ACL Injury

This Forum is the main messageboard to discuss all things Claret and Blue and beyond
Post Reply
Pearcey
Posts: 3376
Joined: Fri Jan 22, 2016 12:59 pm
Been Liked: 1140 times
Has Liked: 1439 times

ACL Injury

Post by Pearcey » Sun Oct 13, 2019 5:56 pm

2 weeks ago I was hit by a car whilst cycling to work. I don’t remember anything other than the initial impact but witnesses said it was a bad one. My main injuries were a fractured knee and a ruptured ACL. I had the same injury on my other knee 21 years ago so I can’t remember what it’s possible to do with it in this state. I’d like to go swimming as I don’t like not being active. Does anyone have any recent experience of this who were advised swimming was ok? I’m still waiting for a consultant appointment and I’m getting itchy feet. Cheers in advance.

jedi_master
Posts: 7104
Joined: Thu Jan 21, 2016 8:33 pm
Been Liked: 3580 times
Has Liked: 1023 times
Location: Chesterfield

Re: ACL Injury

Post by jedi_master » Sun Oct 13, 2019 6:05 pm

Did my ACL playing football at Easter, had surgery 9th August.

Once it’s confirmed you’ve ruptured it, you’re basically unable to make it worse as the damage is done. You’ll have your surgery (be that a ligament graft or patellar graft) and then be in a brace for 4 weeks or, crutches likewise maybe till 6 weeks.

Once I had ruptured it I carried on leading my life as best I could till I had the surgery. Days out, theme parks etc. You will notice that you will buckle a few times, which is when you will experience the same searing pain as when it first happened to you. If you can cope with knowing that will happen (the buckling happened three times I think to me) you can still get about as before - the buckling pain when it happens only last for 5 seconds or so before you’re able to walk again.

Good luck to you, I won’t lie the after-surgery pain is tougher than I had anticipated (mainly from the severe bruising you’ll have all down your leg). The biggest thing I wasn’t prepared for is how helpless I felt afterwards. I could barely get to the toilet (trying to sit on the bog with your knee in a brace is an experience!) and needed my wife’s help for such simple things as getting in and out of bed/putting clothes on etc. You will get given a list of exercises to carry out post surgery - make sure you do them daily. The pain can be excruciating at first when they have you bending your knee, but trust me it does get better. I couldn’t lift my leg (which is one of the exercises) for about three weeks post surgery, but then it all just started to come together.

I’m now walking around fine crutch/brace-less and only feel pain every now and then from cold weather it seems. I have to go to physio once every three weeks and do a full gym session on my legs, that’s painful but it does work. Feels a lot stronger now.

Pearcey
Posts: 3376
Joined: Fri Jan 22, 2016 12:59 pm
Been Liked: 1140 times
Has Liked: 1439 times

Re: ACL Injury

Post by Pearcey » Sun Oct 13, 2019 6:14 pm

Thanks Jedi. I remember how grim recovery was the last time, which I why I was gutted when I found out it had ruptured this time. I’ve had a few wobbles already which I can’t say I enjoy. I’ll bite the bullet and head to the pool tomorrow then. Good luck with your recovery. My knee was never the same again but it was 21 years ago and the op has moved on. My old bad knee is now my good one!! :-(

jedi_master
Posts: 7104
Joined: Thu Jan 21, 2016 8:33 pm
Been Liked: 3580 times
Has Liked: 1023 times
Location: Chesterfield

Re: ACL Injury

Post by jedi_master » Sun Oct 13, 2019 6:17 pm

Pearcey wrote:Thanks Jedi. I remember how grim recovery was the last time, which I why I was gutted when I found out it had ruptured this time. I’ve had a few wobbles already which I can’t say I enjoy. I’ll bite the bullet and head to the pool tomorrow then. Good luck with your recovery. My knee was never the same again but it was 21 years ago and the op has moved on. My old bad knee is now my good one!! :-(
All the best with it. Doesn’t surprise me that you say your knee never felt the same, even only 10 weeks or post surgery it feels totally different to me and it’s really hard regaining confidence in how to move freely like before.

I have to say, it’s really made me appreciate how hard it must be for footballers to come back from the injury. Gives me sympathy for the likes of Brady, must be a huge mental block to believe in your body/knee again.
This user liked this post: Pearcey

Pearcey
Posts: 3376
Joined: Fri Jan 22, 2016 12:59 pm
Been Liked: 1140 times
Has Liked: 1439 times

Re: ACL Injury

Post by Pearcey » Sun Oct 13, 2019 6:25 pm

jedi_master wrote:All the best with it. Doesn’t surprise me that you say your knee never felt the same, even only 10 weeks or post surgery it feels totally different to me and it’s really hard regaining confidence in how to move freely like before.

