So now that you have been diagnosed with a torn acl you can schedule your surgery and it's time to make the biggest decision. At this point you have to decide if you are using a an autograft your own tendon or allograft a donor graft. For my first surgery I opted for the allograft since my speciliast recommended it since I also had damaged my meniscus and cartilage. With a allograft you have a faster surgery, a smaller incision, and less pain after the surgery. The downside is that you can acquire a disease or the graft can be rejected by your body.
For my second surgery I will be using autograft since the orthopecic says I have strong tendons.
For autografts doctors use your patellar or hamstring tendon. Your orthopedic should tell you the options you have & the risk of using each one. I opted for the patellar tendon and will require an extra incision of 2" in the front of my knee to harvest it. The surgery will be a little longer due to the harvesting.
Thursday, June 25, 2009
ACL Tears
06/25/2009
So you wonder what you should feel if you have a torn acl. From experience having a partial tear on my left knee in 2001 and a complete tear in 2008 and another in my right knee in 2009.
If you hear a loud pop when the injury occurs, if your knee swells within 1 hour of the injury, if you feel like you leg will give out, if you feel unbearble pain when you walk.
These are the first symptoms you will have when you tear your acl.
Now you might be thinking if you should go to the doctor.
You shouldn't wait long since orthopedic can diagnose you and give you a treatment, medication and order xrays and MRI if needed.
So you wonder what you should feel if you have a torn acl. From experience having a partial tear on my left knee in 2001 and a complete tear in 2008 and another in my right knee in 2009.
If you hear a loud pop when the injury occurs, if your knee swells within 1 hour of the injury, if you feel like you leg will give out, if you feel unbearble pain when you walk.
These are the first symptoms you will have when you tear your acl.
Now you might be thinking if you should go to the doctor.
You shouldn't wait long since orthopedic can diagnose you and give you a treatment, medication and order xrays and MRI if needed.
2nd Opinion
06/24/2009
Today I went to the the Orthopedic that specializes in knee injuries. I was hoping that the sports doctor was wrong since he had diagnosed me with a torn acl. I did not belive my acl was torn since having gone through this a year prior my leg felt strong and stable. I was feeling better everyday and the swelling was almost gone. The doctor did the Lachman's test and showed me with detail that it was definetely torn. I trust him since diagnosed the torn acl and I trust him.
He showed me in the MRI where the complete tear was. You can actually request a CD of your MRI & report for your records.
So today I scheduled my acl reconstructive surgery for July 16th 2009.
From now until that day I have to remain active so the knee will be fit and not loose the strenght and flexibility.
Today I went to the the Orthopedic that specializes in knee injuries. I was hoping that the sports doctor was wrong since he had diagnosed me with a torn acl. I did not belive my acl was torn since having gone through this a year prior my leg felt strong and stable. I was feeling better everyday and the swelling was almost gone. The doctor did the Lachman's test and showed me with detail that it was definetely torn. I trust him since diagnosed the torn acl and I trust him.
He showed me in the MRI where the complete tear was. You can actually request a CD of your MRI & report for your records.
So today I scheduled my acl reconstructive surgery for July 16th 2009.
From now until that day I have to remain active so the knee will be fit and not loose the strenght and flexibility.
MRI
06/17/2009
Today I went to get my MRI at the clinic. This process takes about 45 mins and is not painful since it's only taking images of your knee.
The sports doctor read the report and it read that I had a complete rupture of my ACL. He did a Lachman's test and said it was a definite tear.
Those where the dreaded words I had feared since I knew the long road ahead of me.
Today I went to get my MRI at the clinic. This process takes about 45 mins and is not painful since it's only taking images of your knee.
The sports doctor read the report and it read that I had a complete rupture of my ACL. He did a Lachman's test and said it was a definite tear.
Those where the dreaded words I had feared since I knew the long road ahead of me.
1st Opinion
06/12/2009
Today I visited the sports doctor and he did a few of the test to determine the extent of the injury on my right knee. He did the Lachman's test and said my knee felt unstable.
He took xray's and they where negative meaning I did not have a broken bone. He ordered an MRI and that's when I got scared since he thought the damage was structural.
At this point I was scared since they only order an MRI when they suspect a torn ACL.
Today I visited the sports doctor and he did a few of the test to determine the extent of the injury on my right knee. He did the Lachman's test and said my knee felt unstable.
He took xray's and they where negative meaning I did not have a broken bone. He ordered an MRI and that's when I got scared since he thought the damage was structural.
At this point I was scared since they only order an MRI when they suspect a torn ACL.
How it happenned
06/7/2009
This is where the nightmare begins playing soccer as a goalkeeper in the second half with 5 minutes to go in the game. We where winning 1-0 when I went after a loose ball and won possesion. As I was getting ready to throw the ball I just the most horrible physical pain as the other teams forward did an illegal slide and hit me right in the back of the knee causing me to bend and fall to the ground. I did not see the hit coming just felt something pop and remember being in the ground screaming in pain.
I was hoping it was a bone and nothing serious. I had to be taken off the soccer field and started icing my knee.
The swelling started a few hours after the injury and by the next day I was unable to alot of walking.
This is where the nightmare begins playing soccer as a goalkeeper in the second half with 5 minutes to go in the game. We where winning 1-0 when I went after a loose ball and won possesion. As I was getting ready to throw the ball I just the most horrible physical pain as the other teams forward did an illegal slide and hit me right in the back of the knee causing me to bend and fall to the ground. I did not see the hit coming just felt something pop and remember being in the ground screaming in pain.
I was hoping it was a bone and nothing serious. I had to be taken off the soccer field and started icing my knee.
The swelling started a few hours after the injury and by the next day I was unable to alot of walking.
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