Question - ACL Surgery and Numbness

by MF

I had a complete tear to my ACL and Meniscus. I had surgery on July 3, 2008 and had a hamstring harvest for the repair. I had severe pain for the first 3 weeks. I am able to walk now and I am doing well. The problem is that I have complete numbness from under my knee to my ankle. It is on the left side of my leg.

I feel like I am getting shocks and needles all day long. I can not feel anything except for pressure and the pain feels like it is in my bone. It is especially painful at night. When I went to my post-op appointment at 4 weeks my doctor said it was normal, blew off my concerns and gave me nerve meds. Now I can sleep but the complete numbness is still there.

When I asked the DR how long this would last he said I have a thick leg and it may take some time. I feel like his answers are not good enough. Do you think I should visit a neurologist? It had been over 6 weeks and nothing has changed?

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Question - ACL Surgery and Numbness

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Aug 18, 2008
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Continued follow up...
by: Bart - SII

Numbness and abnormal sensations are sometimes side effects of ACL reconstruction. Unfortunately, these symptoms can take several months to subside. I would recommend keeping both your therapist and your physician aware of your status - even if that means calling your doctors office every week or two to let them know you still have numbness.

If you don't start seeing improvements or if things get worse, it might be a good idea to ask for further diagnostics or a referral, especially if you feel like your surgeon is not taking your concerns seriously.

Bart

Aug 27, 2008
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ACL reconstruction
by: Anonymous

I had ACL reconstruction 2 weeks ago from my knee to ankle down the shin is still numb I am due to see the surgeon tomorrow and report the feedback.

Nov 08, 2008
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numbness in shin
by: Duke

I had surgery on my right ACL and am numb from my knee to my ankle on the inside of my shin. I have been told by many people that the numbness should go away eventually. My doctor seems to think it will only be temporary. I am trying to be optimistic but it is strange when you can pluck hairs off your shin and feel absolutely nothing.

Nov 08, 2008
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Numbness since July
by: MF

Welcome to my world! I had surgery July 3rd. and I still have so feeling from my knee to my ankle. I have went to several doctors with my most recent being a neurologist for testing. I keep getting...give it time. I was told to give it up to a year. I don't know about you...but a year is a long time to walk around with a dead limb! I am on 1800 MG. of neurontin to help with the nerve pain. It has helped me to sleep at night. Hang in there and I guess patience may be the answer even though mine are running real thin.

Mar 10, 2009
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update on numbness
by: Duke

I had ACL with hamstring graft done in October on right knee, same procedure in January on left knee. I am still experiencing superficial numbness from knee to ankle in left leg. I also have a lot of dry skin in the area of numbness along with some tightness of my calf. Left knee feels great but I am concerned about the numbness in the right leg. I have noticed a little improvement but by no means a lot. My Doctor said up to a year for it to go away. The numbness doesn't affect my strength but it does make me feel as though I am not as stable as I should be. I also get some strange feelings on the outside of my right leg when I do hamstring curls. Just wondering if anyone out there is having similar concerns.

Mar 18, 2009
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numbness
by: rog

Duke,

I also had ACL surgery on my right knee in Jan and am experiencing the exact same numbness from my knee down to my ankle on the inside part of my leg. I'm hoping it'll go away in time. The Dr. said it an inflammation of the nerve during the surgery. Let us know if you have any updates.

Apr 08, 2009
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shin numbness and dry flaky skin
by: Susan

My husband underwent a tibial osteotomy and ACL reconstruction approx 5 weeks ago and is experiencing this same numbness and extreme dry skin in the numb area from below his knee to just below his ankle. He's very concerned and his doctor seems to be treating it rather lightly and telling him to just wait it out and that it's really not a big deal since it does not affect knee or foot function. I'm very curious if you have any updates to your situation and if the flaking skin is something to be worried about/treated.

thanks

Apr 08, 2009
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numbness and dry skin
by: Anonymous

I visited doctor last week and am 6 Months post op. I mentioned to him about the continued numbness and dry skin and he wasn't too concerned. I asked if the dry skin could be related to nerve regeneration and he said possibly. My numbness has not noticeably improved and I am hoping that it will all of a sudden get better. I had my other acl done 3 months ago and it feels so much better and stronger now than my right knee done 6 months ago. I have constant tightness in my right calf muscle and basically fight through the nerve pain while doing PT.

Apr 08, 2009
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NUMBNESS AFTER acl GRAPHING
by: MF

I had surgery in July. It has been 9 months and my leg is still numb. I have no feeling from under my knee to above my ankle. I have nerve damage to my saphenous nerve and I don't know if it will ever come back. My leg is also flaky and dry. I just deal with it on a daily basis and have been told that their is nothing that they can do. I have visited specialists, neurologists and pain management doctors. I wish I would have know about this before surgery.

Apr 09, 2009
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reply to mf about surgery
by: duke

Do you have full muscular function in your leg after rehab? Is your calf muscle constantly tight? Can you run and play sports at a similar level that you once did? I would just like to know more about what you are dealing with because it seems we both have the same issues.

Apr 09, 2009
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Reply
by: Anonymous

My calf muscle is constantly tight and almost feels like a charlie horse pain. I have fuction with my leg but they are limited. I get in a lot of pain if I am on it too long and the numbness is very irritating. I am finished therapy. I went from July-January and they said they couldn't do any more for me.

Apr 09, 2009
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reply to mf again
by: duke

Does your knee feel stable with the numbness? I feel like my knee will give out if I try to go all out on agility drills. I have no problems running but the change of direction is what I am struggling with.

Apr 18, 2009
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Hey
by: Anonymous

I am 4 years ACL repair post op this Aug. The numbess goes away but it takes a VERY long time. I have not regained complete feeling but you become used to the numbess. My skin burns when I begin to regain feeling. After a while you look forward to the sudden jolt lol. I still have the dry skin but it has gone down. As to the stability thing... I felt exactly the same way and took two years off from heavy duty training. I only run on either treadmills or rubber tracks so as to decrease impact on the knee. I can run on regular tar and concrete but for much shorter spans of time and distance. But now, I can say that I can make cuts, kicks, and can do some of the of the tricks I used to do (I played soccer). Be careful with stretching. You can over do it if you constantly do ham string curls. You will never be the same. You will always have pain when it rains or when the weather dramatically changes. It is something you have to live with. Advil is better than anything else b/c it brings down the swelling!! Tylanol is not as effective. Take it slow... everyone here now has a screw in their leg.

Apr 21, 2009
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Not what I was hoping to find out...
by: Brian Wilkerson

After reading all of the comments....moral is now at an all time low. I had acl surgery on my left knee 3 weeks ago. The top of my foot is numb along with a dead spot on the left side of my knee. Just like everyone else on here...my doctor doesn't seem to think its a big deal, and that pisses me off. I've talked to many people who have had acl surgery and none of them had numbness in their feet. I don't know what to do but it seems like its never going to get better and that is not acceptable. I was never warned before that this could happen and now I know I'm not the only one. Has anyone had a full recovery of the numbness? Is it the doctors fault?

