I've used both aspects with great success when recovering from knee injuries, ankle sprains (severe), back strains, etc. No brace since then. A surgeon who is a runner is a plus. Her method, simplified, involves active recovery and expert massage. My left knee has had a lateral meniscal debridement and a failed medial meniscal repair followed … :). Goal is to get back to like longer distance running and trail running. Running with an ACL tear. This involves a transplant of ligament. an article on ACL. Yes: yes you can run with just a torn acl. We went for hikes on the Appalachian Trail(AT) which runs from Georgia to Main along the Appalachian mountain range. bit I've My dad asked me if I was sure I should be running – in 2008 I injured my left anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), medial collateral ligament (MCL) and both menisci skiing and in 2012 I ruptured my right ACL. It is not weaker than my other ankle and there is no evidence that I even seriously injured it back then. And I did my first trail run in the Redwoods on Sunday. Shelli Johnson#2 , Nike’s Zoom Winflo 6 sneakers are … And between three and six months was go time. A week and a half ago, I fell off a fence and twisted my knee. Make sure s/he is aware that you are a runner and of what type of running you do. (By the way, I've tried skiing with a brace and playing basketball with a brace during the first year following surgery. This is why we often see an ACL tear and a torn meniscus occur simultaneously. I felt invulnerable, but wasn't. Re: Hiking and a torn ACL. If you do have surgery, make sure to get a good, experienced surgeon. I have had ACL reconstructive surgery in both of my knees. Ability to run after ACL surgery I too have a completely torn ACL. The sooner the doc has you doing stuff, the better off you'll be. And that was about at the six-month mark that's this week. As the pain settles, walking and even running in a straight line isn’t usually a problem but when attempting to turn or sidestep the knee feels wobbly and the patient may demonstrate their instability by sliding clenched fists against each other (the ‘two fist sign’). I would at least give a try to rehabilitating the knee without surgery and see how that works. Scott Rafferty , I have been able to run pretty well since, so don't despair. You may think that your leg is strong because you have continued running, but I would bet that a good evaluation will find multiple deficits, especially in your hip. New evidence suggests that running shoes with thick traction contributes to cruciate knee ligament injury, such as tearing of the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in runners. Running with a torn ACL may be possible after conservative rehabilitation but depends on the severity of the tear and your symptoms. Are there chronic wear and tear issues? 1997 Leadville 100 As far as my running was … All the studies show that doing a lot of surgeries leads to better outcomes. It is not clear if this is a result of the surgery or the knee injury, however. Best Arch Support: Nike Zoom Winflo 6 Running Shoe. I was breathing deeper, standing taller, and walking better. I did not have Bob , I had ACL reconstruction using part of the patellar tendon in late 1991. That, in my opinion is a real pain. I suffered a torn ACL in the same knee on two different occasions. Once the meniscus is damaged, it's difficult to repair. I would bet that with your athletic background you would tend to come back sooner than most. One source is a cadaver. I have been experiencing sciatica/piraformis type syndromes along with heal pain over the last three years. ACL – Return to running. take a pain reliever, such as ibuprofen (if … A torn ACL doesn’t necessarily mean the end of your sports or running career. Also, for your information, they did a patellar strip for my 1991 (my most recent) ACL reconstructive surgery and there's only a small incision and again, the knee recovered 100%. If you are wondering, "Can I run again with an ACL tear?" Q: I am 47 years old and tore my left knee ACL five years ago but did not have surgery. And yet waiting and/or holding off on surgery or some other type of action would obviously depend on the extent of your injury. For example, after my first acl blowout in 1986 (which, according to my orthopod, may have resulted from torn meniscus that went never repaired), I waited a good week or week and a half before even going to an orthopod. I ended up hyperextending my left knee and completely tore my left ACL. First, I think needing a brace to run if you don't have the surgery is overkill. --Cathy Fieseler, MD, Running on the Treadmill vs. Running Outside, The Link Between Leafy Greens and Heart Health, Get Dad the Gifts He Really Wants This Year, GVRAT Winner Runs 1,000K in Fewer Than 10 Days, This content is created and maintained by a third party, and imported onto this page to help users provide their email addresses. I would stick with the basics: upper body push and pull. This was very successful. In other words, if your knee is not this bad, perhaps waiting a little and being more conservative is the right answer; if it's swollen and painful and unchanging in more than a week, then definitely weigh all of your options and maybe even get 2-3 opinions if the recommendation(s) seem too liberal or harsh. I ended up hyperextending my left knee and completely tore my left ACL. Andy MacGinnitie . Her trail name was "Painfully Slow". I also know a person who continued bicycle racing after an ACL tear (with a brace). Torn ACL no surgery. Straight ahead runners can often get by without a repair, but a soccer player will likely need a … The stronger your muscles are going into surgery the quicker your recovery will be. The ACL tear may get injured due to sudden twisting. If it is too soon, the clinician may endanger the health of his/her patient; and if it is too late, the clinician may lose the trust of his/her patient. You very well might need a brace for activities with a lot of cutting and pivoting like basketball or tennis but I don't think even trail running puts enough stress on the knee to need a brace. Ask him about success stories and even for some names and numbers of people he operated on with similar situations. That being said, snowshoeing can be tough on the knees – and many snowshoers are not unfamiliar with a torn ACL. So, basically no brace is helpful for a torn ACL. My knee was so swollen and tight that I could hardly bend my leg at the knee, despite elevating my leg for long periods of time and frequent icing. You'll have to "consider the source" for the following. Your quads and hamstrings have shut down because of your injury. It works. ACL functions as the primary restraint to anterior tibial movement. I tore my ACL playing soccer back in February 2007 and had surgery in early March 2007. The meniscus is the "cushion cartilage" of our knee. You NEED to have a goal. I decided against surgery, started running slowly