ACL

Scribble · Since 18 Nov 2005 636 Posts NoPo Addicted

So today I found out that I tore my ACL on September 9th at Rufus. My best day out of the year!!! I must say I'm pretty bummed. Anyway I have a trip to Baja planned Dec 23 for two weeks. The doc said I should be able to go and will probably be able to kite. He thinks that my knee is still very stable considering. I believe that as soon as I get back I will have surgery in January so I can be ready for next season.

I am just curious if anyone has kited with a torn ACL before surgery. Also what should be my timeline on recovery for being able to work, and most importantly kite again after surgery?

Thanks,
Andy

kss · Since 24 Apr 2006 613 Posts pdx Addicted

my friend Ovi has kited repeatedly before and after this surgery. he says it is just a matter of dealing with a littel pain. i'll see if i can point him toward this thread.....

Kraemer · Since 24 Apr 2006 1735 Posts Sky Pilot Unicorn Captain

Recovery depends on if they're just gonna go in and clean it up or if they have to fully replace it like they did on me. Either way-- orthroscopy and not too big a deal. For me it was like 1-2 month recovery. Just a small tear and you're looking at 2 weeks to 5 weeks. They wanted me to go out and rip it up right away. PT 3 days a week and no brace-- at all. The Dr was very encouraging--Said, "ski ski ski as soon as you feel up to it." I did I did I did....(after they removed the staples--as I needed a graft.)

lance_k · Since 04 May 2005 561 Posts Hood River Photographer

if you use a neoprene brace you should do alright for awhile.

as far as finding a surgeon- just consider this rebuild the most important piece of equipment you will every buy. spending the time to find an accomplished doc is huge in shortening the recovery duration, and more importainly- it's performance once healed. many docs out there tend to treat knee injuries for the masses- not people who kite or live an active lifestyle.

i've had both my knees rebuilt. one from a 'recommended' specialist in the portland area Mad

, and the other from the us Olympic surgeon for the ski/snowboard team. Thumb's Up

dr vern cooley out of park city is the shiz

pkh · Since 27 Feb 2005 6548 Posts Couve / Hood Site Lackey

I'm in a similar pickle with my shoulder dude (trying to squeeze in surgery now so I don't miss spring kiting, but f-ing up my winter vacation a bit in the process).... so I feel for you.

Whoever you get to fix it make sure the surgeon knows you are active and want to remain active. Ask lots of questions and be diligent on the physical therapy side. That's most the advice I have gotten and it all sounds good to me so I'll pass it on!

Good luck and hope you get better fast! Thumb's Up

jsj · Since 11 Sep 2006 83 Posts Hood River

pick your surgeon carefully. they are not all equally skilled. ask the guy (or gal) straight up if they can let you talk to someone they've treated. In particular it should be a kiter or skier (I suppose even a windsurfer might do in a pinch Smile

I had a surfer's ear surgury go bad from not having the guts to grill the surgeon, and maybe shop around a bit. Three years no surfing (this was pre-kiting days) till I found a doc at Stanford who fixed it in 2 weeks.

good luck.

john

archkiter · Since 18 Dec 2005 32 Posts p-town

Ouch that's bad luck! Evil or Very Mad

I tore my ACL and meniscus back in March of this year while kite-landboarding. I wasn't diagnosed right away so I still went kiting a few times after my injury but my knee didn't feel quite right, it felt loose. In April I had an MRI and a propper diagnosis. The doc said no kiting and I started doing "prehab" to get my knee ready for the op.

I had surgery at the beginning of June and have been doing intensive rehab since. I have a desk job and only missed a week of work. Everything has gone really well and my knee is doing great. December will be 6 months for me and I have been given the OK to return to any activities that I want- i.e. kiting, snowboarding, etc.

Everyones recovery is different but generally you can expect 6-9 months after surgery before returning to sports like kiting. The graft takes a long time to revascularize and gain full strength, and you will have a lot of muscle strength to regain during this time as well. As said earlier, it is important to be dedicated to doing to rehab excercises to regain normal knee function.

All that aside, ACL surgery is so much more advance than it was even 10 years ago and now there is no reason that you won't be able to return to kiting or any other sports.

Feel free to drop me a PM if you have any questions or if you need a recommendation for a good surgeon or physical therapist.

Best of luck to you!

blowhard · Since 26 Dec 2005 2025 Posts Windward

What do they call the guy who graduates at the bottom of the class???

