Any post knee surgery recovery stories?

[ZDR]

Just had my ACL repaired and also partial removal of the medial meniscus. Curious to hear from others who have under went the same/similar. How did your recovery go? How long before you could hike hard, carry a heavy pack etc...how has it held up over time?
Also, anyone using a medial unloader brace? Would be great to hear how that works for you.
Thanks!

 

[Longshot]

Had mine replaced with a piece of petallar* tendon. Don’t remember exactly how long rehab was, roughly 6 weeks back to normal life. 6 months was cleared for football. That’s been 15 years ago and never had any issues. Good luck


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[Savage99]

30% of meniscus removed. If it was only that, it wouldn’t be bad at all. Once swelling went down I could walk. And was walking on railroad ballast all day within 4 weeks. I guess you wanted pack experience, but that was mine.


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[ZDR]

Actually thats very encouraging. The 50% less medial menisicus is my biggest long term worry as ive been a long distance runner for 38yrs. It looks like thats coming to an end but hiking, backpacking, hunting etc are things i do not want to give up. Thanks...

 

[CX5Ranch]

I got my knee ripped in football 22 years ago. I was pretty stiff for about 6 weeks. Then back to new. Haven't had any problems since. I go hard all year. You'll be fine.

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[Lurjukka]

I got my knee ripped after falling from skateboard when i did a hardflip. It was terrible laying in bed for 24/7. So lonely, so i called girls from escort-service here Escort in Beirut, only beautiful girls. Favorable ladies brought my condition back to normal

 

[Takem]

I had the same surgery on April 1st of 2016. I was able to start light hiking in six weeks and gradually work up from there. I would say it was at four months that I started testing it with a load on fire roads not trails. I went on a backpack hunt 2nd season Colorado that year which was 6 1/2 months from my surgery and I had no issues. It still feels great now. I was building two houses on the side of a hill at the time and I believe that was a big help for my recovery. I had no choice but to going up and down a lot of stairs checking on the projects shortly after the surgery.

Judging by when you posted this I hope you're back to hiking the hills by now.

 

[Ryan_Songhurst]

@ZDR I had a torn medial meniscus repaired in 2015 in my right knee then only a year later had surgery again as I managed to bust it again. I was back to "feeling" like everything was pretty normal within about 6 weeks of the initial surgery and then I was silly and began hunting (mostly alpine and sub alpine country, here in New Zealand) despite my physio and surgeon giving me a plan to ease back into things. I thought I was quite clever untill 12 months later when it fell apart on me big time, in the backcountry, whilst on a ten day backpack Wapiti hunt. I had to be helicoptered off the hill and needed a knee reconstuction surgery as all hell had broken loose in there. Im currently laid up awaiting surgery again, this time for my left knee as I have now torn the meniscus and my ACL has detached.
My advice is not to worry about others experiences but listen to your healthcare professionals, surgeon, physio etc and make sure they understand the type of activity you eventually want to get back to, put in place a plan for rehab and stick to it, just because you feel like you're good to go again does not neccesarily mean you are!

 

[Cobie33]

18 years ago had left ACL replaced with patellar tendon and meniscus work done. Rehabbed hard and was released after 6.5 months to do anything in life I wanted. Did have tendonitis during rehab with patellar tendon though. 5 years later blew my right ACL and damaged meniscus. Went the cadaver ligament route on this one. Rehab was much shorter, 3.5 months and no tendonitis. Been great ever since. Just rehab how you are supposed to and don't skimp. Had friends that did that and as they got older wished they would have rehabbed correctly.

 

[fiskeri1]

Two years ago I drew a Wyoming Unit H deer tag. Planned on doing an early/velvet archery hunt. Tore my meniscus late August and had surgery 8 days before the season started. Figured that I'd just eat the tag but since the season (rifle) extends to October 7th, I asked the docs if hiking in the mountains that early was do-able. Much to my surprise they gave me the go-ahead. It wasn't pretty but I managed to notch my tag after 5 days of solo hiking 8-12 miles through a snow storm at 8-9k feet.

I've also lost 50% meniscus from the surgery. Rehab has been ongoing (I integrated the exercises into my gym routine) and sometimes the knee just hurts but it's probably stronger now than ever before.