I have to say, it’s really made me appreciate how hard it must be for footballers to come back from the injury. Gives me sympathy for the likes of Brady, must be a huge mental block to believe in your body/knee again.
The mental side is massive. Before my op I could hit long sweeping passes when playing football. When I started playing again I just didn’t have the technique anymore. I also found it hard to cycle off the seat. It’s weird but you do get there.

beddie
Posts: 5139
Joined: Thu Jan 21, 2016 12:10 pm
Been Liked: 1384 times
Has Liked: 512 times

Re: ACL Injury

Post by beddie » Sun Oct 13, 2019 6:53 pm

Obviously I don't know the details of the accident but was it the drivers fault and do they have insurance, alternatively if not do you have insurance cover, perhaps via your home insurance, if so take legal advice, that way you may be able to get a quick consultants appointment together with ongoing treatment. Good luck with it.

Pearcey
Posts: 3376
Joined: Fri Jan 22, 2016 12:59 pm
Been Liked: 1140 times
Has Liked: 1439 times

Re: ACL Injury

Post by Pearcey » Sun Oct 13, 2019 6:58 pm

beddie wrote:Obviously I don't know the details of the accident but was it the drivers fault and do they have insurance, alternatively if not do you have insurance cover, perhaps via your home insurance, if so take legal advice, that way you may be able to get a quick consultants appointment together with ongoing treatment. Good luck with it.
It was the drivers fault. She went straight through the back of me at around 40mph. I smashed her windscreen, took her mirror off and her front axle snapped. Was a proper whack! My union solicitors are on the case now. I’ve never claimed before so it will be interesting to see how it works out.

1HappyClaret
Posts: 213
Joined: Thu Jan 21, 2016 4:58 pm
Been Liked: 55 times
Has Liked: 92 times

Re: ACL Injury

Post by 1HappyClaret » Sun Oct 13, 2019 7:15 pm

I didn’t do my ACL but I managed to rupture both my quadriceps tendons slipping on ice in February 2018. Had surgery the following day and then had both legs in locked braces for 6 weeks and then they were unlocked at various degrees for a further 6 weeks. You are totally dependent on help when you do both legs and the bog is a horrendous experience. Our front room became my front room, kitchen, bathroom and toilet for 4 months.

Managed to get back to work after 7 months, luckily I had a desk job!!! Still having physio fortnightly but that has only changed to that from weekly in the last month. Left knee can now bend to about 125 degrees but right knee is only at about 95 degrees although we can get it to about 110 when external force is applied.

It now feels like walking on stilts and walking down hill is one of the hardest things to do and get tired very quickly.

But it could be worse.....

Pearcey
Posts: 3376
Joined: Fri Jan 22, 2016 12:59 pm
Been Liked: 1140 times
Has Liked: 1439 times

Re: ACL Injury

Post by Pearcey » Sun Oct 13, 2019 7:48 pm

1HappyClaret wrote:I didn’t do my ACL but I managed to rupture both my quadriceps tendons slipping on ice in February 2018. Had surgery the following day and then had both legs in locked braces for 6 weeks and then they were unlocked at various degrees for a further 6 weeks. You are totally dependent on help when you do both legs and the bog is a horrendous experience. Our front room became my front room, kitchen, bathroom and toilet for 4 months.

Managed to get back to work after 7 months, luckily I had a desk job!!! Still having physio fortnightly but that has only changed to that from weekly in the last month. Left knee can now bend to about 125 degrees but right knee is only at about 95 degrees although we can get it to about 110 when external force is applied.

It now feels like walking on stilts and walking down hill is one of the hardest things to do and get tired very quickly.

But it could be worse.....
Sounds grim! Hope you get better soon.

IanMcL
Posts: 30129
Joined: Fri Jan 22, 2016 5:27 pm
Been Liked: 6340 times
Has Liked: 8654 times

Re: ACL Injury

Post by IanMcL » Sun Oct 13, 2019 9:05 pm

Luckily, you don't play for Burnley - you would disappear for a year!
All we would know would be your return to grass!
This user liked this post: Pearcey

claretnproud
Posts: 643
Joined: Thu Feb 15, 2018 12:20 am
Been Liked: 261 times
Has Liked: 21 times

Re: ACL Injury

Post by claretnproud » Sun Oct 13, 2019 9:35 pm

Pearcey
I have had one or two cycling injuries and been in court etc. You will win your case in court and dont be in a rushto take their early paltry offers. I had a broken collar bone for £7500 because of a bad bad driver. Your injury and pain and suffereing will be a bigger claim. Make sure you get the right solicitor.
If someone had offered me £7500 for smashing my collar bone with a hammer I would have declined the offer. Make sure you are well represented. The insurers of the woman now know they are paying out, they wiull be nervous of going to court as the costs mount up. They will want to settle out of court so you are holding all the aces. good luck.