Apr 21, 2009
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Reply to Brian
by: MF

I understand exactly how you are feeling. I was so pissed at my doctor. I would walk in and he would say, "any changes?" I would just cry and was so upset because I had a newborn child and a 4 year old and I am a teacher and I am on my legs all day long. He would say ok...come back in a month! I said whay didn't you tell me this could happen? He simply replied that it is not a big deal and I can still walk. I said yes I can walk but do you know what it feels like to walk with a dead limb? After 4 months I fould a new doctor...a pane management doctor who controlled the nerve pain because percoset did not help and I refuse to take that. I have contacted many people and was told that they don't believe that the doctor is responsible because this is a common side effect after surgery. I have decided to wait a year and see what happens. Deep down inside I know what the outcome will be and that annoys me but I realized I had to keep going. I have a family to work and provide for. Keep your head high...it does get a bit better.

Jun 03, 2009
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ACL surgery and patellar tendon graft
by: Anonymous

I am four weeks post-op and I still have numbness on the outer part of my knee.

Another guy I've talked to at physical therapy also has numbness in the same area and he's six weeks post-op and had a patellar tendon graft like I did.

Does it depend on the graft site where you end up experiencing the numbness?

From the comments I've read here, it seems like you get numbness all the way down to your ankle if you do a hamstring graft.

I am wondering if this is going to last a year as well...

Jun 12, 2009
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Not happy ACL Repair
by: Kiwigirl

I've waited 8 years to see a specialist, who was shocked at the damage done in my knee which was ignored time and time again by my GP.
I'm 2 weeks post op - Left ACL repair with Hamstring harvest - and I was starting to get concerned about the numbness in my leg. It extends from under my knee to half-way down my shin on the left side. It doesn't hurt, but it's constantly itchy, and because no amount of scratching relieves it, I'm at my wits end. The stitches have come out, the cuts are healing, I'm walking without crutches and fairly stable.
But I, too, was not told about the possibility of losing sensation in my leg. My days of playing representative grade hockey are probably over now that I read the above comments, and suddenly I feel very low. I'm only 32 with what seems now, a permanent disability.

Jun 12, 2009
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ACL
by: MF

I am almost at a year since my ACL/hamsting harvest. My condition is still the same; numbness, achy, and dry. I continue to go about my normal life with hopes that someday I may feel my right leg again. I hope and pray that other people will be better informed than I was. Good luck to everyone and just keep your head high and keep on going because that is about all we can do-remain positive!

Jun 12, 2009
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Numbness after ACL
by: anon

I had ACL reconstruction with hamstring in October 2008. I had servere numbness from my knee down the inside of my leg. It is particulary numb across the front of my knee. My consultant told me that the hamstring runs alongside the nerve which runs down the inside of your leg and that it could have been nicked during harvesting. This numbness does appear to be fading I think, either that or I am just becoming use to it. It doesn't hurt unless I apply pressue and then it feels bruised. I am also experiencing numbness on the outside of my heel and along the side of my foot. I was told that this could have been caused by the torniquay which is placed around your thigh to stop blood flow during surgery. This feels more like pins and needles and is more common in young women. I have been told that both can take up to a year to come back if they do at all.

Did anyone else end up with an iodine burn across the front of their shin? I'm told this was normal too!

Jun 13, 2009
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same here
by: duke

I am 8 months post op from acl with hamstring harvest and I have the numbness from the knee down on inside of my right leg. I am able to jog and sprint but my explosion from a stand still is not there. I am playing men's baseball and it hasn't bothered me to the point that I can't play. I get pain when I flex my calf muscle and my calf is constantly stiff. I use a heating pad every night to try and stimulate blood flow and it helps some. I am considering a visit to a neurologist to get some help but from what I have been reading and hearing, there isn't much chance to get full feeling back. I guess we all took the risk of this happening when we signed our lives away before surgery.

Jun 13, 2009
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Numbness
by: Anonymous

I had an ACL reconstruction with hamstring harvest on Tuesday 9th June, 2009. My surgeon warned me that I may get a 'patch' of numbness through the graft. Well it is day 6 post op and the patch is more like half my leg. Not happy at all but accept this is a side effect. My brother had a nerve cut in his hand and was told to stimulate the skin with a feather, then a cocktail stick finally working his way up to sand paper. It sounds mad but actually works by stimulating the nerve cells. A nerve can regrow at 1mm a month. A severed nerve dies but others will take over the job as it were. I am going to try stimulate the skin daily but at the end of the day I really just want a fully functioning knee back. My priority is to be normal again and a little numbness in my shin will not be the end of the world. Forewarned is forearmed.

Good luck everyone.

Jul 04, 2009
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ACL repair and recovery
by: Kelynda

Hi all who have had ACL reconstruction surgery. I had my left ACL reconstructed 4 weeks ago. I tore it in a ski accident about two years ago. I got tired of feeling like my knee was going to 'give way' and miss skiing,running,dancing,etc. Also I am fairly young and would like to have a stable knee joint. Also I am a nurse and so knew more or less what to expect with this. Also I did not have my surgery done in the U.S.but I can tell you ACL
reconstructive surgery is the same depending on what type of graft is done and of course providing the orthopoedic surgeon you choose is Board Ceritified with the Academy of Orthpoedic Surgeons and has done several of these surgeries and preferably specializes in knees. I beleive it is natural and 'normal' to have quite bit of pain and/or numbness for a long time following surgery. The numbness is because when the surgeon performs this surgery, they have to cut through or move aside nerves around the graft site. Nerves DO regenerate but very slowly, about 2 milimeters a month, nerves grow in much the same way as the tree roots. When we are born the pathways for these roots are laid out, when nerves are injured,cut,etc these pathways are disrupted. nerves grow from axons which are the 'guide' for nerve pathways so to speak, after a trauma like a surgery,illness, etc. these axons have to find a new pathway, sometimes this is not successfully accomplished. Bone fortunately rebuilds itself well, but it takes some time, 4 to 8 weeks I think. When the surgery is donee the surgeon drills holes in the bone to thread the graft through. This causes alot of bleeding in the tissues and this blood has to be reabsorbed by the body which can be painful at times. The most important thing is for the new graft to 'take' and this graft is not made from the same tissue as
a ligament but from a tendon tissue, the surgeon 'builds' a new ligament. I think patellar tendon grafts are the best choice but I have read these cause the most stiffness during healing but have the best outcome overall. That's the type I had. Keep in mind that this is a major surgery in that quite a bit of surgery is done on the knee joint which is delicate and complex.

