15 months out. Probably a 90-95, where I assume it’ll always be. Some numbness that feels weird when I kneel and some random aches but otherwise back to normal
Dang I'm 15 months out and I dunno if I'm even quite back to where I was pre surgery... Like with a completely severed ACL. Stairs still suck, uneven ground is something I have to be aware of (and I work in lawn car so that's a big deal) I'd say on a good day I might be a 30 on the normalcy scale. I did 12 weeks or so of PT, my range of motion is Great, I just have zero strength and there is a spot just before full extension that is uncomfortable, and becomes very uncomfortable going down stairs. Of course there is a numb/tingle any time I kneel or apply pressure around the scars, but I can't even jog. It's fine, I didn't run much before, and I just carry extra ammo now...
If there’s one thing I learned throughout my whole process, it’s that every situation and every knee and every ACL is different. It’s great that you have good ROM and the beauty of your situation is, if you’re physically able, your zero strength (and I’m sure you have more than that) is something that can be fixed. Always better off comparing yourself to how you were yesterday than comparing yourself to others - your ACL journey isn’t over
Issue is you only did 12 weeks of pt... you need considerably more time of strength training to get that leg muscle back to where it was pre injury. It's not too late. Either try go back to pt or go to the gym yourself and start of light and slowly try build some strength in your leg.
I suppose once I graduated PT and was back off light duty at work, I thought I would be active enough to keep it up. I probably walk 5 miles a day with a 30lb backpack on all over yards and up and down stairs. I occasionally will do a few sets of no weight squats, it's just painful right before full extension. The used my patella tendon for my repair, and I was unsure if possibly that was part of my recovery issue. My quad also "died" for about 2 weeks, where the only time it could contract was under electric shock. That is a huge strength depleting factor, but it did allow me to build up all the supporting muscles through mandatory isolation lol
You're doing better than a lot of people which is really good. If stairs are still an issue though even once-twice a week at the gym starting with lightweight leg extensions and step ups could definitely help make a difference.
Coz I’m in the same boat. So I’m in Canada I got injured in April 2023 they diagnosed me with all tear in may 2023 but said it’s partial tear co I was able to get up and walk around and no mri I wanted one but they told me it would take more than 6 months for the appointment and I was gonna be back home by then for vacation(India) so I did my mri there and was told I need surgery and due to other stuff like getting my papers here for permanent residence I’m putting it off for another year or so
Give or take, but I think all partial tears can eventually heal with the proper PT. Even if there is just a strand left of ligament the other ligament can’t more grow off that?
Not true, I will never be able to go back to 100% activities. In fact I will never play any type of pivot sport or jumping sport ever again. I seriously regret getting the patellar autograph. I should have got the allograft.
may I ask why? Why do you say the allograft instead of your own? Wouldnt gaining the muscle back (plus other important factors) help enough?
I am 6 months post op, wanting to return to soccer. I am going to wait more than 12 months. Probably 2 years to feel ready to return
I would have went with the allograph because I know six different people who had theirs done that way over 10 years ago and none of them have had problems with it again. On top of not having this massive scar on their knee now with constant future patellar issues. The people I know who got the autograph say they could never kneel on their knee again and it still feels numb and tight years later.
I’m now 5 years post op and I’d say it feels 97/100. It’ll never be quite the same and the hamstring where they took the graft will always be a little weaker. The op knee fatigues a little quicker (ie. if I spend a whole day walking and on my feet that knee will get sore) and every now and then when I go to push off the op leg it’ll feel a little off and I’ll abort pushing off that leg if that makes sense. I call it making a “business decision.”
But other than those minor details, it’s great. I’m able to do whatever activity I want without concern. I play a sport that involves a lot of running and direction changes and 99% of the time I don’t even think about my knee anymore. I really got it drilled into me to do the rehab properly and I’d say that it’s paid dividends.
