| Author | Message | ||
     Randlepmcmurphy |
Last saturday during a rugby match I hit a guy on the opening kick off and felt my knee just crumble. Snap crackle, and pop. Went to get an MRI and my worst fears were realized, full tear of the ACL and a whole list of other tears and injuries to the joint. My question is if anybody has had a similar injury and how it has effected your riding? Downtime? etc. I am worried that I won't be able to ride my firebolt anymore because of the seating position, and I'll have to trade for something slower and uglier. I really love this bike. Any help would be appreciated. | ||
| Wardan123 |
I had a medial meniscus and an ACL tear in high school. Had it scoped 20+ years ago. All is well for me. Follow the rehab and let the Dr's know what type of riding you do. Do not rush your recovery- Andrew | ||
| Gsilvernale |
I tore my ACL in the left knee 10 years ago (I was 40 at the time). They scoped the knee and cleaned it up (tears in the meniscus), but did NOT repair the ACL. I was golfing on it 3 weeks later. Been riding motorcycles ever since (street only). The knee never gives me trouble riding. Rode to alaska on a Kawasaki Zr7S (Universal Japanese Motorcycle) - no problems. VFR 750 - 200 miles at a time - no problems. Uly - 600 mile days - no problems. 2 weeks ago, I blew out my left knee (again) and broke three ribs playing softball. I was on first base, and started towards second on a line drive to shortstop. Shortstop caught it, so I had to hustle back to 1st. When I planted my left foot on the bag, the knee just folded to the outside. I crumbled to the ground, landed pretty hard and broke the ribs. Lots of pain, and probably tore some more ligaments up. MRI was done last week, see the Orthopod again Monday for more bad news. Without the ACL, the knee is not as strong, so you will have to stay away from some sport activities. Walking long distances is not good anymore. After a few miles I do have pain in the knee. So unless you are doing lots of heavy dirt riding, you should not notice much impact. | ||
| Beatx1 |
I took a nasty fall down the cellar steps full tear of the ACL, partial LCL, strained MCL. Various tendons stretched and my knee filled with blood sending a clot into my calf. Lots of rehab to get the swelling down. Use ice, lots of it. I cooled down at home with frozen peas. Do the exercises as your PT tells you. You have to get the quad and hamstrings very strong. I havent gone in for a repair yet hope to after the summer. To make matters worse I fell during a ice storm here and bashed my good kneecap out of alignment. This crippled me but good. I have to find a different doctor for this, my last one told me that there was nothing wrong. All in all your knee will feel human again in about a month and a half and me only grief now is that I can't squat down. As for riding I can't wait. I think the use of my legs will help them and just being on the bike will be great (Message edited by beatx1 on January 24, 2009) | ||
| Randlepmcmurphy |
To put it in perspective I am 29 years old and I fully intend to recover from this and continue playing rugby. From all the research I have done it will be about a full year of recovery time before I get back to "normal". I am serious into weight lifting so strengthening the leg muscles won't be a problem. However not over doing it and sticking to the rehab program might. I just hope I can get back to hitting people and not have that fear in the back of my mind that my knee is going to give way. I gotta say laying out there waiting to get helped off the field is the most helpless feeling I've ever felt. Thanks for the input guys. | ||
| Boney95 |
Torn meniscus, and a complete ACL tear. Just got the meniscus repaired, since I can't afford to be out of work 6+ months to rehab. I just got disability Ins so in a year if I feel the need to get the ACL done I will. As for the knee right after the injury, it swelled up pretty bad, thus I couldn't bend my knee back far enough to ride the bike. After I saw the Doc he drained the knee (which was the most pain I've ever experienced) and I was good to go. After the surgery I decided rehab was for pus---, so I didn't go or do anything on my own, mistake. I then went back to the Doc, which was about 1 month after the surgery and complained that the knee was not getting better. My range of motion was sh!t, I couldn't run, it hurt at times... It was almost worse than just after the injury. Well he scolded me and told me to get my azz to rehab. I listened this time. After 2 weeks of rehab the knee improved 100%. I should have rehabed longer, but I've got better things to do, plus it'll strength on it's own now. Also after 2 rehab sessions, they notified me that my Ins will not cover the bill there. My Ins plan only allows me to go to certain Doc's etc... It's been about 1 month since the rehab, 3 months since the surgery. The knee is still not 100%. So it's either more strengthening or the Doc did a shaty job. Im sure it's more strengthening. The key here is to do everything the Doc tells you to do. But make sure your Ins will cover your Doc referred rehab joint. | ||
| Wardan123 |
Check out a knee brace. I wore a lenox-hill that was custom built for me to wrestle and to continue playing football. If your insurance will cover it, check to see if your doctor will prescribe it. http://www.healthproductsforyou.com/catalog/produc ts/13266/Trulife-Lenox-Hill-V3-Custom-Knee-Brace/ | ||
| Randlepmcmurphy |