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Jul 04, 2009
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Submitted by: Kelynda

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Hi all who have had ACL reconstruction surgery. I had my left ACL reconstructed 4 weeks ago. I tore it in a ski accident about two years ago. I got tired of feeling like my knee was going to 'give way' and miss skiing,running,dancing,etc. Also I am fairly young and would like to have a stable knee joint. Also I am a nurse and so knew more or less what to expect with this. Also I did not have my surgery done in the U.S.but I can tell you ACL reconstructive surgery is the same depending on what type of graft is done and of course providing the orthopoedic surgeon you choose is Board Ceritified with the Academy of Orthpoedic Surgeons and has done several of these surgeries and preferably specializes in knees. I beleive it is natural and 'normal' to have quite bit of pain and/or numbness for a long time following surgery. The numbness is because when the surgeon performs this surgery, they have to cut through or move aside nerves around the graft site. Nerves DO regenerate but very slowly, about 2 milimeters a month, nerves grow in much the same way as the tree roots. When we are born the pathways for these roots are laid out, when nerves are injured,cut,etc these pathways are disrupted. nerves grow from axons which are the 'guide' for nerve pathways so to speak, after a trauma like a surgery,illness, etc. these axons have to find a new pathway, sometimes this is not successfully accomplished. Bone fortunately rebuilds itself well, but it takes some time, 4 to 8 weeks I think. When the surgery is donee the surgeon drills holes in the bone to thread the graft through. This causes alot of bleeding in the tissues and this blood has to be reabsorbed by the body which can be painful at times. The most important thing is for the new graft to 'take' and this graft is not made from the same tissue as a ligament but from a tendon tissue, the surgeon 'builds' a new ligament. I think patellar tendon grafts are the best choice but I have read these cause the most stiffness during healing but have the best outcome overall. That's the type I had. Keep in mind that this is a major surgery in that quite a bit of surgery is done on the knee joint which is delicate and complex.

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Jul 06, 2009
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Cont. of ACL repair and recovery
by: Kelynda

To continue my comment, well I know it is not easy, and is disconcerting (an understatement) to have numbness, or pain that you weren't expecting. I beleive it WILL subside over time, as one person wrote, 6 mo nths to a year, and the numbnes may never completely go away. I am willing to trade some numbness for a stable joint which I need to be able to use for the rest of my life and to be able to return to the activities I enjoy and miss. Also the nature of my work requires that I have strong legs, I stand and walk all day. Good Luck everyone! chin up and take care.

Jul 11, 2009
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ACL reconstruction recovery
by: Kelynda

Hi all who have had ACL reconstruction surgery. I thught I would post what I have fiund to be helpful to releive pain and numbness. It has been 5 weeks since my ACL reconstruction. The numbness seems to be changing r moving. I find it is worse in the late afternoon and evening after I have been up walking all day. The pain is just like stiffness or aching now, and seems to be diminishing. Apply a warm moist towel and wrap it around your lower leg covering th knee, gently massage it so the heat penetrates somewhat. Or just a heating pad for 10 to 15 minutes. Moist heat s the best I've foind. This increases circulation and blood flow to the area which of course helps healing. Exercise as much as possible following the exercises prescribed by your M.D. or physical therapist. DO NOT overdo. I found that taking something for pain like Motrin or Tylenol works fine. It takes time, be good to yourself.

Jul 13, 2009
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ITS ANNOYING!!!
by: Anonymous

I had ACL reconstruction like a year or 2 ago and from my knee down to my ankle is numb on the left side. I cant seem to understand why its still like that after this long and i want to know is there anyway that i can get sensation back in my left side??...If anyone knows anything, please respong to my comment...

Jul 20, 2009
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ACL reconstruction
by: Anonymous

I had acl reconstruction and mensicus sewn back together. I have numbness also from my bottom of my knee to about my shin. My surgery was July 10, 2009. I still cant walk but I have this werid pain just under my knee when i stand even with no pressure on the surgerically repaired knee. does anyone else have this? please respond.

Jul 20, 2009
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pain
by: Kelynda

responding to the last comment re' weird pain. Well it sounds like you just had ypour surgery aabout a week ago, that's a very short time. I did not have any meniscus repair but when I put weight on my leg that had the surgery the pain is som etimes sharp or achy and feels like it is just below my kneecap. I don't think it's at all unusual to have different types of pain . If it persists though do see your doctor and give it time and don't overdo.

Jul 23, 2009
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me too
by: gp

I had ACL reconstruction on 14 of july 2009. they used my hamstring. mee too i have kind of numbness along the sheen. its not complete numbness, i feel touch, but its like frozen. what should i do? i am still on crouches anyways...

Jul 23, 2009
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numbness
by: rog

Hey Guys,

I know you are all worried about numbness in the shin area. It's been about 7 months since my ACL surgery (hamstring graft) and I still have numbness in the shin. But I AM slowly getting feeling back. It's going to take awhile for the nerves to come back to life.

Don't worry too much about it. Just focus on your range of motion and strength. Do everything your physical therapist tells you to and you will be just fine! Good luck everyone. You'll be back sooner than you think!

Roger

Jul 24, 2009
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acl surgery
by: Anonymous

hey roger, i had acl surgery on june 18, 2009,( hamstring graft) still not able to totally lock out my knee, i have been at 1 or 2 degrees for the past week, did you have this probelm or is anyone us having the same problem. also had a really bad hamstring pull about 3 weeks after surgery, PT said it was normal for this to happen, just finish my 5th week of PT. can anyone give me some advice? thank you!

Aug 03, 2009
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soooo..
by: Anonymous

DO YOU GUYS RECOMMEND THAT I SHOULD GET ACL SERGORY OR NO?(HAMSTRING GRAFT) is what the doctor n i are goin for. plz hlep me out im debatin wither i shud get it or not...

Aug 03, 2009
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surgery?
by: MOnica

If I had it to do all over again....I would do all I could do to avoid surgery. DO not do it.....I have been paying for it for a year and my life will never be the same. If you do get surgery, don't get a graph. All of the information I have read says that the side effect is numbness. I can't stand having a dead limb and it is not at all normal! BEWARE!

Aug 13, 2009
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TWO YEAR OLD ACL INJURY....
by: Anonymous

I AM ON THE SAME WAVE LENGTH AS YOU ALL! I INJURED MY LEFT KNEE FEBRUARY OF 2008 WHILE SNOWSKIING WITH 90 FIFTH GRADERS. THE SPECIALIST MISDIAGNOSED AND A YEAR LATER I HAD THE COMPLETE ACL SURGERY; I USED MY OWN HAMSTRING TO "FIX" IT. NOW FIVE MONTHS OUT FROM SURGERY I STILL HAVE EXTREME NUMBNESS AND DAILY TINGLY PAINS THAT WILL GET MY ATTENTION QUICKLY. THE ONLY HOPE THAT I HAVE IS TO CONTINUE MY THERAPY AND USE MY BRACE WHEN I TEACH PE. I AM ENCOURAGED BY MY DR TO KNOW THAT I CAN "PLAY" AGAIN IN OCTOBER '09 WITH MY BRACE OF COURSE. I ONLY MISSED 10 SCHOOL DAYS TOTAL SINCE 2-08 BUT THE PAINS HAVE BEEN INTENSE. I ONLY WISHED THAT I WOULD HAVE BEEN TOLD ABOUT THE NUMBNESS....I CAN LIVE WITH PAIN. GREAT LUCK TO ALL OF YOU ACL REPAIR RECOVERERS!