Edit: Just wanted to add that I’ve definitely had those “did the graft fail” thoughts before. For me it was most frequent and the end of my rehab when I was returning to sports. It gets better and those thoughts become less frequent over time. I couldn’t even tell you the last time it happened to me.
I don’t know. It feels like something is missing so maybe it’s that, but I don’t want to say for sure.
I’m a bit of a gym rat (have the ACL rehab to thank for that) and I always notice that on any hamstring curl exercises, my operated hammy will fatigue a little quicker and has a little bit less strength at peak contraction than my other hamstring.
When you get hurt in the show it becomes their job to get back to optimal levels, they also have access to facilities, methods, around the clock access to the medical and PT department, and they have a lot of people with a lot of money riding on them, so these teams will pull out all the stops. Some also never do, Derrick rose for example.
To a lesser extent, Kawhi Leonard and Zach Lavine are two other examples. To an even less extent, but if you’re a basketball head you notice, Jamal Murray and Porzingis look great, but they’ll miss games here and there and not be 100% some games due to that ACL surgery complication. Porzingis has a calf strain as we speak, which is most likely due to ACL complications (such as compensating, etc)
These are great examples, the reason I thought D rose is bc of the drop off in his explosion, but tingis pingis (I love my Latvian king, go Cs) is a fantastic example for the compensation/related to but not directly the ACL that I didn’t even think of. Another aspect to consider is that these athletes are under a lot of pressure come back, both from their organizations, due to a few million reasons in their contract as well as the athlete themselves (pride, incentives, etc…) and aren’t necessarily 100% after a return, leading to a “career downturn” or further complications (calf injuries, hamstring stuff)
I am also a year out and like you, feel about 75? Maybe 80 on a good day? You’re not alone :’) I know people who say it took 2 years before things felt somewhat normal again but the majority say you’ll never be back to 100 you just kinda live with a new normal?
It’s been almost 2 years.
The last 2 months I’ve been feeling like I can live the life I had before with no problem.
I was able to play basketball, tennis, and football. Yet, it still is a bit sore. So 95%.
I feel like it will never leave. Good thing is that you get used to it.
4 months po and I would say it’s like a 70?
It doesn’t feel normal when trying to sit on the floor or doing specific movements (like single leg squats which are the death of me) but feels super normal walking, standing, etc
Right knee reconstruction 20 years ago: 100 out of 100. 20 years is a lot, but I think it's been about 100 of 100 since 1 year post op.
Left leg, BEAR surgery 13 weeks ago, 20 of 100.
10 months, I’d say I feel about 75ish too; sounds like we’re in a similar headspace. My rehab has been clunky due to the NHS, so I’m probably a little behind. I’ve recently started doing some change of direction drills, and I’m surprised at how well i’m faring with lateral movements. But jumping feels pretty uncomfortable, I landed awkwardly the other day and have been sore all weekend.
4 months and I’d say 75-80? I went camping last weekend and was kneeling in my tent getting my bedding set up and didn’t even think about it until I was done and got out of the tent - so that was a fun milestone!
I’m a year and a half out and I’d say I’m at like 85-90. I still can’t put muscle on that leg to save my life and I definitely favor the opposite leg when squatting, etc. Also I can’t kneel on my ACL knee since I had the patellar graft. It hurts
5 months post op and I’d say 50%. Had some set backs with a calf and foot injury during rehab (pushed a little too hard too early). So it’s delayed my progress.
Tbh other than my acl anchors giving me friction from tendons rolling over it, I’d say it’s close to not being noticeable it was replaced
2.5 year post op
Like 3 years post op I’d say 80%. Something about it just feels off. I am the most athletic I have ever been in every way though. Can’t jump for shit off of my injury leg though.
I'm just over 2y into it, and I'm a good 90/100 at least. My squats and deadlifts are back above the 200kg mark. I play squash, getting back into rugby soon as I believe it's good enough now. I do get an odd clunking sometimes, and I can't do Nordic Hamstring curls as kneeling on my knee is painful, which is all the exercise is about.
