Anyone ever tear an ACL?

HUSKER 37

HUSKER 37

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Climbing up a lose dirt hill while we were checking out my nephew's new home site (they'd just dug the basement)..Knee bent a little sideways and pop'ed..Don't think I tore it though which sounds like it's rare to not tear it..Doing much better on day 4 and can still twist foot both directions without passing out ..But...still saying naughty stuff.

The drive from Colorado Springs to Phoenix was difficult switching between the gas and brake pedals, so I took the less scenic route (avoided the mountains and forest fires as much as I could..

Just wondering if it WAS severed, would I still be able to rotate it like that?

The POP wasn't as loud as I'd figured and the knee only swelled about 110% the size of the other one after icing ..Seems stable overall..just hurts most to twist or pivot on my hind leg..

I was able to climb stairs the next day...I'm even thinking of biking a few miles this weekend with my sled dog tied to my handlebars..although I'm a little afraid of accidentally twisting it so I might go solo the first few times...

 
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I saw someone tear it on a soccer field. It was his second time, I think on the same knee. Had no idea until later. I think I also know someone (older) who is just walking around without an ACL. I guess not everyone even gets surgery on it to attempt to repair it, which I didn't realize, because I'd always known it in a sports only context, and therefore thought of it as one of the most gruesome injuries possible.

I guess after the 2008 season when I saw Brady go down, I figured it'd be something extremely painful that causes screaming. But not necessarily. The guy who went down just looked like he had a hard fall and walked away. Of course there's different severities, so long story short, I don't know, but it's probably good to get it checked out.

 
Hearing the pop isn't a good sign.

I tore my ACL, MCL and meniscus two ski seasons (17 months) ago. A chiropractor friend was skiing with me and did that kind of thing with the knee you see trainers doing to players on a football field and didn't think I tore it, but admitted he didn't have too much experience especially with my leg strength from running marathons and ultras. I went to a sports doc and he scheduled an MRI. Meanwhile the pain mostly went away after a couple days and I was able to drive and walk pretty normally, but it was pretty swollen. I saw an NFL playoff game where a guy on the sidelines was testing his knee after an injury by running and cutting and it caved on him. I tried the same at home and it seemed stable so I thought I might be clear. If I hadn't already started the ball rolling I'd have probably just let it go. Got the MRI results back, and it was torn.

Depending on how active and how old you are, you don't have to get it repaired. You could wear a brace for some activities and live with it and hope it holds up. I wanted to continue skiing and running and my doc said I should get the surgery, otherwise the two sections that the ACL stabilized would just grind and I'd need a new knee within 10 years. Post-surgery was painful and recovery took 6 months and I'm still not 100% but I'm close. 8+ months after surgery I ran a marathon, and ran another and 2 ultras in the 6 months since. But I am slower. Being 51 is probably keeping me from an Adrian Peterson type comeback. What he did was amazing. I am pleased with how I've done, and I know with an unrepaired torn ACL I'd be heading towards a really bad knee.

See a sports or orthopedic doc, get an MRI if needed, and then decide what to do. I'd just jump to the orthopedic doc if you can. He may be able to test your leg and see if it's not torn and save you the MRI. Find out where the local college or pro team sends their athletes, and go to that doc. I wouldn't do much until then. My doc wasn't so worried about the ACL since I couldn't make that worse, but said the MCL would heal itself but only if I took it easy and wore a big brace full time. The ACL will NOT heal by itself, though you might be able to compensate for it. You really ought to get it checked out. You really don't want a bad knee the rest of your life.

PM me or post back to this thread if you have questions or want to know any more about my experience.

 
Thanks!!!

I recently had my first Arthritis attack on my 53 year old knees a couple of months ago, so was planning on just biking and hiking the Grand Canyon or Camelback Mountain a few times from now on..

I might go to the local Witch Doctor if Obama forces me to get Insurance while I'm still thinking about it.

The pop I heard is what really scared me..It wasn't as loud as I would have thought..sorta like when you pop your finger joints by bending them sideways..only proportionally louder.

I guess my main question is if the tears prevented you from normal motion..Trying to diagnose myself and one site I got on stated strains to the ACL are rare..usually there's a tear..

At the time, it appeared the thigh bone and the tibia slid less than an inch sideways across each other, then back into the normal nested? position...No pain whatsoever in the MCL or the LCL..Just mainly when twisting which leads me to think my ACL has a slight sprain..

I saw some gruesome photos of partially torn ACLs, but I don't think there was enough swelling involved in my case..Plus it seems to get much better each day so far...

 
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See if you can find a trainer or someone who knows how to do that test for the ACL. If it is torn, then you'll know that a brace is a good idea if you're doing something, as well as some PT exercises to strengthen around it. You'd hate to be moving a dresser and have it give out on you on the stairs. If they don't think it's torn, then you should be all clear after a little rest.

 
Never had the misfortune myself. Agree that a pop isn't good. Always heard that a complete tear doesn't hurt as bad as a partial tear but not sure if that's always true.

 
If you're in extreme in pain or was, you can't pivot on it without pain, heard a popping noise...these signs lead to a possible tear. It is more than likely a grade 2 sprain...but that will have to be determined by your physician...or I could do it lol. I would go to your doctor and get an MRI.

 
Mavric said:
Never had the misfortune myself. Agree that a pop isn't good. Always heard that a complete tear doesn't hurt as bad as a partial tear but not sure if that's always true.
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That is usually the case....but every case is a bit different....when you have a complete tear, you sever the nerve endings which equals little to no pain.

 
Thanks for the replies..

The last Dr. I had (over a dozen years ago?) had to retire after being blinded by his eye Dr...Back then, you were lucky to get two minutes of their time only to get a referral to another Dr, who would refer you to another for yet another referral, usually costing you a few days from work and a few meals out, worth of co-pays..for ~6 minutes actual face time...By that time my body usually healed itself ...so to save time and have (theoretically) more money for prevention, I stopped insuring myself.

The stretches and exercises I found online and started while icing it down initially, seems to have helped a little..

 
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During my ATC days at Clemson I was around a bunch of them. Go with the cadaver replacement if they give you the option. A bit easier rehab than if they take part of the patella tendon.

 
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