maybe six weeks after the injury, and ran the Chicago Marathon that October (very very very slowly). Studies show that people who've had knee surgery are prone to arthritis in the knee. I think he even did a 300K ride once, which is starting to become a bike ultra. I tore my ACL the first time playing football in high school. Is there a set postoperative period of time after which one can safely resume physical activity? New Balance 1080 - Best Choice for Comfort. This will alter your mechanics and produce any/all of the problems that you are experiencing (in addition to multiple other problems). I was training for a 50k before tearing my ACL and I was told I won’t be able to start running for a really long time and I am kind of going crazy missing out on all of the trail running that used to fill my mornings. (the cartiledge "padding" at the end of the bone) removed because it was torn. Walk and run. 11 years ago. I have torn my ACL…my patellar tendon and had 3 arthroscopies to clean out torn meniscus, scar tissue and a bone chip. Ask U.S. doctors your own question and get educational, text answers — it's anonymous and free! Since that time, I have run five marathons with the torn ACL. I'm now six months from my ACL and PLC reconstructive surgery. lie down and raise your knee above the level of your heart. Shelli Johnson, I've also heard that there are now numerous variations to this surgery now. ACL injuries need surgical reconstruction since they do not heal on their own. You may be able to find more information about this and similar content at piano.io, Everything You Need to Know About Hip Injuries, How Do You Find the Right Training Intensity Ratio, The Absolute Best Workout to Train for a 10K. My orthopod refused to operate until I gained leg strength. I had to be helicoptered out because of the steep and remote location. I have had no problems with my knee since the surgery. Gear-obsessed editors choose every product we review. Your Orthopedic Sports Medicine Specialist will examine the intricacies of your injury and determine the best source of treatment for you. Since the tear I have been climbing about 3 times a week and riding a stationary bike for as long as my mind can possibly handle (I hate indoor cardio activities lol). To make a long story short I opted to have surgery though there wasn't much of a question in my mind that it was the choice to make. surgery until Oct. 2nd. There are numerous special tests to assess the integrity of the ACL. Put at least as much effort into it as buying a vehicle (or home?)! As they say, surgeons always want to operate, so I'd try to talk your options over with a physician with expertise in sports medicine who is not an orthopedic surgeon (both family medicine and physiatry rehab offer certification in sports medicne). We may earn commission if you buy from a link. I've run Western States,Leadville,the Boston Marathon and numerous other ultras since. What I would recommend, though, is going to a doctor that has experience doing ACL surgeries on very active people like yourself. A Torn ACL Exposes the Meniscus to Damage. You may be pleasantly surprised by the results. I was retraining my movement … I could not walk. Will I be able to fulfill my marathon goals? If no, then definitely stay away from running. In '96 I ran my first 50 and 100-milers. Whatever, the source, I'd be sure to ask about the consequences of each technique. George Beinhorn , I tripped with my right foot and immediately slammed my left foot down to try and catch my balance. The trail has many summits and we would pick some of the mountains around our cabin and hike up to a … The ACL stabilizes the knee and connects the thigh bone to the shin bone. Don't be afraid to ask how many of the surgeries the surgeon has done and to seek a second opinion. ACL tears disrupt the ligamentous stability of the knee. As soon as possible after the injury: put ice on your knee. All studies indicate that the recovery algorithm for resuming running should be excluded. Keep in mind my medical training is limited to being an EMT and an avid learner. I reinjured a knee after bodysurfing in cold ocean water. ACL Injuries Can be Common Among Snowshoers. There's no way it would have recovered well enough to not do at least something about it. And I'm not a bike nut. Mark Wood , Lots of folks make the mistake of hammering the road bike following a torn ACL, and getting super strong, but return to snow and find themselves with weak knees because they didn’t include impact … 164 helpful votes. I would echo that you need to follow the doctor's orders during rehab and use weights, just like someone who didn't go through the surgery should, to keep the muscles around your knees strong. Both were blunt injuries that occurred while playing basketball for the University of Montana. I traveled to California and southern Utah late that May just 3 months out of ACL surgery. If I had done what my orthopod at that time recommended, I would have had surgery the day following the injury. I have yet to have the ACL repaired after the second complete tear. Can you walk with a torn ACL? It’s important to follow your treatment plan and speak with your doctor if you feel an adjustment to your treatment is needed. Chuck Zeugner , Consult your physician about your treatment options. Trail running, mountain biking, jumping and impact-heavy activity will simulate your activity on the hill and better prepare you for landing big drops and absorbing bumps. This is for the lister who recently posted about an ACL injury I browsed the http://www.bewell.com site and saw The ACL (anterior cruciate ligament) is an important ligament that provides stability to the knee. Bench press, floor press, seated dumbbell press, pull-ups, chin ups, push ups, lat pull downs and every … My biomechanics have changed probably due to a weakened knee in which over the past year has become unstable and I am considering ACL repair. So my 6 month ACL check-up was a success! Getting out on the trails and enjoying the scenery can be a great way to work-out while still taking advantage of the beauty that winter has to offer. In fact, I did nothing, except tape and elevate and ice the ankle for a good 3 weeks and today, it's as if NOTHING ever happened to my ankle in the first place. straightforward and backward running, no cutting or pivoting. This vision is really rare in the current market … How we test gear. In seven weeks I was able to do 3 mile I'm just letting you know that your injury is by no means the end of your running. Another source is a strip of the patellar tendon. Due to HMO problems and trouble finding a surgeon that would perform the operation. At that time the orthopedic MD said the ACL was partially torn. This is not the end of the world, I know a person who began running and completed two marathons after an ACL tear (surgery). 1998 Vermont 100 I tripped with my right foot and immediately slammed my left foot down to try and catch my balance.