Pearcey
Posts: 3376
Joined: Fri Jan 22, 2016 12:59 pm
Been Liked: 1140 times
Has Liked: 1439 times

Re: ACL Injury

Post by Pearcey » Sun Oct 13, 2019 10:33 pm

claretnproud wrote:Pearcey
I have had one or two cycling injuries and been in court etc. You will win your case in court and dont be in a rushto take their early paltry offers. I had a broken collar bone for £7500 because of a bad bad driver. Your injury and pain and suffereing will be a bigger claim. Make sure you get the right solicitor.
If someone had offered me £7500 for smashing my collar bone with a hammer I would have declined the offer. Make sure you are well represented. The insurers of the woman now know they are paying out, they wiull be nervous of going to court as the costs mount up. They will want to settle out of court so you are holding all the aces. good luck.
Thanks for that CnP. It’s a complete minefield for me. I’m just looking forward to a swim tomorrow. Just hope I can get out of the pool once I’m in! :-D. I am missing the cycling though. Had a sportive booked for next Sunday. :-(

aggi
Posts: 8763
Joined: Thu Jan 21, 2016 11:31 am
Been Liked: 2109 times

Re: ACL Injury

Post by aggi » Mon Oct 14, 2019 4:29 pm

I've not used them myself but these have a good reputation in terms of cycling compensation claims https://www.leighday.co.uk/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
This user liked this post: Pearcey

thomaspaine
Posts: 272
Joined: Thu Jan 21, 2016 9:20 pm
Been Liked: 83 times
Has Liked: 361 times

Re: ACL Injury

Post by thomaspaine » Mon Oct 14, 2019 9:11 pm

Tore my ACL with a 70% tear ten years ago ,when I was 50. The irony was I did it when coaching kids football having played football for 40 plus years. Physio said that I would never play again. Didn't have full reconstruction but remedial work and meniscus repair. After Physio, Hydrotherapy and plenty of discomfort and painful episodes I was back playing football within 6 months and completed Lands End to John O Groats for a charity bike ride.The key is how much do you want to play again and having to accept that you will never be the same as you were before the injury.Of course you have to re-invent the way you play and accept your limitations especially if you are playing against young players.I have had another 10 years playing the game I love but on my 60th birthday tore my MCL and meniscus following a rash tackle by a young careless opponent.Having Physio at the moment and because the tear is small may hopefully avoid surgery. Perhaps I might have a few more games in me if I recover . Just as a postscript- it doesn't necessarily follow that full reconstruction surgery is the best option for Cruciate damage. I took some convincing by my surgeon that I could recover without full reconstruction- but he was right and I'm glad I followed his advice as I got another 10 years out of it.

Claretski
Posts: 16
Joined: Sun Apr 16, 2017 10:53 am
Been Liked: 1 time

Re: ACL Injury

Post by Claretski » Mon Oct 14, 2019 9:48 pm

I did mine skiing in Colorado 5 years ago (second day of a 2 week trip ☹️) and as I had private health care through work I was able to see a specialist who specialised in getting footballers back playing, I was quite impressed by the photos in his office.

He was a skier himself and as I was 60 he advised against an reconstruction but to build up the strength in my legs and to wear a brace when skiing.

Touch wood but I have had no problems since but I do work out at home every morning and try to get to the gym most nights mainly working on my legs but as I want to ski as long as possible and as it’s become a routine now it’s not really a hassle.

He did say that if I had been younger he would have recommended a reconstruction but given my age it was advice I was was very grateful to receive.

My daughter in law has just had a reconstruction after rupturing hers skiing and yes it’s a pretty long slog but she is fine now.

Good luck.

Pearcey
Posts: 3376
Joined: Fri Jan 22, 2016 12:59 pm
Been Liked: 1140 times
Has Liked: 1439 times

Re: ACL Injury

Post by Pearcey » Tue Oct 15, 2019 3:42 pm

Thanks for the replies. I’m 46 now so football is not on the agenda unfortunately. However, my job requires a lot of physical activity and I have 2 young children (5&2) so I think a reconstruction could be beneficial. Went swimming yesterday and didn’t kick but I was good to be active. I shall put the work in that’s for sure.

Post Reply