Aug 17, 2009
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numbness in legs and arms
by: keychat

I had Acl surgery Jan 28,2009 and 8 weeks after started to get numbness on the top of both my legs. 3 weeks later it progressed to my arms and face. Went to emergency twice and they could find nothing. Have done blood tests, CT scan, xrays..nothing abnormal.Few weeks after the visits to the hospital most symptoms went away. Went to neuroligist did full tests. Nothing abnormal. Neurologist said it could be from a trauma..(Guillian barre). Could this be from the knee surgery?
Now, 2 months after the symtoms were almost completely gone, it seems to be coming back again. I am going for a MRI to see if it is MS.

Has anybody experienced this before and/or could it just be a complication of the surgery?

Aug 17, 2009
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numbness
by: Kelynda

Hi All: i wanted to respind to someone who said they had numbness in face and arms. Well the surgery was done on the knee sp the numbness in face and arms could NOT be from a knee surgeery> The only place the surgeon operates on when doing a knee surgery is on the knee, not any other place. so the nerves in that area are definitely affected and yes there will be numbness in the shin and knee for a very long period of time ,a year or so or may never go away completely. I know i had ACL repair surgery in June of this year I am not sorry i had it done and I have the outer side of my knee completely numb and numbness in my shin and inner calf. I have great stability in my knee joint though The only thing i think is strange is my patella seems to have a bump in it and is n ot quite the same shape as before, but considering I had a patellar tendon graft I am not surprised. I have been reading all the comments re: ACL repair and I wanted to emphasize that this type of surgery is major for the knee and there is quite a bit of surgery done. In other words and I know it's difficult you can expect to have numbness,pain,tingling, etc for a very long time. Do niot overdo, keep in m ind that getting better takes time and exercise is very important, rest as much as you need and follow the instructions of physical therapy and your doctor. It will get better over time but you may never be exactly the same as before. surgery is a trauma to the body and alot of work is done in this type of knee surgery. My doctor told me that for the type of surgery I had done, that I am doing really well, it has been two months. My left quadracept is very small and weak I do the exercises to build up the muscle, that's all. It is painful sometimes but mostly my leg just gets tired. Hang in there! Doctors are not magicians and people are not machines, I am a nurse and have several years experience working with surgeons. Beleive me the majority of them are great, dedicated people and do a good job, they want to do the best for their patients. Surgeons are not the most sociable types, if you get answers from them then you are doing OK. I know I have worked with them. Chin up!

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Aug 17, 2009
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Submitted by: Kelynda

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Comment
Hi All: i wanted to respind to someone who said they had numbness in face and arms. Well the surgery was done on the knee sp the numbness in face and arms could NOT be from a knee surgeery> The only place the surgeon operates on when doing a knee surgery is on the knee, not any other place. so the nerves in that area are definitely affected and yes there will be numbness in the shin and knee for a very long period of time ,a year or so or may never go away completely. I know i had ACL repair surgery in June of this year I am not sorry i had it done and I have the outer side of my knee completely numb and numbness in my shin and inner calf. I have great stability in my knee joint though The only thing i think is strange is my patella seems to have a bump in it and is n ot quite the same shape as before, but considering I had a patellar tendon graft I am not surprised. I have been reading all the comments re: ACL repair and I wanted to emphasize that this type of surgery is major for the knee and there is quite a bit of surgery done. In other words and I know it's difficult you can expect to have numbness,pain,tingling, etc for a very long time. Do niot overdo, keep in m ind that getting better takes time and exercise is very important, rest as much as you need and follow the instructions of physical therapy and your doctor. It will get better over time but you may never be exactly the same as before. surgery is a trauma to the body and alot of work is done in this type of knee surgery. My doctor told me that for the type of surgery I had done, that I am doing really well, it has been two months. My left quadracept is very small and weak I do the exercises to build up the muscle, that's all. It is painful sometimes but mostly my leg just gets tired. Hang in there! Doctors are not magicians and people are not machines, I am a nurse and have several years experience working with surgeons. Beleive me the majority of them are great, dedicated people and do a good job, they want to do the best for their patients. Surgeons are not the most sociable types, if you get answers from them then you are doing OK. I know I have worked with them. Chin up!

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Sep 09, 2009
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numbness
by: Anonymous

I had acl surgery in oct 2008 and experience numbness at the front of my knee and the outside of my ankle. My ankle does seem to be coming back as its getting tingly and I can feel the nerves twitch. I have been fully discharged from hospital now and the surgeon has told me I need to give it at least another year for the feeling in the front of my knee and shin to come back as the neerves grow back very slowly. I was told to consult my doctor who will refer me to a neurologist if it doesn't come back in another year or gets worse.

As for having the operation I have no regrets at all. My knee is extremely stable now and I have no fear of running on it or playing sports. The thought of it collapsing from underneath me again doesn't bear thinkin about. I can live with the little bit of numbness as it doesn't effect my day to day activities and I've gotten so used to it I don't even notice it much anymore.

Sep 09, 2009
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Numbness
by: MF

Well I wish I could say that I could live with this numbness because I can't! I am now 14 months post-op and have regained no feeling back from my knee down to my ankle. It is painful and getting worse. I actually have terrible brusing in the back of my lover knee that comes and goes. I made an appointment yesterday to consult with a new team of doctors about this. I think I have been very patient but in my eyes 14-15 months is too long to have a completely dead leg!

Sep 09, 2009
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numbness
by: Kelynda

Hi all:
Just wanted to respond to the last comment by MF. Yes i agree 14 or 15 months is a very long time to have complete numbness in the lower leg following ACL reconstruction. However it may be useful to consider the nature of the nu bness and if you see an improvement, in other words decreasing numbness over time. I my self have as i said numbness in my outer knee and in my calf and outside of my shin It feels strage like i can feel pressure on it if something presses there but I cannot feel for example a fingernail scraping across or a pin or anything touchig superficially, it is painful to the tuch soetimes too. The knee's stability is great though, I am doing well, I can take long walks and go up and down stairs though one leg at a time still. I just do the exercises and think I'll go to the gym for strength and muscle rebuilding on that leg. Hopefully I can go back to running soon. It is not OK to have bruising itermittently or numbness for such a long time. if yu take any blood thinning medications or even just aspirin or aspirin products though this can cause bruising. See yu doctor as it seems you are going to do. Hang in there!

Sep 24, 2009
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Shin numbess resurfaces after exercise
by: Kate

I had ACL surgery using my own hamstring for the graft 6 months ago. Initially I had numbness in my shin but it resolved about 2 months later. Yesterday I worked out with a personal trainer for the first time and the shin numbness resurfaced. My muscles don't feel sore like I overdid it so I'm not sure what caused the numbness to come back. I hope it goes away. I am sooo ready to get back in shape.