That brace looks sweet but rugby has special rules regarding braces. I would have to wear a pad over it and that just signals bullseye to the opposing team. My goal is to strengthen enough to play without a brace. | ||
| Damnut |
Had a complete tear of my left ACL and had it replaced in August of 07 from a cadaver. Feels 100% better almost a year and a half later but still not the way it was before my injury. I can now run though whereas I couldn't after I tore it. I also had 2 scopes on my left knee to clean up a torn meniscus. My advise is to see a REALLY good doctor to perform the surgery. If you have to have ACL replacement opt to have it replaced from a cadaver instead of getting the donor tissue from your hamstring or something. I forget where they take it from but the healing process is worse when getting the tissue from yourself. Oh and the PT starts RIGHT after your surgery, like a week after and goes on for MONTHS. | ||
| Billinpa |
Sorry about the Knee, that sucks. I am without ACL(motorcycle wreck) no MCL, missing cartilage, It is bone on bone and full of arthritis. 6 yrs ago I was told they could do nothing but replacement due to severity of injuries and abundance of arthritis. I get around well, I am a Carpenter, ride Motorcycles. This morning did a mile on the tread mill. Does it hurt??? Hell yeah it hurts, I just ignore it best I can. Still too young for a replacement (40) | ||
| Sethbuchbinder |
Knee injuries suck. A whopper of a motox crash annihilated my ACL tore my MCL, tore my PCL, and meniscus. ACL was replaced with a loaner from a kind cadaver. MCL,PCL and meniscus were patched and repaired. 12 weeks with 0 weight bearing, over a year of rehab, 3 years before life was "normal" never really the same but it doesn't hurt on a daily basis. Cant kneel on that leg to this day This was back in 2003 and i just went snowboarding again for the first time since the injury. Even after 6 years it still hurt at different times throughout the day. It doesn't bother me at all when riding or racing but i wouldn't risk getting back into full contact sports. Best advice would be to really bust your ass in rehab, tell them to put you through the ringer, youll be stronger than if you coast through rehab and wear a brace if you're going to really stress it. From what I hear, they dont repair well the second time around so take good care of it. Your mileage may vary. P.S. After surgery, take it easy on the narcotics if you'd like to be able to poop within 10 days post surgery. Seth | ||
| Paint_shaker |
Tore my ACL in 2002 in Jan 2002. Had it relaced with a dead guy tissue and had some other cleaning done in there that Feb. I was immobile for a week then started rehab. I was back to work with a presciption knee brace (like the football linemen wear) in April. Wore the knee brace daily until fall until fall of 2002. Started K-9 handler training in Feb 2003. Been pretty much problem free ever since. It does ache every now and then, but nothing I can't tolerate. I also lost a tad bit of motion, but the knee is just as strong as pre-injuy. I have been riding Firebolts since Aug 08. My knee would get sore after long rides. In Sept last year I put some lighting pegs on. Major difference for the better!!! Best advise I can give; get off the pain killers as soon as you are able, don't push it too hard and do ALL your PT. | ||
| Hitman44139 |
I tore my ACL in 2000 and had it fixed in 2006. I had it done at the Cleveland clinic. I only hd ACL tear no other damage. I was in and out and walking the next day at 40 years old. Total surgery time was 34 minutes in and out! I was anal about my PT and went for 6 months( kinda used it as a gym membership) I had them use my ham string ligament because the DR. said he was more comfortable with it. The only problem I have had is that I tore my left ACL last summer at a tournament. Most say thats the way it goes. Im waiting again to get it done. My knee still holds my up and I can pretty much do everything I did before. KNee injuries totally suck and hurt! get a sports Dr. they are more progressive. Good luck!! Be well | ||
| Dogdaze |
I am worried that I won't be able to ride my firebolt anymore because of the seating position, and I'll have to trade for something slower and uglier. Like a ........ Lightning - Excellent idea! I'm 7 weeks out from TKR (total knee replacement) - Between the Vicodin induced night sweats(could just be womenopause  ) and the range of motion sessions at physical therapy, I feel your pain brother. But this too will pass, and yesterday for the first time this winter, I was able to flex the knee enough to ride my damn sexy black xb12s. I couldn't weight the peg much on turns, but she still bowed down at the blessed altar of acceleration! | ||
| Sethbuchbinder |
For the most part, the partial tears heal far more quickly then the more invasive full replacements and multiple ligament tears. like many have said here, you wont have any problem riding again, but may need to slow down on the heavy hitting. after thinking more over night, I remember that even after the daily pain was gone and the strength had come back, the range of motion has taken nearly 5 years to the point where It bends like it should. PT PT PT! Seth | ||
| Randlepmcmurphy |
This is a lot of good info. I was hoping to trade up to the 1125r sometime in the near future but I think that money will be spent on my knee. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that maybe I'll meet some hot nurse in the surgery or rehab. Play the wounded bird card. |
