Grade 2 ACL injury. Wait til after hunting season?

[elkocd]

What a kick in the balls. I'm in central america and just had an MRI in which it showed a grade 2 ACL tear. I actually had an ACL surgery when I was 16 way back in 1986, so I knew this ACL would end up being an issue at some point in my life. I'm supposed to be down here until May. So now my dilemma is:

1. Do I rush back to the states and try and get it fixed soon with hope I can hunt this fall? I think 5-6 months recovery sounds optimistic?
2. Stay down here and rehab and try and hunt in the fall then get fixed in Oct/Nov? WIll a grade 2 heal enough and be stable enough to get thru an elk season. FYI it will be a high country rough elk DYI hunt.

Anyone else have experience with a grade 2 partial tear ACL and hunting?

Going to send the MRI to someone in the states that hopefully can give me some guidance, but not sure how much I can get from afar.

 

[Bearded Bowhunter]

No ACL experience, but had a much more traumatic knee injury than that where i tore my MCL, PCL, and tore my hamstring off at the attachment in one go. With aggressive rehab was back to 100% 5 months post surgery. ACL is much easier recovery as you wont be non-weight bearing post surgery, and thus won't atrophy as much muscle. I'd just get it fixed asap

 

[elkocd]

One issue is I would be using 14 CO elk points to get a tag. Not sure I can roll those dice on recovery. One of the years I don't really have too many other tag options. OR general is probabaly the only one I bank on without throwing out a bunch of money and or points and then hoping.

 

[Tremain4414]

Definitely not a doctor but have been through more than my fair share of injures both in and out of the military. First thing I’d say is I would definitely get a 2nd opinion and get another set of eyes on your MRI results before I made any decisions

 

[Skerhunter]

I would definitely send your MRI in ASAP and get an opinion. I don't know about recovery time for a partial or what that surgery is like - could be relatively quick/easy? When I had mine replaced surgery was in Feb and I wasn't cleared for normal activity until August. I wasn't in colorado elk hunting shape by september for sure!

 

[OutdoorsMD]

It would depend if you have symptomatic instability. With an acl surgery that long ago the graft may be attenuated and may be read as a grade 2 tear by the radiologist. If you had a reconstruction that long ago you will probably have some cartilage loss as well. Lots of variables to consider. Need an eval first before even knowing if revision acl is an option.

 

[f16jack]

I've had both ACL's replaced and this past season while elk hunting tore a quad tendon in half. Still rehabbing 5 months later from the Sep 30 surgery. I wouldn't be able to get out to the field for another two months yet.
Looking at the ACL rehab sheet from my ortho (attached) he stilll has folks in a sports brace at the 5-6 month point. If you had the surgery now you would be just about ready in September.

 

[Bearded Bowhunter]

To add to my previous post. Not all Physical Therapists and rehab centers are created equal. Do some research and find an aggressive one that works with athletes specifically if you do choose to go the surgery route. Will absolutely make a difference.

 

[f16jack]

To add to my previous post. Not all Physical Therapists and rehab centers are created equal. Do some research and find an aggressive one that works with athletes specifically if you do choose to go the surgery route. Will absolutely make a difference.

Concur. In Park City UT or Jackson WY you have sports orthos that are working on the ski teams and olympians all the time. Very focused on rehab and getting you back out into the field. My PT for the last 5 months has been twice daily at home and twice weekly at the facility.

 

[NickyD]

One issue is I would be using 14 CO elk points to get a tag. Not sure I can roll those dice on recovery. One of the years I don't really have too many other tag options. OR general is probabaly the only one I bank on without throwing out a bunch of money and or points and then hoping.

Draw the tag and return it if you don’t progress the way you are hoping

 

[f16jack]

Draw the tag and return it if you don’t progress the way you are hoping

if you return a tag you get a choice - get your points back or get your money back. You don't get both. I experienced that this year.