Sep 24, 2009
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numbness
by: Kelynda

To respond to Kate. About the numbness, well I still have numbness in my outer knee and the outside of my shin, I don't focus on it much anymore, except when I shave my legs or my leg touches something, otherwise I don't think about it. It has decreased though and my surgery was in June ACL repair with patellar tendon graft. The doctor says that I doing really well, I did not have my surgery in the U.S. but it didn't make any difference. I am now taking very long walks like I used to, up mountain,down hillsides and all around town whenever I can. I am thinking about going to the gym and having some instruction just to get my muscles back in shape, my leg gets 'tired' after walking a long way, I mean 4 or 5 miles. I really want to get back to running and dancing so much. I am wondering though if I go to the gym and do some weight training if the numbness will come back. I think though that it is just part of healing, the numbness is from the nerves, damage at first, then I think it changes while the nerves are regenerating and healing. I will try the gym and see what happens, it gets boring after a while just doing the exercises at home. I didn't go to physical therapy here, I just did the exercises myself. Going to the gym is a great idea and i am making sure the trainer understands very well what type of surgery I had and maybe I'll talk to the doctor about it first. My knee is stable though and that's the most important thing. I am wondering though to what extent did the numbness return? Did it last, or dissipate after a few days? Let me know and good luck.

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Sep 24, 2009
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Submitted by: Kelynda

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To respond to Kate. About the numbness, well I still have numbness in my outer knee and the outside of my shin, I don't focus on it much anymore, except when I shave my legs or my leg touches something, otherwise I don't think about it. It has decreased though and my surgery was in June ACL repair with patellar tendon graft. The doctor says that I doing really well, I did not have my surgery in the U.S. but it didn't make any difference. I am now taking very long walks like I used to, up mountain,down hillsides and all around town whenever I can. I am thinking about going to the gym and having some instruction just to get my muscles back in shape, my leg gets 'tired' after walking a long way, I mean 4 or 5 miles. I really want to get back to running and dancing so much. I am wondering though if I go to the gym and do some weight training if the numbness will come back. I think though that it is just part of healing, the numbness is from the nerves, damage at first, then I think it changes while the nerves are regenerating and healing. I will try the gym and see what happens, it gets boring after a while just doing the exercises at home. I didn't go to physical therapy here, I just did the exercises myself. Going to the gym is a great idea and i am making sure the trainer understands very well what type of surgery I had and maybe I'll talk to the doctor about it first. My knee is stable though and that's the most important thing. I am wondering though to what extent did the numbness return? Did it last, or dissipate after a few days? Let me know and good luck.

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Sep 28, 2009
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Success
by: Anonymous

I had ACL surgery in June and i've given myself a rigorous PT schedule and am about to be released from my therapist early. I can jog and almost run with pain. im already playing basketball again and work out on weight machines everyday. The more i work it the more the numbness seems to go away. if i cud give any advice to anyone it wud be to definitely work your knee as much as u can w/o hurting yourself and u shud see some improvement with the numbness.

Sep 29, 2009
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numb ness
by: Anonymous

i am also facing this problem i have done acl surgury in feb after that ,i feel my hole leg is numb under the doctor says it will tke time how long not clearyfi

Sep 29, 2009
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numb ness
by: Anonymous

i am also facing this problem i have done acl surgury in feb after that ,i feel my hole leg is numb under the doctor says it will tke time how long not clearyfi please suggest wt io do

Sep 29, 2009
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ACL/LCL surgery
by: Dan

I underwent ACL and LCL reconstruction on my right knee a week ago. Whilst i am obviously experiencing pain on my right knee it isn't this leg that is worrying me. I had a hamstring grapht taken from left leg and am as a result experiencing the same numbness from the top of my shin down to my ankle as other people have told. Having found this site i am not sure whether i am glad to have discovered it or not as some people appear to be saying the feeling doesn't generally come back.
There is a massive amount of pressure on my left leg when i stand on my crutches, is this normal?? Whilst it is a kick in the teeth to discover that i may not rediscover feeling, i more thn anything want to get back to playing regula sport without worrying about my knee going from underneath me. My doctor assures me that this will happen in time and after all it is the whole point of undergoing the surgery. My knee went from underneath me on numerous occassions in between originally doing my knee and the operation- the pain is as you all know disgustingly bad. I guess in that case a little numbness that may come back cant be a bad thing considering yu ar able to get back to all the things you use to.
Whilst there is a lot of cause for concern from what people have said on this site i am going to try and take the positives e.g. wrapping warm moist towels around leg to get blood circulating etc. I am worried but trying to be positive, it is early and i would just say to everyne try not to lose sight of why you have all had the operation done.

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Sep 29, 2009
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Submitted by: Dan

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I underwent ACL and LCL reconstruction on my right knee a week ago. Whilst i am obviously experiencing pain on my right knee it isn't this leg that is worrying me. I had a hamstring grapht taken from left leg and am as a result experiencing the same numbness from the top of my shin down to my ankle as other people have told. Having found this site i am not sure whether i am glad to have discovered it or not as some people appear to be saying the feeling doesn't generally come back. There is a massive amount of pressure on my left leg when i stand on my crutches, is this normal?? Whilst it is a kick in the teeth to discover that i may not rediscover feeling, i more thn anything want to get back to playing regula sport without worrying about my knee going from underneath me. My doctor assures me that this will happen in time and after all it is the whole point of undergoing the surgery. My knee went from underneath me on numerous occassions in between originally doing my knee and the operation- the pain is as you all know disgustingly bad. I guess in that case a little numbness that may come back cant be a bad thing considering yu ar able to get back to all the things you use to. Whilst there is a lot of cause for concern from what people have said on this site i am going to try and take the positives e.g. wrapping warm moist towels around leg to get blood circulating etc. I am worried but trying to be positive, it is early and i would just say to everyne try not to lose sight of why you have all had the operation done.

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Oct 06, 2009
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ACL and Meniscus repair
by: Zach

I had my Surgery on September 2nd 2009 on my left knee. I did NOT use any graph, rather a cadaver (sp?). I did some research on the internet and spoke to my doctor and all the information I have accumulated has said that many complications have arose from using a graph from yourself. I am a little over a month out now and am walking perfectly fine, not taking ANY pain medication (not even OTC), and my doctor stated he was suprised at how quickly I have recovered. I merely started using my knee the 1st week after surgery, of course not pushing myself by any means. I have gradually regained strength and now can take 2-3 steps up stairs at a time with my left knee. I can not pivot yet, nor run or jump but I believe that is not to far off in the future.

For all of you who have gone through recent surgery and are experiencing a numbing sensation throughout your entire leg, I talked to the Anesthesiologist before the surgery and he said that they put whats called a block, meaning they numb pretty much your entire leg to help with the pain for the 1st 24-48 hrs. he then said the block would slowly fade after that. I'm not sure if that is the case for everyone on here but I thought I would mention it just in case

I DO still have a numb spot though on the front top left side right below my knee that has not fully recovered and my doctor says its normal. To be quite honest I am not to worried about the small patch as long as my stability fully recovers.