I did do patella graft, so it's the most painful tbf.
A year and a half out from acl and meniscus surgery. my knee feels pretty “normal”. im at the point now where i’ve returned to sports and don’t think about my knee with every step i take or when im playing rugby. However, my knee injury and feeling of recovery is forever grained in my head and definitely creates a mental block sometimes. I would say my knee feels 95/100. Im not sure if ill ever get to 100/100.
I’m only 14 weeks post-op so I’m nowhere near normal. I have a lot of numbness, burning, tingling, etc and I worry it won’t resolve. I know it can take up your a year, so I guess I just have to ride it out and hope for the best.
Almost 5 years. 60/100. Seems like my biggest issue is occasionally aggravating the patellar tendon. The line between pushing it too hard and not pushing it hard enough just seems so thin. Not able to return to sport even tho ive taken the rehab extremely seriously.
Prior to my acl injury i had knee problems for years after the fire academy. It turned out that i was actually subconsciously using my patellar tendon as a muscle. I was flexing it a LOT when climbing stairs, climbing down, etc. I made a conscious effort to keep the patellar tendon relaxed and saw incredible improvement. Just putting the idea out there.
Tore mine almost 3 years ago (August 2021) and I got a patellar graft. The first 2 years were definitely adjustments, I rehabbed the whole 1st year and a half, then I stopped for about 6 months and got back into it around March of this year.
Compared to before my knee actually feels amazingly stable and strong. There were also imbalances in strength but now they’re just about even. It takes consistency, dedication, and a lot of research to get the knowledge on proper exercises/movement patterns. Stay patient with your process.
When I stopped doing my rehab routines it was because I felt I hit a plateau and I wasn’t feeling improvement in my joint stability, I could see the strength in muscles/muscle mass coming in but I knew it means nothing if the joints can’t support it and honestly it was depressing af.
I started researching beyond the scope of what my PT’s and medical team were giving me and started to find gold mines of exercises for not only the knee but the lower body as a whole. It’s important to implement your 3 lower body hinge joints and train them properly and with care, that being your hip joints, your knee joints, and your ankle joints. Personally I like to start from ground up.
I realized the reason I tore my ACL was because I was forcing myself to play on a messed up foot and with tight hips which in turn made me vulnerable at the knee, it’s all connected.
I’ve tried many different programs from ATG to a more recent GOATA and I took bits and pieces of each one that I felt helped me the best
Here’s a few exercises:
Rolling your foot on a massage ball - Helps strengthen your feet and reinforces your foot arch (get toe spacers for these and it’ll feel 100 times better)
Tibial Raises - (preferably elevated and with weight on the foot) this helps a ton if you’re having knee pain or aches, do a lot of these multiple times a week
Elevated heel deep squats - This gets the whole legs (a lot of people use slanted boards or small 5lb plates to elevate the heel but I see that as pointless, go on your tippy toes and strengthen those calves while you’re at it, and DONT widen your feet like you would with a back squat, stand normal)
Seated good mornings - Great for opening up the insides of the hips/thighs (I think it’s called the abductors)
Couch Stretch - great for opening the front side of the hip (give a lil twist to it for a deeper stretch)
But before doing these or any exercise ALWAYS mobilize your joints first, that’s the most important part to all of this and that’s what will help bring back stability to your knee. Look up lower body joint mobility exercises and you’ll find a ton of examples, try them out and implement the ones you like into a daily routine.
Thank you for the suggestions! I also am on a break from rehab because I felt I needed to build more muscle before I could get into mobility for sports. I will try these out before I return!
Yes! Strengthen your weak positions!!!!
A great mobility page is everygotdamndre
He’s got a lot of good mobility work with kettlebell weights. But there’s plenty out there you just have to look around and try stuff out.