 

[Old_Norther]

Not an MD, but having done rehab with Pro Athletes who have had ACL reconstructions its not a process that should be rushed. A 16 year old recovering from that OP is not a 40 year old recovering from that OP. One thing you might consider, outcomes for these types of reconstructions depend on many factors including your state of fitness when you go under the knife. Research shows much shorter recovery from surgery if you do a *pre operation* training program or are already in great shape.

Also, weight out the risks. If you get surgery, rush back to hunt, and blow it out a 3rd time you might be looking at permanent damage. Very real risk. Whereas if you hold those points, wait a year, you will be healthy and confident going into your dream hunt.

 

[NickyD]

if you return a tag you get a choice - get your points back or get your money back. You don't get both. I experienced that this year.

Yeah but he has 14 points so that’s a no brainer

 

[GSPHUNTER]

I had my knee replaced and repair to torn ACL three weeks ago yesterday ( feb 9th). I have been doing PT faithfully since the 13th with varying degree of more and longer PT sessions. While I have a little more to go to get back to somewhere near normal, I would say I am at about 75% there. Like mention, get second and third opinion to put your mind at rest as to what needs to be done and when.

 

[f16jack]

I think I'd lean towards the surgery and just getting another point this year. Not even putting in for the tag. I missed 2 elk and 2 deer hunts last year due to my injury.

 

[elkocd]

Thanks for all the input. It's also not as simple as just choosing to get the surgery. As said I am in central america until May, or that was the plan. I sent the MRI to Rebound in Portland/Vancouver and hope to have a virtual consult on the 15th to go over it. At this point I am leaning on rehabbing down here and putting off any surgery until after hunting season unless the Dr in the US tells me otherwise. I have my original ACL and as was mentioned above I am thinking part of the MRI results may be because of the earlier damage,. It is painful and somewhat unstable from this injury. We'll see. I HATE getting old!

 

[f16jack]

Thanks for all the input. It's also not as simple as just choosing to get the surgery. As said I am in central america until May, or that was the plan. I sent the MRI to Rebound in Portland/Vancouver and hope to have a virtual consult on the 15th to go over it. At this point I am leaning on rehabbing down here and putting off any surgery until after hunting season unless the Dr in the US tells me otherwise. I have my original ACL and as was mentioned above I am thinking part of the MRI results may be because of the earlier damage,. It is painful and somewhat unstable from this injury. We'll see. I HATE getting old!

Hope all goes well. We're getting to the point where we write checks that our body can't cash.

 

[Old_Norther]

Thanks for all the input. It's also not as simple as just choosing to get the surgery. As said I am in central america until May, or that was the plan. I sent the MRI to Rebound in Portland/Vancouver and hope to have a virtual consult on the 15th to go over it. At this point I am leaning on rehabbing down here and putting off any surgery until after hunting season unless the Dr in the US tells me otherwise. I have my original ACL and as was mentioned above I am thinking part of the MRI results may be because of the earlier damage,. It is painful and somewhat unstable from this injury. We'll see. I HATE getting old!

You might look up Dr. David Belfie if your looking for a surgeon in the PNW. Ive worked with 2 of his clients post ACL reconstruction. Guy is a pro.

 

[Ross]

Double digit knee surgeries here and 2 acl replacements all on one knee over 30 yrs. Now on to full knee replacement. IMO you get one set of real knees. If there’s instability this will cause other issues of knee degeneration. Get 2nd opinion, don’t rush and if not close to 100% prior to season wait one year. Wish I had a do over 35 yrs ago and todays technology on my initial surgery and the knowledge of my current sugeon. Good luck

 

[Marbles]

Don't work in ortho. But, taking a looking at the 1.5k per year subscription I get through work, there is not good evidence to support taking either approach. The risk is that knee instability causes you to injure more parts of the knee.

A discussion with both a surgeon and a physical therapist would be your best bet to understand your particular case. My inclination would be to give it 2 months of PT and see if it recovers to a notable extent or not. This approach could cost you a hunting season, but it could also save the season and avoid surgery. Some of it will depend on how unstable your knee is, this is a question for ortho. A grade 2 looks to fall in the area that might need surgery or might heal on its own.