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ACL Reconstruction 27/05/14

I

Ironclad Oz

New member
Hi all,

Well i introduced myself in the intro thread and eluded there to an ACL Reconstruction, when i saw this section on the forum i thought 'what a great place to document somethings to keep track'

Brief History:
Mid Oct 2013 i unfortunatly ruptured the ACL in my right knee in one swift fowl swoop during baskett ball practice for my team. After a trip to A+E i was home with some codiene and a pair of crutches with the doctor telling me i had just twisted it and it will be ok. The next morning i saw a military doctor and he referred me to our physio who sent me an MRI. I was really shocked that at the MRI they just scanned me knee but didnt tell me anything, lucking though they gave me a copy of my scans as well as sending some to my physio. I read my own scan and yep ACL deffo was where it should have been!

I was referred to a specialist unit at the British Military's 'super hospital' Headley Court due to being part of the RAF Powerlifting team in the year 2013 where i was messed around like no end and put at the bottom of the pile to wait for an Op.

27/05/14
I had ACL Reconstruction using a hamstring graft and you would think the most painfull bit was the holes drilled in your knee to fit the new ligament but it's actually the missing hamstring. You can imagine the pain i was in when i woke up after having a doctor pull and force a new ligament into my knee after drilling it...and i now effectivly had a torn hamstring too! Loads of morphine later all is fine.

I was off crutches in 9 days, cycling on the stationary bike in the gym at 4 weeks, road cycling at 6 weeks, running at 8 weeks and now at just under 4 months im jumping, 180 jumps, shuttle runs with 180 deg turns, lunges and i am back squatting 120Kg...i will get back to 180 but that will take some time!

Everything is going amaze-balls right now!

I have just finished a 3 week course of rehab with a military PTI and Physio where i was physed all day every day for 3 weeks, there were guys on the same course who had their op 3-5 months before me and i was streets ahead of them and it was all down to smashing loads of pre-hab! dont skimp on the pre-hab!
 
You're doing well mate!!

I had the same op. Hamstring graft with total ACL rupture.
If you get the VMO firing, you're on your way to a full recovery.

Look up VMO exercises or I can run you thru my rehab as well. I played a few more years of 1st grade rugby after that op, so I did something right.
 
taurus said:
You're doing well mate!!

I had the same op. Hamstring graft with total ACL rupture.
If you get the VMO firing, you're on your way to a full recovery.

Look up VMO exercises or I can run you thru my rehab as well. I played a few more years of 1st grade rugby after that op, so I did something right.
Click to expand...

i lost loads of VMO, ive got it firing but its not as hard as the other side yet so still a few motor nuerons to get going
 
little update, things are coming along nicely, i was allowed by my physio to use the leg extension a couple of days ago, no pain or swelling and it just feels better in the knee, this could all be in my head but but it really does feel better for using it.
I normally low bar squat but i have switched to high bar a few weeks ago and this is really smashing my quads too, doing hamstring curls and deadlifts in an attempt to regain something that resembles my old hammie
 
yeah i had the same op and was back playing aussie rules after only 9 mths, i was only on crutches for 5 days, biggest thing i found to make sure yu get full mobility back in the knee joint...
 
White_Lie said:
Seems like a pretty speedy recovery for such a major op. Well done
Click to expand...

Thanx buddy :cool:

Neddysmith said:
yeah i had the same op and was back playing aussie rules after only 9 mths, i was only on crutches for 5 days, biggest thing i found to make sure yu get full mobility back in the knee joint...
Click to expand...

Yeah mate i found the same, i was on crutches for 5 days too, my wife was like 'sit down dont move ill do everything for you' and while that was nice to have a "slave"(hope she doesn't read this forum) i just wanted to be mobile so i didnt get used to doing nothing.

Contact sports after 9 months is really good mate thats super fast! well done
 
yeah the physio and surgeon were really pleased with progress from day 1, on my first check up with the surgeon he got me to sit on the bed and let the lower leg drop to see how much flexability i had in my knee, i had already been doing this which he didnt know about and when i could go 90 deg in the two weeks he had to double check what was next as he thought that would of been taking me 6 weeks, so he gave me the go ahead to start physioand ramp up the walking from there....
 
I'd stay away from the leg extension machine for now mate. Those things crunch your knees!!!
 
Bazza20 said:
Depends who you listen to. For rehabbing knees some like them some don't.
Click to expand...

Just going on personal experience mate. My knee is 100% now after good rehab and avoiding that exercise after some advice from people that've been thru it as well.
 
taurus said:
Just going on personal experience mate. My knee is 100% now after good rehab and avoiding that exercise after some advice from people that've been thru it as well.
Click to expand...

Seen fair few sports docs, physios, surgeons, knee specialists now over the last few years. They are about half half on recommendations on leg extensions for knee rehab.

I can't see how they could be any more damaging than other leg exercises. Personally they have been one of the easier exercises on the knees for me.

What I am saying there isn't general consensus that leg extensions are a big no no for knee rehab. May work for some but not others.
 
A good leg extension has a flat strength curve, the back rest of the seat must be angled back to eliminate the assistance of other muscles around the knee.

the knee must be well aligned with the axsis of the moment arm.

so effective in producing quad strength means that the opposing muscles will need the same attention.

short of impact on a joint, the most common cause for any injury around a joint is muscle imbalances
 
nice words silverback!

i have been told not to stack the weight on it but use it more as an aid to assist in extension and the stregth of the extension. light weight concentraing on correct form
 
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