DOCTOR!!! Rolling Eyes

Scribble · Since 18 Nov 2005 636 Posts NoPo Addicted

Anyone know a Dr. Wymen? My normal doc recomended him. He is in the Providence plaza place on like 50th and Glisan. Seemed to know immediately what was wrong before he even looked at my MRI. He says that My ACL is completly torn but i didn't tear any meniscus. Sounds like for being torn it didn't damage anything else. Anyway I left a kiteboard mag in his office because the magazines they had were lame.

In the meantime I'm gunna wear my neoprene brace and save my knee for kiting in Mexico. The Doc said that I should have no trouble biking in the meantime to keep up leg strength. If it continues to rain I may join a gym so I can ride their bikes.

Thanks folks. I was feeling pretty down yesterday and now I feel encouraged.

Andy

tonski · Since 11 Jun 2005 332 Posts NW Portland Obsessed

Hi Scribble, best wishes for your ACL surgery and recovery. I tore mine several years ago in a ski accident and also opted for a US Ski Team doc who specializes in working with athletes. At that time, they recommended the patellar tendon repair for long term strength and sports instead of hamstring graft, but I'm sure there are pros and cons to each. Definitely get referrals from the doc for athletes he has worked with.

Best tip for recovery is to start rehab right away and work through the pain to keep your leg and surrounding muscles strong. I was a wimp and lost a lot of muscle mass and it took 1 year + to rebuilt the strength. Good luck, Tonski

PS - You should be 100% for most sports - running long distances is where I notice the most difference in my "bad" knee.

kurtm · Since 18 Nov 2006 5 Posts Kook

Scribble,
I blew my ACL, MCL, & tore my meniscus in a downhill racing accident 14 years ago. I did the splits in a highspeed corner going 75 mph at the bottom of elevator shaft at Meadows. I was 2 months from getting married & going to Maui for my honeymoon & a windsurfing vacation. I went to a couple of doctors in Seattle who told me that I'd never ski again then found Dr Bramwell in Kirkland who was at the time the UW Husky doctor. He was very positive & told me that he'd get me back doing what I want to be doing which at the time was skiing. We allowed the swelling to go down & some healing to take place for the couple of months prior to going to Maui & I was able to windsurf for a week on my honeymoon. When I got back I had my knee rebuilt using my patelar tendon (I don't know if that's the right spelling, but it's your knee cap). I re-habed it for 9 months & was ready to go racing again the following January at a downhill in Sun Valley. I continued to race for another 10 years without any problems & now enjoy kiting & have very little knee pain except in cold weather which I'm told could be improved if I had the titanium hardware removed from my knee but it really doesn't bug me enough to want to go thru another surgery.

Good luck with your knee & do your re-hab.

KM

lance_k · Since 04 May 2005 561 Posts Hood River Photographer

Kraemer · Since 24 Apr 2006 1735 Posts Sky Pilot Unicorn Captain

I can second that-- Do not get the Pateller!

Dr. Reccommendations here in town: Dr. Scott Grewe -- Trailblazer Basketball knee doc. (At the Rose Garden : REBOUND)

Kataku2k3 · Since 14 Aug 2005 3753 Posts Los Angeles, CA Videographer

Othopedics! Woop woop! Very Happy

NateDogg · Sat Nov 18, 06 1:12 pm

Rebound is kick ass for sure. Last year around this time I was on the injured list because of an inflamed bursa sac on my right hip...when the training room at school was saying 4 to 6 months before even light jogging, Rebound had me back up to 80 miles per week in 2 months. It's the intensive rehab that works!

pkh · Since 27 Feb 2005 6548 Posts Couve / Hood Site Lackey

KingE · Since 27 Apr 2006 58 Posts Lake Wenatchee

I got my graft from a tissue bank. I figured that I wanted to keep everything that I already had. The Doc told me that my graft was as big around as my finger. If they take it from you they are limited by how much they can take away from somewhere else. From the bank they can put in as big as will fit in the joint or something like that. I have two friends that had their hamstrings cut loose after getting grafts from there Shocked

.

If you have a desk job or something and work hard at rehab you can recover pretty quick. I work hard at work, which has really cut into the amount of additional excercise that my knee can handle. I am 7 months post op and am feeling relatively strong. I will play, but definitely wouldn't go balls out. Leg muscles are still kind of weak, joint is great.

Jeb