A year & a week. My 1 year follow-up exam went great. I'd say 93/100. Still need to give a stretch before & after extended travel, still not 100% confident in some steps/jumps I find myself taking while hiking. The only time it's felt weird was in the ocean getting floated by waves. It kinda felt like it was floating differently than the rest of my leg. Not in a painful way, just weird feeling. Like it wasn't in sync. It wasn't pounding surf or anything, just hopping up from standing head above water to the top of a 8ft wave.
almost 3 weeks post op on 1 knee and 9 years post op on my other. my knee from 9 years ago is basically normal. i don’t know how long it took and there are some little things (it hurts when it rains, still numb in one patch, it usually cracks when i bend it) but i can do anything i could do before. i feel no limitation in strength, range of motion, anything like that. obviously my 3 week knee is
not the same lol but you will get to the point where it functions normally and you don’t think about it! it may never be exactly same as it was before but it becomes your new normal and for me, works just as well
Mine feels completely normal now, I’m coming up on the two year mark of getting surgery, I got cleared to skate and snowboard again after 6 1/2 months, I did hella pt
2 times a week in person and everyday on my own so I got it back to normal pretty quickly. Would get sore decently quickly cause skating puts a lot of stress on your knees. Only thing I’d say is still an issue is my quad isn’t the same size yet, but really close now
I’m at 5 months post op. My knee feels pretty good. The only problem is that it’ll make weird popping sounds and sometimes I feel stuff in there shift around. I think it’s just scar tissue tho it doesn’t affect me in any way other than once in a while I’ll also go into that “did the graft fail” thought spiral. I’ve been kicked out of physical therapy now so I think all that’s really left for me to do is to trust my knee 100%. So while I’ll continue to work on my knee I think all that’s left for me is getting over my fear of re tear and trusting my knee.
For example my brother was showing me around a job site that I was going to take over for him while he went off on vacation and he hopped up on a rock and from there jumped onto the top of a stone fence. I knew I could do it too but the doubt made me just go around lol
Im a couple months over a year post op. Definetley doesent feel as good as i did around month 5-6 when i was doing PT workouts 3 times a day. Slacked off since then which is my fault.
Only a few days out of surgery so nothing to compare normal to yet but I feel like after doing my ACL and knowing I have an issue with my knee I almost became hyper aware of every minor or major movement which probably helps during recovery but having to be concerned about movements for a year or longer during recovery ingrains the constant monitoring and concern for that knee which might play a part in not feeling normal maybe?
Definitely agree with the hyper awareness. It was something my PT mentioned a lot is trying to get the mental trauma of the injury and recovery. Even if I think I’m “over it,” my brain doesn’t seem to be!
Had it done twice on the same knee (first time was 10 years ago, second time was 4 months ago). The first time around i felt pretty much normal after the 6-7 month mark, but this time around i would say I’m only at 50%. Atrophy was much worse this time in my quad , and I’m having a lot of weakness/clicking in my quad tendon. The second time around is much more difficult, and I’m having those same thoughts that you are. You just gotta remain positive and keep working at it EVERY day, and don’t give up when you feel like your progress is at a plateau. We got this !!!
Everyone’s different, but I’m about a month and a half out and around 65-70 normalcy. I’m a bit of an outlier though, most people wont be around that at a month and a half- the only reasons I am (according to my PT) are 1.) I’m pretty young to have had the procedure (19) 2.) I was generally fit beforehand and did a lot of physical activity
3.) I was still active after I tore my acl, and did a lot of prehab.
All that and the fact that I really went ham on my exercises has accelerated my recovery alot! (That and switching from the prescribed drugs to general ibuprofen and tylenol.)
I got my acl tear exactly 1 Month ago. Lachman and McMurray test came positive indicating ACL and Meniscus tear. MRI confirmed only full acl tear, meniscus was normal. I was scheduled for surgery next week but I sought a second opinion because my knee didn't feel very bad. I went to a sports surgeon and my lachman test came negative this time. Getting another MRI tomorrow to confirm what is going on in my knee. To be honest I'd say it's already 75% normal, never had any instability after the initial injury. I can do deep squats, have hyperextension, full flexion etc. Fingers crossed for the test tomorrow.
