Maggie's ACL story

by maggie
(carlisle, PA)

I am 45 and tore my ACL in afghanistan while deployed there for the Army.when it happened i heard a pop and the bottom half of my leg seemed to go outward and separate from my knee. I was told over there it was a meniscus tear. so i got a brace and cruised around the rough terrain for a few weeks till they decided i was really too injured to remain in theater.
i came home on emergency leave to get the knee checked and have an MRI. the ortho dr who saw my MRI said it was totally torn and not connected so i needed surgery and was not going back to afghanistan. one week later i had surgery with a cadaver graft... well that was now 9 months ago. i have been through 5 months of physical therapy and am still having a lot of pain and the knee has a lot of instability but good mobility. i can not lock my knee and if i stand too long, or sometimes if i just put any wiehgt on my leg the knee seems to turn and get stuck. i am also experiencing hyper sensitivity and some residual effects from the nerve block in my thigh.

the worst is the locking of the knee sometimes i need to reach down and move it so it comes undone. if i don't it has a pop and feels like bone grinding inside.

other than that i can run now. i actually ran a 5k only 4 months post op. i know bad, but i had to try. i now run with a brace and have pain and swelling during and after the run. but i feel i have to run to stay in shape.

i am glad i had the surgery i just wish all this extra stuff would stop. like the swelling and locking. i still have a small limp/gait as i can not fully extend the knee joint even when walking. i am hoping that all this clears up but am doubtful because my muscle is back and they said the knee would self correct once the muscle was back.