 

[JoMa]

I had surgery in late September to repair a large bucket handle tear in my meniscus. I was on crutches and couldn't bend my knee for about 4 weeks. Through PT, I'm slowly gaining mobility and strength. Doc and physical therapist said it would be next spring before I am back to my pre-surgery functionality. Missed out on a controlled hunt elk tag this past fall, but fortunately IDFG is giving me a rain check for a tag next fall.

 

[deepnsteep]

I've had both my meniscus repaired...stitched back together. I thought my heavy pack days were over so I bought llamas. That turned out to be unnecessary. Took a few years to get my confidence back, but I'm packing heavier and further than I ever have now at 37. I definitely have to keep moving and in shape or they get achy. Plus I can always tell when a cold is coming cause the will hurt.


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[Ross]

Hate talking about my knee short of long two acl replacements same knee and 9 other surgeries to it for miniscus and other stuff hopefully manage 4 yrs more to 60 and cut it off and put robo knee on

 

[Cameron945]

Just had my ACL repaired and also partial removal of the medial meniscus. Curious to hear from others who have under went the same/similar. How did your recovery go? How long before you could hike hard, carry a heavy pack etc...how has it held up over time?
Also, anyone using a medial unloader brace? Would be great to hear how that works for you.
Thanks!

I'm 28, have had 5 knee surgeries; 4 ACL reconstructions (all with partial menisci tears, 3 on one side, 1 on the other side) and a bone graft. I'm 7 years post-op from my most recent surgery. I do great with full pack on my back because I took my training into my own hands well after I finished PT. In PT, often they just get you healthy to do normal daily activities (usually because insurance companies cover limited number of visits). I kept re-tearing the grafts they were putting in. It finally stopped when I seriously started strength training. I was more confident in the stability of my knees once I gained a fair amount of leg strength. Work on strength continually and you will be counting the years since your last surgery.

 

[blackdawg]

I'm 28, have had 5 knee surgeries; 4 ACL reconstructions (all with partial menisci tears, 3 on one side, 1 on the other side) and a bone graft. I'm 7 years post-op from my most recent surgery. I do great with full pack on my back because I took my training into my own hands well after I finished PT. In PT, often they just get you healthy to do normal daily activities (usually because insurance companies cover limited number of visits). I kept re-tearing the grafts they were putting in. It finally stopped when I seriously started strength training. I was more confident in the stability of my knees once I gained a fair amount of leg strength. Work on strength continually and you will be counting the years since your last surgery.

Bingo, same here, after 2nd Acl rebuild I got serious about strength training 6 years ago, huge difference with stability in the knee and strength in the leg today!


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[bradb]

2 acls on left knee, 1 on right. First on left was in like 1985 second on left a year ago December last years with alograft was a piece of cake and super fast, they also did a small medial meniscus tear and a micro fracture in trocule groove. It feels pretty decent and good strength. Right also had a lateral repair, did have some loose bodies taken out a few years back. Now training for my first sheep hunt right feels kind of shitty and guessing that there is more loose bodies in the knee. Really debaiting how gutsy it is to have them taken out a month and a half before hunt

 

[Achigan1]

Contra patellar ACL / MCL / whatever else is in there reconstruction and some meniscus removal here following off-road racing injury at 50 - femur / tib plateau break and my right toes hit me in the chest. Tough rehab program but backpacked into the Washakie around day 60 and raced again on the 93rd day post surgery. It did take a while before I truly trusted that knee. Been 4 years now - lots of spin bike and iron climber miles. I can go uphill just fine all day long - downhill with a pack is still a bit painful. Leg work will really help - more muscle to stabilize the joints!

 

[cwillmon]

Got a partial tear in my MCL last year while on a waterfowl hunting trip (buddies were goofing around and ended up being the collateral damage lol). Ended up just doing PT instead of surgery and it took me 4 months to get cleared and get active again. Still baffled as to why the doctor never mentioned surgery as an option. Spoke with several buddies in the medical field that said MCL surgeries were quick and only involved about a 4 week recovery time... Oh well, it’s a year later and I’m back to running trails and carrying a loaded pack with no issues.

 

[bradb]

I had pretty severe mcl sprain tear in first injury and he said no surgery for that. They do do it he just said no. That was a long time ago! Hell they sliced me way open to do the acl then

 

[MadDawg]

I had both of my meniscus repaired before I was 18. It was a good 6-8 weeks before I could start lifting again and now at 19 I still have to deadlift from right at knee level or my knees pop and crack really bad.