Knee surgery: meniscus, ACL, PCL

[Tahoe1305]

Just a quick update at the 1 month point.

I am still in a brace but can move decent. Up stairs isn’t bad. I can’t go down as well. Can ride the bike without much issue or pain.

I am squatting for PT now and doing a few more advanced (beyond weight bearing) exercises.

Today I was 115deg flexion and -2 extension. Overall the PT is happy with progress.

Still icing 3+ times a day with 2x PT for 20 min or so at the house. Only taking Tylenol on occasion. Front of knee is still very numb and also episodic swelling. Am finally seeing a little knee bone definition again. Quad still refusing to act normal….but think that’s normal. Once I get the quad on board I’ll be off to the races.

A few follow ups with folks next week for a bigger picture.

I’m 10 weeks today on patella tendon graft ACL surgery.

I am very close to walking without a limp. Doing lateral movement, stability exercises at PT. Lifting with light weights for squats and lunges. I can’t run for another 6 weeks.

Range of motion is close to matching my good knee now. Still have numbness and pain(mild) in my knee most of the day. Sounds like that may persist for a while.

 

[RWT]

16 days post removal of 1/3 of my meniscus. Still slow and not full range of motion but walking well enough that I just look like an old man.

Had durolane injection in left knee. Major reaction to the med. Leg swelled and terribly painful. Do NOT use durilane or test it for reaction prior to taking the shot. The pain in left knee is worse than the rt knee that had the meniscus removed. Still not full range of motion in left knee and swollen 20 days after shot.

 

[LFaler]

Morning
So on 12/28 I tore my meniscus “ oblique tear of the posterior horn and root of the lateral meniscus Bucket-handle tear of the posterior horn and root of the medial meniscus with anterior and central flipped fragment-PCL and ACL complete tear of the ACL subacute to chronic, complete tear of the PCL subacute”

They said the ACL was already torn based on the MRI.
I’m going to have surgery to fix the knee
I’ve had the first consult and the surgeon wants to do 2 procedures- meniscus first followed by PT then the ligaments.

Doing some math that looks like a year recovery as opposed to 6 months.

I asked to do it in one surgery and he seemed hesitant and offered another consult on 1/24 with another surgeon.

For those who have done similar, anyone done it in one shot? At the end of the day I’ll trust the surgeons. But if it comes down to more strenuous PT and rehab I’m onboard for the more intense recovery if I can shorten recovery time.


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If the ACL tear is chronic get the meniscus done rehab it and see what functionality is like . If it were acute that might be a different conversation . You also didn’t say how old you were That will play into it as well . Post partial meniscectomy rehab and ACL rehab are different animals . Recovery times are more a function of healing process. Age and fitness play into it and some parts of it you can’t rush If you do, you risk tearing the graft , another surgery etc . If two different surgeons tell you NOT to have the surgery together, it’s probably a good idea to heed their advice .