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Oct 06, 2009
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Submitted by: Zach

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I had my Surgery on September 2nd 2009 on my left knee. I did NOT use any graph, rather a cadaver (sp?). I did some research on the internet and spoke to my doctor and all the information I have accumulated has said that many complications have arose from using a graph from yourself. I am a little over a month out now and am walking perfectly fine, not taking ANY pain medication (not even OTC), and my doctor stated he was suprised at how quickly I have recovered. I merely started using my knee the 1st week after surgery, of course not pushing myself by any means. I have gradually regained strength and now can take 2-3 steps up stairs at a time with my left knee. I can not pivot yet, nor run or jump but I believe that is not to far off in the future. For all of you who have gone through recent surgery and are experiencing a numbing sensation throughout your entire leg, I talked to the Anesthesiologist before the surgery and he said that they put whats called a block, meaning they numb pretty much your entire leg to help with the pain for the 1st 24-48 hrs. he then said the block would slowly fade after that. I'm not sure if that is the case for everyone on here but I thought I would mention it just in case I DO still have a numb spot though on the front top left side right below my knee that has not fully recovered and my doctor says its normal. To be quite honest I am not to worried about the small patch as long as my stability fully recovers.

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Nov 25, 2009
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ACL repair (patella)
by: Anonymous

I received surgery on November 13th, and in physio i am already doing staright leg raises with 5 pounds on my ankle..most of the numbness that i had has gone away but there is still some there which my doctor sad was normal. However, once i get up to walk with the crutches, (surgery was done on right knee) my entre right foot begins to turn purple as if there is no blood flow going to it, but once i lay down and elevate, it turns back to a normal colour....has anybody ever experienced this while in recovery??

Dec 07, 2009
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4+ years of numbness
by: Anonymous

I had reconstructive surgery using a hamstring graft. This was in 2005...it has been 4 years and I still have numbness. When I touch my scar, I feel tingling on my shin where the numbness is...weird huh? I was wondering if anyone knew if there is any type of malpractice adn if I should consult a lawyer...i know about the statute of limitations, but I was a minor at the time

Dec 09, 2009
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jolts/tingles of pain?
by: Anonymous

Its been super helpful reading through everyone's comments as the numbness took me by surprise. Does anyone get jolts/tingles of pain and does that signal a return of sensation or is that the pain that some of you referred to? I also have had an outbreak of cellulitis that seemed to initially be in line with the path of the numbness - curious if anyone else had problems with skin infections post-op? I had surgery 2.5 weeks ago.

Dec 09, 2009
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A year and a half later....
by: MF

Hello Everyone,
I just wanted to update my status. In July, 2008 I had ACL surgery with a hamstring graph. I continue to have complete numbness from my knee to my ankle. After a lot of tests I followed up with a second opinion on Friday. I was told I suffer from a condition called CRPS complex regional pain syndrom. I was told that this is a condition I will have forever and I will never get the feeling back in my leg. Has anyone ever heard of this? It used to be called reflex sympathetic dystrophy.

Dec 25, 2009
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Numbness After day 2
by: Jacob

Well, Im almost two days post patellar tendon graft surgery, and I still have numbness on my surgical leg. It's gotten much better since day one, but it's still 'numb.' My foot feels the most sensation; I even felt the chill of the tile floor this morning. My ankle is regaining some sensation as I can feel hair being pulled on it, but besides that, it still feels as if it is asleep.

From reading the rest of these reports, it seems as if this isn't uncommon. I really hope the sensations come back soon. I'm trying not to freak myself out, but I'm a worrier.

Any help, information, anecdotes would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

Jacob, 23

Dec 25, 2009
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recovery from numbness and tingling
by: Kelynda

Hello to all:
I had a patellar tendon graft (the word is graft, not graph as some people call it) for ACL reconstruction in June, 2009. To respond to the question of numbness and tingling, yes the tingling and changes in sensation signify that healing and nerve reparation is going on and feeling WILL come back slowly but surely. Since my surgery, the numbness had greatly decreased and the pain has gone, I have great stability in the knee joint and discovered I am able to run now. The numbness i don't think ever completely goes away, I was talking with a young man half my age who had the same surgery done following an ACL tear due to playing basketball, he says he still has a small patch of skin on the outer left aspect of his knee that is still numb, he had his surgery 10 years ago. So there you have it, to the person who is surprised by numbness after two days post op, well GIVE IT TIME! It is totally unrealistic to think that now the surgery has been done voila! everything is all better, That's not the way it is. I should know, I am a nurse when that type of surgery is done alot of work is dine to the knee, it is a complex procedure and you will regaun stability of the joint and be able to return to your activities or sports as before, but the knee will never be the same, the structure of the kn ee has been damaged, then rebuilt so it is forever changed, it's like a house foundation, a crack gets in it, or the basement gets flooded, repairs are done, but the house is never exactly the same as before. Surgeons who do alot of tese surgeries or are sports medicine speacialists which I hope you went to are extremely good at what they do, but they are not magicians. However people who have not experienced this type of injury or have had this surgery simply do not understand it subjectively. It will get better over time, give
it a year, then see how you are doing. Keep exercising, do not overdo, rest the knee when necessary and follow the doctor's instructions, eat well. I am very glad I had the surgery done, I don't regret it one bit, to have the stability of the knee joint as before makes all the difference, I don't feel like I am on skates anymore and am not afraid to do the things I used to enjoy anymore. What a difference. I am thankful to the surgeon and am very pleased with the result. Good luck to all!

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Dec 25, 2009
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Submitted by: Kelynda

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Hello to all: I had a patellar tendon graft (the word is graft, not graph as some people call it) for ACL reconstruction in June, 2009. To respond to the question of numbness and tingling, yes the tingling and changes in sensation signify that healing and nerve reparation is going on and feeling WILL come back slowly but surely. Since my surgery, the numbness had greatly decreased and the pain has gone, I have great stability in the knee joint and discovered I am able to run now. The numbness i don't think ever completely goes away, I was talking with a young man half my age who had the same surgery done following an ACL tear due to playing basketball, he says he still has a small patch of skin on the outer left aspect of his knee that is still numb, he had his surgery 10 years ago. So there you have it, to the person who is surprised by numbness after two days post op, well GIVE IT TIME! It is totally unrealistic to think that now the surgery has been done voila! everything is all better, That's not the way it is. I should know, I am a nurse when that type of surgery is done alot of work is dine to the knee, it is a complex procedure and you will regaun stability of the joint and be able to return to your activities or sports as before, but the knee will never be the same, the structure of the kn ee has been damaged, then rebuilt so it is forever changed, it's like a house foundation, a crack gets in it, or the basement gets flooded, repairs are done, but the house is never exactly the same as before. Surgeons who do alot of tese surgeries or are sports medicine speacialists which I hope you went to are extremely good at what they do, but they are not magicians. However people who have not experienced this type of injury or have had this surgery simply do not understand it subjectively. It will get better over time, give it a year, then see how you are doing. Keep exercising, do not overdo, rest the knee when necessary and follow the doctor's instructions, eat well. I am very glad I had the surgery done, I don't regret it one bit, to have the stability of the knee joint as before makes all the difference, I don't feel like I am on skates anymore and am not afraid to do the things I used to enjoy anymore. What a difference. I am thankful to the surgeon and am very pleased with the result. Good luck to all!

