Ash's ACL injury

Hello guys, I tore my ACL playing b'ball in July. I went up for a layup and my buddy tried to block me. His entire weight was on me which got me off balance and I came down on my left leg. As soon as I came down, I felt a pop and fell to the ground right away.

Went to see a doctor a couple of days later. My knee had swollen up so much that he had to drain it. If i remember correctly he took out about 55 cc out. Then he examined my knee and told me that it looks too lose. He asked me to get an MRI and that's when I found out that I tore my ACL. My doctor gave me a couple of exercises (leg raise, heel slide, and quad sets) to do at home to get my ROM back.

Its been two months since the injury, I can walk normally, even ride my bicycle; but my knee still feels a lil weird when I go up and down the stairs. I was wondering if it will feel this way till i get surgery or will it get better.

Anyways, I am set up for surgery in December. I am a little scared about it because I have never broken anything in my life before, this is the first major injury i've had. I have been reading other people's stories on this site and it has been really helpful.

If anyone has any advice for me as to what should I do before surgery to make the recovery process go a lil smoothly.

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Ash's ACL injury

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Nov 20, 2008
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I know how you feel
by: Michelle

I tore my ACL in August playing softball and just had my surgery last Friday. When I first found out it was torn, I went to PT too and got my full range of motion back and was walking normal. I still was having some "buckling" episodes where my knee would give out and it would be the most intense pain for about 10 seconds. My PT and my surgeon recommended that I wear a brace until my surgery ( to protect it from further damage and give me confidence). I'm not sure if that would good now since your surgery is getting close.

I would definitely recommend continuing all of those exercises up until surgery because the straight leg raises and heel slides seemed SO easy to me then, but they are TOUGH now. I wish you the best of luck and a successful recovery!

Dec 21, 2008
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1st week post op
by: Anonymous

Hey guys...I just got my surgery done this past Thursday 12/18. I stayed at the hospital overnight and now I am home. I dont have a lot of pain but i am really uncomfortable cuz I can't sleep properly. I have a cast and brace on and I am using the cpm machine everyday. Any one have any idea when does the cast come off and when will I be able to sleep normally. Its really frustrating and depressing to not be able to sleep properly.

Dec 21, 2008
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sleep
by: Michelle

I had a hard time sleeping also. I am not sure how long you will have to wear a cast. I did not have a cast; I wore an immobilizer for 3 days and then I wore nothing until my knee became unswollen enough to put my brace on. I didn't get a full light of sleep until 3 weeks after surgery when I could finally sleep on my stomach. Talk to your pt about different positions you could sleep in to make you more comfortable.

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