Bill's ACL story
by Bill
(Haslett, MI )
I am a 36 year old male who has now blown out both ACL's in the last year doing Tae Kwon Do. 10 years ago I partially tore my right ACL running at night. Since then I had always favored my Left leg to balance on and kicking with my Right leg.
May on 2007 I blew out my left leg when my foot stuck to the mat and I blew out my ACL. I luckily am in good shape ( run 5 miles a day, weight train, and Tae Kwon Do) The surgery was no big deal, almost no pain...in fact only took Advil for my pain and swelling. I would suggest not to get a nerve block that was one of the worst parts of the whole deal. I had gotten back all my flexion and extension by the end of the first week and had a great recovery no problems in fact the knee feels like it did pre ACL rupture.
June 2008 I had so much fun last summer not being able to do any of the activities that I enjoy I decided to try it again. I was at Tae Kwon Do class stepped on the mat and pivoted it was humid out and my foot stuck to the mat and being that I had partially tore that acl 10 years before it then tore the rest of the way.
Surgery went great, I did not do the nerve block which helped, still really no pain just discomfort. I immediately started on my rehab the day of surgery with attempting to bend my knee as far as I could and get full extension. I changed my dressing on day 2 and found that during surgery they must have hit a small vessel and my whole leg was purple and there was more swelling then last year at this time. I stopped using crutches on day 3 and worked on getting gait correct. At the end of week one I had gotten all my extension back but still only could bend my leg just past 90. The whole next week I rode the stationary bike 1 hour a day continued with my rehab. By day 12 I had finally gotten all my flexion back, my gait was correct and I could comfortably walk up and down stairs.
I am on week 4 now and feel almost back to normal just some slight swelling. I look forward to a full recovery and getting back to my activities.