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Dec 26, 2009
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general
by: Kelynda

I have been reading everyones comments re: their experiences with ACL reconstructive surgery. ..I can say with confidence that I beleive a patellar tendon graft is the best type of surgical option, it is initially the most painful and causes the most stiffness but has a better outcome overall for the long term. Before undergoing ANY type of major surgery ask alot of questions then make an informed decision A cadaver is a dead body, Do not be alarmed, the cadaver is preserved for just this type of thing. An autograft is a graft that uses tissue from the same person's body, an allograft is a graft that uses tissue from another person's body. ACL reconstructive surgery is quite common. Don't ask a heart surgeon to fix your knee. In other words, you wouldn't hire a plumber to fix the electrical system in your house. The same applies here. Ask the surgeon if the are oard certified in their specialty. They normally are,
or else they wouldn't be permitted to perform these surgeries nor would they do such a great job. It is not unusual to have numbness through the entire lower leg after surgery, I had complete numbness throughout my calf and ankle and pain in my ankle for about two months after. The pain is gone and there is only slight numbness
on the outer knee and shin. Most of the feeling has come back. I know it is frightening to have this numbness in the beginning. I thought my leg was dead too, but it is not. The best thing is movement.initially leg raises,bending the knee
heel slides,etc. I never used a brace, the doctor did not feel this to be necessary I never applied ice following the surgery either, instead my leg from the top of my foot all the way up to my thigh was wrapped in a soft cast to keep swelling down and to keep the knee immobile. As I said though, I did not have my surgery in the U.S. At the time of surgery an epidural anasthetic block was placed in my back, this was left in place for the first 24 hours following to deliver a continuous dose of anasthesia, also a drain was placed at the surgical site of the graft
to drain the blood accumulating, this is a very common practice following an orthpoedic surgery. Once at home (I stayed overnight in the hospital) I used crutches for one month, I took a from of Tramadol for pain releif called Supradol for about a week, took two antibiotics,one injection and one pill,and although the doctor recommended one of the newer anticoagulant, (blood thinner) it was too expensive so he said just take a aspirin everyday for two months. I did not go up and down the stairs for a month and then it was one foot at a time.
Keep positive, keep exercising, that's the best thing you can do. No your limb is not dead,and probably everything will get better with time. I had my surgery in June this year and that was six months ago and now I am running again and have great stability in my knee and no pain, slight numbness. It is pretty good.
Keep on going, and chin up!

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Dec 26, 2009
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Submitted by: Kelynda

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I have been reading everyones comments re: their experiences with ACL reconstructive surgery. ..I can say with confidence that I beleive a patellar tendon graft is the best type of surgical option, it is initially the most painful and causes the most stiffness but has a better outcome overall for the long term. Before undergoing ANY type of major surgery ask alot of questions then make an informed decision A cadaver is a dead body, Do not be alarmed, the cadaver is preserved for just this type of thing. An autograft is a graft that uses tissue from the same person's body, an allograft is a graft that uses tissue from another person's body. ACL reconstructive surgery is quite common. Don't ask a heart surgeon to fix your knee. In other words, you wouldn't hire a plumber to fix the electrical system in your house. The same applies here. Ask the surgeon if the are oard certified in their specialty. They normally are, or else they wouldn't be permitted to perform these surgeries nor would they do such a great job. It is not unusual to have numbness through the entire lower leg after surgery, I had complete numbness throughout my calf and ankle and pain in my ankle for about two months after. The pain is gone and there is only slight numbness on the outer knee and shin. Most of the feeling has come back. I know it is frightening to have this numbness in the beginning. I thought my leg was dead too, but it is not. The best thing is movement.initially leg raises,bending the knee heel slides,etc. I never used a brace, the doctor did not feel this to be necessary I never applied ice following the surgery either, instead my leg from the top of my foot all the way up to my thigh was wrapped in a soft cast to keep swelling down and to keep the knee immobile. As I said though, I did not have my surgery in the U.S. At the time of surgery an epidural anasthetic block was placed in my back, this was left in place for the first 24 hours following to deliver a continuous dose of anasthesia, also a drain was placed at the surgical site of the graft to drain the blood accumulating, this is a very common practice following an orthpoedic surgery. Once at home (I stayed overnight in the hospital) I used crutches for one month, I took a from of Tramadol for pain releif called Supradol for about a week, took two antibiotics,one injection and one pill,and although the doctor recommended one of the newer anticoagulant, (blood thinner) it was too expensive so he said just take a aspirin everyday for two months. I did not go up and down the stairs for a month and then it was one foot at a time. Keep positive, keep exercising, that's the best thing you can do. No your limb is not dead,and probably everything will get better with time. I had my surgery in June this year and that was six months ago and now I am running again and have great stability in my knee and no pain, slight numbness. It is pretty good. Keep on going, and chin up!

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Dec 26, 2009
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Dec 26, 2009
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Submitted by: Kelynda

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Dec 26, 2009
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malpractice
by: Kelynda

Hi all: just wanted to respond to the person who says it has been 4 years since their ACL reconstruction and still has numbness. Well has the numbness changed at all? Is it more or less? Where exactly is the numness, is it constant?
These are all questions to ask yourself because if you want to file a malpractice suit (extremely difficult to do) a lawyer will ask you. I am anurse and had the ACL reconstruction with a patellar tendon graft which I beleive was the right choice. I can tell you that doctors pay exhorbitant malpractice premiums especially surgeons, and there would have to be enough consistent proof that the surgery has caused you a permanent disaility, and that the disability is a direct result of the surgery only and that the surgeon involved absolutely did not follow standards of practice and care during the surgery, difficult to prove. The surgeon's malpractice insurance company will make a lawyer subpoena your medical records,etc. it is very expensive. and time consuming. I could tell my story about the misdiagnoses of my breast cancer, surgery,treatment,etc but this is the wrong page for that. Board certified orthopoedic surgeons have a lot of power,alot of people behind them and money. Permanently disabled means unable to walk in their view. That said, good luck with it. Talk to a couple of different lawyers one may not give the same advice as another.It would also have to proven that the surgeon was willfully negligent during the surgery. it's complicated.
Give it a shot though,see what happens. Good luck to all!

