 weeks and a day ago. Second time. First was a partial tear, this last time was complete.
Today was the first time I could walk pretty much without a limp, or pain. But I didn't have surgery either...so you'll be up and fine in no time. Good luck. And yes...it may be time to hang up the boots...stick to surfing and stuff. PS...I'm 32.

shaggyboarder · Posted: Jun 22, 2009 5:13 pm Post subject:

Stay strong and I hope you have a speedy recovery. If you have the will to ride you will. Its the people that question themselves and live in fear that dont get back out and do what they love.

Commodore · Ladies Man Joined: 20 Jun 2005 Posts: 11636

Ow. That sucks. Just take it easy, and let it heal before you try anything.
Good luck.

JeffreyCH · Posted: Jun 23, 2009 5:17 am Post subject:

riverfreak, That's really awful, I hate to read about things like this. Kind of makes me think about myself and how I push to go bigger, and the fact that if I couldn't walk, I couldn't work. My best wishes for a speedy recovery, don't let it end your riding, might want to take it easy though.....we ain't no spring chickens Wink

browneye253 · Outlaw Joined: 07 Jul 2008 Posts: 115 City: Tulsa

I tore my ACL a couple years back.. the couple weeks of xbox wasn't to bad, however the legasus machine was a bitch. You basically strap your leg into a machine that constantly bends / straightens your knee. I had to do 6 hours a day. Listen to your rehab doc and do what they say and you'll be up and going soon enough.

riverfreak · Posted: Jun 25, 2009 9:50 pm Post subject:

haven't updated....have just now slowed down a bit.....finished summer I 6 hours last night....working on my masters in educational leadership....

MRI results - completely torn ACL - sprain MCL and something else.....still alot on blood inside the bone??? and knee is still extremely swollen.......

doc says a "violent injury" wouldn't even consider touching the knee in its current state....

whats crazy is the bottom of my heel is black and blue.....and seriously nasty bruising from heel to upper thigh.... and now insert muscle spasms.....oh SH#$#$(

so now I'm simply waiting....... 2 weeks iced down on crutches ....for the knee to "settle" down...until the next visity......then rehab for 2 to 4 weeks to gain mobility and range of motion .....then replace the ACL .......and more more more rehab.....

I was so pissed when I first went back to the doc.....okay.....whats broken you simply fix....and my unruly impatience, however all I'm learning this is not how our knees work......

fingers crossed for spring break snowboard trip.....

My husband did surprise me with a camo yamaha rhino last saturday so I can camp hop and visit......has a nice jvc system with 4 boss speakers/lights......its all good.......when you can't walk Smile

m_lesney · Soul Rider Joined: 22 Feb 2008 Posts: 358 City: Austin

lol good luck give it time

firefighter_186 · Soul Rider Joined: 01 Jun 2006 Posts: 291 City: Killeen

Riverfreak

That sucks, but I like many people on here know exactly what you are going through. I have had 2 completely torn ACL’s (right knee twice), 4 meniscus tears as well as grade 3 and 4 chondromalasia . All this in a period of about 6 years.

The surgery you are about to have is not too bad in itself, but the recovery is a mother. Are they planning an autograft (patellar, hamstring) or an allograft? And spring break might be out as far as recovery goes, but it all depends on how motivated you are and what your surgeon will allow you to do. On my second surgery I had my right ACL replaced with the patellar tendon from my left knee, as well as the repair of 2 meniscus tears in my right knee. (So I basically had bi-lateral knee surgery.) This was the most in depth and painful of my three surgeries, but I was back to working on an ambulance in about two and a half month and back to full fire fighting duty in four and a half months (maybe why I had a third surgery). The basic time frame your surgeon will probably give you is 6 months to a year to full recovery.
After surgery I would definitely suggest investing in a high-end custom made knee brace to prevent any further injuries. You should only need bracing during high impact or high rotational type activities.

And being in your thirties should not really affect you at all, I am 33 myself.