Messages Posted (Bob's ACL WWWBoard): 2 Most Recent Post: Thursday, 6 December 2007, at 12:10 a.m.
{Last Updated: DECEMBER 4, 2007}
** THREE YEARS POST-OP as of February 2008. **
Female, 33 years old. Married, one child (born March '07). Computer geek, but also an active outdoors enthusiast (road cycling, mountain biking, hiking, camping.) No other sports.
Age at Time of Injury: 30/31 (initial injury 1 month before 31st birthday; second and MRI/surgery-indicated injury occurred 1 month after 31st birthday.)
--> My Knee Journal: http://geekhabitat.com/topics/wellness/knee-health/
Entries are in _chronological_ order, dating back to pre-injury (Oct/November 2004).
Injury and Surgical Repair:
Complete tear of left knee ACL, repaired with hamstring autograft from left leg; vertical circumferential tear of the medial meniscus near the posterior horn (40% removed); tear of lateral meniscus repaired with bioabsorbable "screw". Three titanium screws in leg (2 in tibia, 1 in femur).
Operated on Friday, February 4, 2005 @ 6 AM (4:45 AM check-in!)
MILESTONES (Updated November 27, 2005):
* 3 days post-op (1st formal PT session): 0 degrees extension, 115 degrees flexion. Rode stationary bike 10 mins, full rotations!
* 5+ days post-op: 120 degrees flexion.
* 2 weeks post-op: 130 degrees flexion. Normal extension. Began full weight-bearing exercises. Prescribed a hinged brace for wear outside of PT.
* 1 month post-op: 135 degrees flexion. Mobility and strength increasing. Minimal-to-no pain.
* 2 months post-op: 140+ degrees flexion. Graduated from PT, but invited to use their facilities until I locate a local gym. WOOT!
* 14+ weeks post-op: I've walked over 85 miles in the past 12 weeks. Feeling great!
* 10 months post-op as of December 4, 2005. I consider myself fully healed in almost every respect, the primary remaining "not 100%" issue being mostly mental in my case -- learning to trust the leg/knee again, and "read" the few messages it does seem capable of sending already. I was awkward to begin with, so some of this is inherent to me rather than the post-op knee. :)
-- Flexion and extension equal to unaffected leg, though no official measurements since release from PT.
-- Pain negligible to none (largely depends on duration and frequency of activity. If I miss mountain biking for a week, and then hit the trails hard, the knee will report slight displeasure and get iced and shush up.)
-- Discomfort negigible, though the knee doesn't always feel "one" with my body (proprioception issue, not one of numbness or laxity.) Can sense dramatic weather (barometric pressure) changes in the post-op knee now, though others usually have to call it to my attention -- they notice me rubbing my knee absent-mindedly, which calls the minor discomfort to my attention.
-- Still careful when descending stairs with loads (cause of second and 'fatal to ACL' fall; first was a fall/awkward sidelong leap off a ladder on uneven grass.)
-- I've lost weight since my injury and early post-op rehab, and maintained that weight loss while gaining muscletone and strength. Still a computer geek, but now into mountain biking and enjoying it, as well as the inherent benefits of cycling to the knee (provided one does not fall). My post-op knee has weathered one hard, direct impact due to mountain biking with no lingering ill effects other than bruising that subsided in normal time; OS saw the knee a day after the fall during routine checkup and found no issues (with no issues to report from me, other than "Hey doc, yeah the bruise, I fell."
-- I do need to continue work on hamstring strengthening as I still sense noticable weakness in operated hamstring (source of ACL autograft) as compared to my unaffected leg. Don't go to any gym. Own a rowing machine but fell off that wagon months ago and need to resume to balance times I cannot go mountain biking.
-- Scars healed well, though I am prone to Keloid scars and my two incisions (vs. the now-invisible portal holes) are mildly Keloided. Both incisions had a slight delay in closing/healing due to irritation caused by dissolving sutures that had to be fished out -- 2 by my OS during a routine checkup, one by me after it got to be too irritating. No presence of infection found, although OS did advise a change in bandaging early on -- I was wearing 2 "Active Foam" brand adhesive bandages during the latter stages of wound healing, and the OS and nurse advised a change since that brand retains water/moisture and thus increases risk of harboring infection. No issues once I switched bandages, and I stopped needing them entirely soon after.
-- Overall, thrilled with my recovery and rehab, given I don't think I could have had anything go any easier than it did. Learned a lot about what the body and mind can do as well as temporary or permanent limitations on same.
