I had my ACL and my meniscus repaired 6 months ago and my recovery was going quite well until I ran the Carlsbad 5000. After the race my knee swelled up in the vicinity of the Meniscus repair and my knee was sore and stiff for about a week. I didn’t twist the knee at all during the race but I do feel like I pushed it a little harder than I should have (6:20/ mile). It’s been a week since the race and much of the soreness, stiffness and tenderness are gone. Has anybody had similar surgery and how long before you started running hard on it? Anybody had similar symptoms (i.e. swelling, stiffness, tenderness)? Any orthopedic surgeons out there? I’m hoping that I just irritated some cartilage or something like that but I’m worried that I might have torn my meniscus again. Any Thoughts?
Why havent you called the doc who originally treated you, he knows your case and the most about you
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I have called the doc but he’s getting out of the Navy and he’s super busy with his other patients so he doesn’t really have time to listen to my story. I talked to a resident doc but he couldn’t shed much light on it. I have an appointment in a week and a half with the doc but it’s killing me not knowing what’s wrong. I’m mainly interested in seeing what other peoples experiences have been with this type of rehab.
I guess that my recovery is going very slowly. I had meniscus repair 5 months ago (Nov2) and haven’t really been able to run much yet, a little jog/walk on the treadmill but nothing outside. If I try to run my knee really hurts.
We have some differences in the surgery, I didn’t have acl work done, just meniscus repair. I was in a leg immobilizer, not able to bend at the knee at all, for 4.5 weeks. This caused major muscle atrophy and range-of-motion problems. It took 3-4 months for me to get full ROM back and my leg is still smaller then the good one.
I think running a 5k (was it on the road) in 6 months might have been pushing it but if you didn’t twist/pivot that you should be fine with rest and ice.
Andrew
I am a certified athletic trainer who had worked with many athletes who have undergone similar surgery. If it was a true meniscal repair and not menisectomy then IMO you are rushing things a little bit. At 6 mo after ACL reconstruction and repair most people are just beginning to jog slowly again never mind race. Usually it takes about 8-10mo for the average joe (not the professional athlete that rehabs 6hrs a day) to begin to run hard again.
I agree with Homer. I think your’e coming back too soon. I had ACL/MCL surgery as well as cartilage repair in '92. Middle third Patellar tendon method. (What method of ACL repair did you have?). I was running in six months, but certainly not racing. Did lots of time on the bike and in the gym. Take your time, this repair is a long rehab process.
Good Luck
I had my left lateral collateral and ACL done, middle third process, and five arthroscopies to correct scaring, etc. I’ve had a total of six knee surgeries.
My comeback took a year. It wasn;t a year of laying around though. It was a lot of physical therapy and hard work. It really paid off. I am as strong as ever. My knee injury hasn;t slowed me down one bit. I broke my back also and was paralyzed for a while and that has haunted me ever since.
Take your time and do your therapy. Don’t rush the recovery process.
Tom,
Do you find any particular therapy or modality helps you with ongoing stiffness from the scar tissue? Are there specific strngthening exercises you do now to maintain the integrity of the repair?
hey bones,
I’ve had my right knee done twice. ACL both times and partial meniscotomy (sp?) the second time. First one was in '92 which was still in the dark ages. I had the immobilizer on with gradual increases in allowable flexion for about 2 months (not full-time though). Eventually hit full flexion and about -3 degrees for extension but it was the better part of 10 months for “full-go”.
Second one was in '98. Same knee and tore the “fake” ACL (not the graft), it was midlle 1/3 patellar tendon. Had same repair (apparently your patellar tendon grows back). This time walked out of the hospital, no crutches, no immobilizer, only a brace (same doctor too). I went through significantly more pain during rehab the second time around, but that was because I wanted to be better “now”, not in 10 months. I think the surgery progresses in leaps and bounds if my experience is any indication. I can remember guys in college being stuck in a cast, and it wasn’t too long ago that this was a sports career-ending injury. My second time was around 6 months focused rehab and then clearance for anything that didn’t involve cutting. I was playing fairly high-level soccer again in 8. I have “full” ROM, but not what it was before the 2nd surgery (about 0 degrees extension as opposed to negative, and for flexion, I can fully pull my heel to my butt, but it is uncomfortable to sit with my knees folded under me unless I am really warmed up)
So between the two surgeries, I had met and married my wife (A PT who seems to realy be focussed on ortho) which helped a bit, but my own therapist said repeatedly that his job was “just to keep me from doing too much”. I’m assuming that you, being the motivated triathlete, are in the same boat. I think you are fine, especially if the swelling and pain have dissipated. I still get some very minor swelling and “stiffness” after a really long/hard race in my repaired knee. I think it just comes with the territory. There’s not a whole lot of risk to an ACL with straight line running. Tell your Doc/PT how motivated you are, make sure they really understand that side of you and ask “why?” if they say “no”. Become educated yourself.
All that being said,I repeat my mantra: I AM NOT A DOCTOR NOR DO I PLAY ONE ON TV. CHeck with the guy who knows, but this might ease your mind until them.
This is my second ACL repair (different knee) and both were patella grafts. I think the ACL repair is close to 100% but I’m still not doing any cutting or skiing, etc. on it. It’s the meniscus repair that I’m worried about. It’s a bit disconcerting that I did a 1/2 ironman in September with a torn ACL and torn meniscus and I felt no pain at all and now I’m struggling to do a 5K with a repaired knee. I decided to get the surgery done because I wanted to ramp up for a full ironman and I figured my knee would eventually give out under that kind of strain. I know I need to be more patient with the rehab but my first A race is coming up in less than 2 months and I thought for sure I would be ready for it. I think part of my problem is that I haven’t spent much time in the gym during the last 2 months. During the first 4 months of rehab I was pretty religious with my rehab protocol but since then I’ve been pretty much riding, running, and swimming. I figured the biking would continue to strengthen my legs, which it has, but now I realize that that’s probably not enough. I thought I was being patient with my rehab but after proofreading what I’ve written, I realize that I’ve been everything but patient.
The swelling is a bit of a concern in someone who has had a meniscal repair. They don’t always heal, so it is important to at least have it checked out. The other issue is whether there is any other damage in your knee to cause the swelling - people with ACL tears have a higher incidence of osteoarthritis, regardless of whether they have had a repair or not.
Deke