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Dec 26, 2009
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Submitted by: Kelynda

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Hi all: just wanted to respond to the person who says it has been 4 years since their ACL reconstruction and still has numbness. Well has the numbness changed at all? Is it more or less? Where exactly is the numness, is it constant? These are all questions to ask yourself because if you want to file a malpractice suit (extremely difficult to do) a lawyer will ask you. I am anurse and had the ACL reconstruction with a patellar tendon graft which I beleive was the right choice. I can tell you that doctors pay exhorbitant malpractice premiums especially surgeons, and there would have to be enough consistent proof that the surgery has caused you a permanent disaility, and that the disability is a direct result of the surgery only and that the surgeon involved absolutely did not follow standards of practice and care during the surgery, difficult to prove. The surgeon's malpractice insurance company will make a lawyer subpoena your medical records,etc. it is very expensive. and time consuming. I could tell my story about the misdiagnoses of my breast cancer, surgery,treatment,etc but this is the wrong page for that. Board certified orthopoedic surgeons have a lot of power,alot of people behind them and money. Permanently disabled means unable to walk in their view. That said, good luck with it. Talk to a couple of different lawyers one may not give the same advice as another.It would also have to proven that the surgeon was willfully negligent during the surgery. it's complicated. Give it a shot though,see what happens. Good luck to all!

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Dec 30, 2009
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different kind of numbness
by: DMB

Hello - I had ACL reconstruction with my hamstring tendon on 8/10/09 and I have been experiencing numbness from my thigh to my knee. Everyone who has posted about their numbess has been from the knee to foot which my doctor warned me might happen and is relatively normal and should go away, except for the spot right next to your incision..that he said is probably permanent. However he cannot explain, nor can the anethesioligist why I have tingling/numbness in my thigh. I can only assume it's related to my surgery and the nerve block I received with anesthesia? It has been almost 5 months and I still have this tingly feeling in my upper leg. Has anyone else experienced this?

Jan 31, 2010
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acl recon
by: james harvey

i had my acl recon on the 22nd jan and have the numb feeling down my shin, i have been speaking to a guy who says his is still there 14 years later although the area is a lot smaller

Feb 13, 2010
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Post ACL surgery numbness
by: rchakra

Hi All,
I just got my ACL reconstruction surgery done on Feb.3rd. I had a skiing accident on Jan 2nd. I've been wearing the Knee brace since after the surgery till now. My first rehab appt. is on Monday, the 15th. My surgeon did the Allograft where the Achilles' tendon from a cadaver was put in place of my torn ACL.
Went to the surgeon for the first post op. visit on friday, the 12th. They removed the external stitches and said everything looks ok.

Like many of you on the message board here, I am also feeling numb immediately below my knee and on the outside portion of the knee. I have the sensation to touch, however I do feel like the upper lip feels after Novocaine.
I asked the surgeon's assistant who was in the OR when the surgery took place. She said that it is normal for some nerve endings to get cut/agitated during the surgery and that the feeling should come back with time.
From what I understand, whether we get 100% back to where we were before is subjective. For most of us, we should get a lot of the sensation back with time.
As of now, that's the concern I have. But, seeing a lot of us on the board here have had similar issues is making me feel better.
For any of you in the same boat as me, keep doing the stretches, leg lift, calf flex, quad settings, etc.. Start doing these exercises as soon as you can . Very importantly, please do so only to the extent to which you are comfortable.

Hopefully we will all heal well and to our original strength.

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Feb 13, 2010
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Submitted by: rchakra

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Hi All, I just got my ACL reconstruction surgery done on Feb.3rd. I had a skiing accident on Jan 2nd. I've been wearing the Knee brace since after the surgery till now. My first rehab appt. is on Monday, the 15th. My surgeon did the Allograft where the Achilles' tendon from a cadaver was put in place of my torn ACL. Went to the surgeon for the first post op. visit on friday, the 12th. They removed the external stitches and said everything looks ok. Like many of you on the message board here, I am also feeling numb immediately below my knee and on the outside portion of the knee. I have the sensation to touch, however I do feel like the upper lip feels after Novocaine. I asked the surgeon's assistant who was in the OR when the surgery took place. She said that it is normal for some nerve endings to get cut/agitated during the surgery and that the feeling should come back with time. From what I understand, whether we get 100% back to where we were before is subjective. For most of us, we should get a lot of the sensation back with time. As of now, that's the concern I have. But, seeing a lot of us on the board here have had similar issues is making me feel better. For any of you in the same boat as me, keep doing the stretches, leg lift, calf flex, quad settings, etc.. Start doing these exercises as soon as you can . Very importantly, please do so only to the extent to which you are comfortable. Hopefully we will all heal well and to our original strength.

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Mar 07, 2010
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numbness
by: brett

i had acl recon using hamstring eleven days ago and i have a numb spot around 5 inches long just below the knee cap, when i go to bend my leg past 90 degrees it feels like its going to rip and starts to sting, i feel like i could bend my leg more if that numb spot wasnt there, is it only because i am only 11 days post op that i cant bend it or cause of the numbness ?

Mar 07, 2010
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numbness
by: Kelynda

To respond to Brett. Well 11 days post op is extremely early to be attempting to bend your knee past 90 degrees. And YES you will have numbness for quite some time. I had my ACL repair done last June and I STILL have numbness on the outside of my calf and knee and my ankle and a tiny bit of pain. Do the exercises as the doctor told you. Move cautiously. There is no reason to push yourself hard. You MUST let the graft heal. Do not push because if you re injure it you will lose the surgery and it will bbe very difficult at the least for them to repair it again. Unless you are a professional athlete and have to recover speedily, then take it slow. The most important exercises at this stage are ankle pumps,and knee flexion and extension. there is no need to flex past 90 degrees. Do 10 repetitions of each as many times a day as you can. Mostly at this stage it is very important to prevent clots. The ankle pumps will helpevent them. It took me weeks before I could walk without weakness and pain and I had crutches for the first month. When you have the stitches removed ask the doctor about all this then. I am nine months post op and now can climb several flights of stairs walk a few miles a day up and down evry steep hills can run again and dance. I no longer feel like I will fall all the time and am pleased to have a stable knee. For me that is all that counts. Best of luck to you.

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Mar 07, 2010
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Submitted by: Kelynda

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To respond to Brett. Well 11 days post op is extremely early to be attempting to bend your knee past 90 degrees. And YES you will have numbness for quite some time. I had my ACL repair done last June and I STILL have numbness on the outside of my calf and knee and my ankle and a tiny bit of pain. Do the exercises as the doctor told you. Move cautiously. There is no reason to push yourself hard. You MUST let the graft heal. Do not push because if you re injure it you will lose the surgery and it will bbe very difficult at the least for them to repair it again. Unless you are a professional athlete and have to recover speedily, then take it slow. The most important exercises at this stage are ankle pumps,and knee flexion and extension. there is no need to flex past 90 degrees. Do 10 repetitions of each as many times a day as you can. Mostly at this stage it is very important to prevent clots. The ankle pumps will helpevent them. It took me weeks before I could walk without weakness and pain and I had crutches for the first month. When you have the stitches removed ask the doctor about all this then. I am nine months post op and now can climb several flights of stairs walk a few miles a day up and down evry steep hills can run again and dance. I no longer feel like I will fall all the time and am pleased to have a stable knee. For me that is all that counts. Best of luck to you.

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throbber Updating Comments page...

Mar 07, 2010
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