ACL Recon 5 years later

by Lessina
(Michigan)

I had a hamstring graft used in my acl repair. I went through the first 12 weeks with horrible PT experience. With that said at the year point I found that I could not get full extension. I went to my ortho who said that he would see me back in 3 years and to keep working at it.

I was very discouraged so I spoke with my PCP and talked him in to letting me see a different Ortho.

When I went to that ortho he told me about the tendon dying and then getting blood flow again and gettin bigger than what the original notch plasty was. He did a simple tweak and made the notch plasty bigger. That was done at a little over a year. He cleaned out scar tissue and I asked him to remove the screw, because I was having pain in my shin.

Now years later I am having pain in my shin again. When I compare the two knees there is an indentation in the knee with the repair. When I stretch my knee to full extension I have a tremendous amount of pain. Is there some sort of PT that can strengthen something.

And last but not least, I have also noticed when I bring that foot back up to my bottom to stretch it sends my hamstring into an immediate charlie horse. Do I just need to keep stretching this. Going on 5 years and no better with that.