Post meniscectomy knee recovery?

[Mule3006Elk]

I had Plica repair right knee. Simple full recovery. I had a very small left knee anterior horn tear. Trimmed up 100% pain free for years. I don't run and never did. Road biking only. Thankful for that decision in my early years. I never enjoyed running.

 

[Npike4040]

Just found out i tore my ACL 50 days out from my elk hunt in colorado. Have a custom brace coming and i'm planning on going on my hunt anyway. Am i just dumb for trying to make it happen or do i have a chance? Will have couple buddies along to help out.

 

[Ross]

All depends on the stability of the knee. A brace is more mental than anything. Short term lack of acl likely to not cause bigger issue, unless you tear something further. Good luck…I speak from a long line of knee surgeries to eventually tkr, all the result of no acl replacement for 6 yrs..get it replaced soon

 

[grossklw]

Just found out i tore my ACL 50 days out from my elk hunt in colorado. Have a custom brace coming and i'm planning on going on my hunt anyway. Am i just dumb for trying to make it happen or do i have a chance? Will have couple buddies along to help out.

I'd go. Hines Ward played his entire NFL career without a L ACL. There are plenty of people that cope just fine. Worst case scenario it doesn't go well and you end up with surgery anyway. You obviously have a higher possibility of meniscus involvement if something happens, but only god knows if something will happen.

Best case scenario you find out for your lifestyle you can live without it, other end of the spectrum if it's feeling unstable and giving out get it done after your elk hunt. I've rehabbed plenty of surgical and non-surgical ACL's. Surgical generally do better, but that doesn't mean non-surgical can't have good outcomes either. High impact cutting sports are very difficult without an ACL, but people that avoid those generally get along fine.

 

[Npike4040]

I'd go. Hines Ward played his entire NFL career without a L ACL. There are plenty of people that cope just fine. Worst case scenario it doesn't go well and you end up with surgery anyway. You obviously have a higher possibility of meniscus involvement if something happens, but only god knows if something will happen.

Best case scenario you find out for your lifestyle you can live without it, other end of the spectrum if it's feeling unstable and giving out get it done after your elk hunt. I've rehabbed plenty of surgical and non-surgical ACL's. Surgical generally do better, but that doesn't mean non-surgical can't have good outcomes either. High impact cutting sports are very difficult without an ACL, but people that avoid those generally get along fine.

Thanks that gives me some encouragement. I have surgery on the books after hunting season. It feels fine except a little pain here and there but that doesnt bother me. Appreciate the info.

 

[Poser]

Just found out i tore my ACL 50 days out from my elk hunt in colorado. Have a custom brace coming and i'm planning on going on my hunt anyway. Am i just dumb for trying to make it happen or do i have a chance? Will have couple buddies along to help out.

There's definitely an amount of risk that you will do additional damage to your knee. Without the stability of the ACL, your meniscus will be compensating and its not structurally built for that so you could damage it. Once that happens, you could start grinding cartilage. All of that can be repaired, but it may result in a more complex, expensive surgery with an even longer recovery timeline than just ACL repair. You grind your cartilage down, your doctor may want to install some from a cadaver.

Sidehilling and deadfall are going to be your enemies. Trekking poles are a must. And, your buddies "helping out" means you are carrying absolutely minimal weight. I'm not saying I wouldn't do it myself, but there's probably no conventional advice that is going to suggests that this is a good idea and that you won't end up paying an additional cost. You have to also consider the damage you are going to potentially do on the 50 days between now ands then.

 

[aMurderOfCrows]

All depends on the stability of the knee. A brace is more mental than anything. Short term lack of acl likely to not cause bigger issue, unless you tear something further. Good luck…I speak from a long line of knee surgeries to eventually tkr, all the result of no acl replacement for 6 yrs..get it replaced soon

Isn’t your ACL removed anyways during a TKR?

 

[Ross]

Most times acl is removed in tkr. My point of emphasis is acl provides alot of stability. Lack of it over decades will degenerate the knee leading to tkr. You’re born with it for a reason. My ignorance, youth and lack of knee knowledge, along with reliance on first surgeon in the 80s, who did not replace it, eventually led to 14 knee surgeries, 2 acl replacements and then tkr. You hear stories of few who did not replace and maybe they end up fine, time will tell, You don’t want tkr and best to replace acl if torn. That recovery nothing like tkr, it is easy, nor is tkr a new normal knee. Good luck.

 

[Npike4040]

There's definitely an amount of risk that you will do additional damage to your knee. Without the stability of the ACL, your meniscus will be compensating and its not structurally built for that so you could damage it. Once that happens, you could start grinding cartilage. All of that can be repaired, but it may result in a more complex, expensive surgery with an even longer recovery timeline than just ACL repair. You grind your cartilage down, your doctor may want to install some from a cadaver.

Sidehilling and deadfall are going to be your enemies. Trekking poles are a must. And, your buddies "helping out" means you are carrying absolutely minimal weight. I'm not saying I wouldn't do it myself, but there's probably no conventional advice that is going to suggests that this is a good idea and that you won't end up paying an additional cost. You have to also consider the damage you are going to potentially do on the 50 days between now ands then.

Very good points that i will consider. Appreciate it.