ACL Tear

Training Injuries
1

Hi everyone. I am a 56 year old male, and had a hamstring acl tear graph 6 weeks ago on my left knee. 3 months previous, I had a meniscus tear and clean up done on the same knee. That went fine and was feeling great but unfortunately like I said 3 months later the acl popped and I then went to rehab again for 6 weeks to strenghten the knee before surgury, doctor ordered.

I restarted pt again 3 days after surgury 2 days a/week. 4 weeks to the day everything was going great, pt and also doing my exercises at home about 3 days a week. Sometimes twice a day and icing at least twice a day also, when all of a sudden, after an evening exercise was finished, doing the acl stretch, laying on my stomach and letting the knees overhang the bed to get a good stretch, I just relaxed in bed for about an hour or so later.

Kind of falling asleep I was awakend quickly by a knock at my door. Startled I yelled to come in, but no one could hear me, I kind of pushed to the end of my bed, because my dog lays on her pillow to my left, and the wall is to my right side, so the only way to get up is to shuffle to the foot of the bed. When all of a sudden, WOW! something happened! I live alone and just screamed and grabed my leg in total instant pain! I almost called 911 it hurt so bad.

That was 2 weeks ago. I called the doctor the next morning, and informed them what happened, the nurse asked me to make an appointment if the pain was so severe 3 days later. After icing for 3 days, it did feel somewhat better, so I didn’t make the appt. But by the next week, the PT noticed the area was again black and blue, after the post swelling and color went away weeks earlier!

And now the Pt noticed a knot in the hamstring, and I feel that the meniscus pain is back again, huting badly! I have my 6 week appointment tomorrow, Aug. 17, 2012. My Pt has faxed my doctor what has happened and I have concerns as well, most specifly I didn’t know til yesterday, my appointment isn’t with my surgeon, but an assistant that didn’t do the surgury! I traveled to a larger city to have this done, about 50 miles from where I live.

I’m looking for anyone who has had anything like this happened to him or her. I should also say I am or was quite active, and atheletic for my age. But unfortunately I’ve had knee issues the last few years. I’ll repost after my doctors appointment in a couple of days! Looking forward to hearing some wisdom here. Thanks!
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2

Be more specific.

You had a hamstring graft done on your recent ACL surgery? Was your meniscus repaired or cut off?

Stop doing the prone leg hangs with your leg hanging off a bed, and DEFINITELY don’t be falling asleep doing this.

Lay on your stomach and plop your foot up on a pillow instead. This is much, much friendlier to the knee and hip.

3

Menicus repaired or cut off?? I always thought a minicus is somewhat repaired by cutting off the frayed edges. I had this done In December of 2011 and also again during my acl surgury in July of 2012. Btw I didn’t fall asleep on my stomach strething my hamstrings overhanging the bed.

As soon as I was finished with this exercise , I just layed on my back and kind of dosed off. Then was starteld and kind of pushed off the bed with my arms to the foot of the bed. Thats when the hamstring severly tightend up , like a muscle pull. My pt thinks that is what happened and my surgeon kind of agress after I just saw him. the pain still hurts again now for the last 3 weeks , and I’m just hoping they are correct, that nothing more happened like a another meniscus tear, which would be my 3rd in the last 8 months! My surgeon doesen’t believe that my acl hamstring graph could have retore. But all he did was feel my knee and hamstring. I hope he’s correct without another mri!