ACL ligament?

Question

I stretched my ACL out 4 years and im just now going to the ortho cause I knew what ligament was injured and wanted to give it time, plus I was poor. I took yoga and northern shaolin kung fu to rehab it. It got stronger and works good, but still feels loose, and gives out during some running attacks. I went to the Ortho and he says Its amazing I can do all the advanced things I can do. Technically he says, I shouldnt be able to do 90 percent of what I can and it doesnt give mainly because of the other muscles being so intensely strong to compensate. Ive heard good stories, and horror stories about ACL ligaments, but the bad ones were operations of 15 years ago, military VA related, or alot worse injuries. Will it ever be as tight as before it was injured? The doc seems to think it will if I treat it right, rehab it like before, ill be good as new or better. Im 24, in great shape otherwise. Im worried it will be worse than now, or come undone when I do a snappy type kick after I rehab i

Answer 1

Yeah man... I had my surgery after I tore my ACL coming down out of a dunk playing some pick up basketball. You're in for a tough ride, but it's probably not as bad as you've heard. Honestly I think tearing it was worse than any of the rehab or anything. You just have to be really dedicated to your rehab/work out plan post op. I had the option of using a cadaver (donor ligament) or using my own. I took the using my own tendon route, which worked for me. It took me a good 7 days before I was walking on it after surgery without crutches. It was another few weeks before stairs were no longer my enemy. Make sure u do exactly what the doc tells ya and go to ur follow up visits. I was running again at about 4 months... Now I play basketball, baseball, football, and marched in a hardcore marching band. I've come down out of dunks a hundred times since. I used to be a State Track Runner up in the High jump and I think I jump higher now than before I tore it. Good luck, and if you need someone to talk to that's went through this, Send me a message at [e-mail]. I'll chat with ya.

Answer 2

I congratulate you for your successful non-operative way of dealing with your ACL for the past 4 years. I think you should leave it alone if you do not have any problems at the moment. I would suggest, however, that you get an MRI done for documentation purposes. At least you will have an idea as to how much the present tear in your ACL is and you can take it from there with regard to your activities.

Answer 3

I have been involved in Marshal Arts for most of my 36 yrs. I had a wonderful surgery done on my ACL in 93-94. The place was here in L.A. county called Kerlan and Jobbs. Top nochl, I tell you. THe best. I have been blessed with finding someone that did such a good job. I had a cadavor acheiiess tendon replaced me acl. Fantastic. I tell you, look into it.

Answer 4

I was 22 when I got hit by a car and ripped my ACL. Stretched my MCL, bone bruises showed up on MRI. No more shao lin spinning/flying kicks for me! :( 2 orthopods told me I needed ACL surgery.

But, because neither one said it was emergency surgery, I decided to try tai chi. since I dabbled in it when I was more seriously studying shao lin. Luckily, I was a few blocks away from a tai chi school that taught practical martial applications. For 4-6 months I concentrated on just the form (dynamic isometric exercises), and eventually I could do one-legged squats on it again. HOWEVER, whenever I got thrown in push-hands, if I landed on my bad leg wrong, I could feel the twist and give of my knee; I learned to wear a brace, and eventually recovered enough to compete in tournaments.

Sure, my knee is still slightly unstable, but noticeable only if I'm either fatigued or doing high-knee stress work. In other words, if I fly-kick, I take care not to land on my bad knee leg. But otherwise, functionally in activities of every day living, I function just as well as most people who do not have injuries.

By the way, I'm 38 now. 16 years with a completely torn ACL with no functional problems. I'm now working my core and stability even more, and if anything it's my belly that's the weak link. I can still do one-legged squats but I still stay away from flying kicks. There's hope for you. I climbed Mt. Camelback in Phoenix, AZ and I was so out of shape I had to rest to catch my breath, but my knee was NEVER a problem.

I'm not surprised that the legwork of your shao lin has strengthened the stabilizers of your knee to compensate for your stretched ACL. I'm sure you have similar stability problems as I do, but at this point I'm never going to have surgery.