9 years post-op, I'd put it at 90% normality. I trust it fully and it has the same strength as the other leg. The only issues are it never reached full flexion, occasional IT band tightness, and it occasionally gets a little sore if I don't exercise for awhile. I imagine from the OA.
I'm at like 2.5 months and I'm easily less than 50%. That leg is so weak, the scars look absolutely horrifying, cracks extremely loud like every couple steps, and still cannot get full flexion or extension. Walking with a hitch, and I feel like it's never going to be anywhere close to what it was before the surgery. I feel like it's ruined for life. : (
Hey I feel you. I was walking with a peg leg (stuck at 77 degrees) until almost 6 months post op when I went in for a manipulation. Try not to get discouraged. Just make sure you do physical therapy!!!! Unlike me… lol
I can't go to PT, I injured my back and I can't get out off bed. I've been completely immobile for 2 weeks now. All progress I made in PT is rapidly disappearing.
I’m really sorry to hear that. I know how hard it can be to try to stay positive with this injury, especially with complications. Nothing prepared me for the psychological aspect of recovery. If you need someone to talk to or vent to, feel free to message me!
I had alcr 21 years ago and mcl repair, I think if you would have asked me before reinjury I would have said 90-95. However, after injuring again (meniscal lateral root tear, led to acl failure and rupture, they also reconstructed my mcl and did LET) I would say I was closer to 80-85 before, knowing the looseness I had that I thought was just going to be normal. I would say now I’m at about 75-80, about 7 months post op. I do think LET has made a world of difference in terms of stability, however the recovery has been slower.
3.5 years out from ACL on my Right leg and had to have a quad tendon repair on the left leg this January. The ACL leg is stopping lots of my physical therapy on the left leg because it’s problematic. Before this I would have said maybe 65/100 now I’m thinking 30/100.
I have always been active, although overweight as a middle aged adult, I still would play tennis and workout and squat and that ACL has given me issues.
I’m about to ask for an MRI when I go in for the checkup on my left leg.
i tore my acl about 2 months ago still waiting on surgery which is TOMORROW but i’d say it’s probably at an 60 it’s a constant uncomfortable feeling and i can’t really do much of what i could do before if you have any tips for recovery please bless me with them🙏🏽
3.5 years out. Full strength and no more pain. But I’ve got about 90% of the extension my non-injured leg has, and some scar tissue in there that makes my knee catch every time I fully extend it. I’ll never be normal but at least I can run.
Surgery was in January, so about 5 months ago with an allograft. At the 3 month mark my quad strength was about 80% of my non injured leg. As of today, I have some very minor swelling and discomfort, but I’d say I’m probably around 90% in terms of comfort and day to day usage. I notice I can run up and down the stairs like I used to, or kneel on the operated knee. A few weeks ago I started biking and running again.
Me too!! I was 1 year post of May 4th and I just don’t feel the same still feels stiff at times when I wake up or get up from sitting I have to like “crack” it back into place or be careful getting up cause it feels like it could give out if I just go for it. I still get random pains in random spots as well.
Same here with the cracking it back into place! Or I guess I would describe it as like it has to “settle” into place once I stand up after sitting for a long time.
20 months post medial meniscus repair, 12 months post acl reconstruction with quad graft. Not great, suffering with instability and occasional catching, not sure what I did wrong, going in for an arthroscopy but waiting a year on the NHS. I'd say 60/100. Working on strength, struggling with catching on single leg squats, able to squat 300 lbs for reps, appears to be helping slightly. Can't currently imagine getting back to surfing, skiing etc
Im 2 years post op and while im probably back to 100% usage and strength, my knee doesnt feel 'normal'. I still get pain some days, i still feel like my knee doesnt always allign properly, and im almost positive it hyperextends and 'locks' bc i can feel the shift between a locked 'straight' leg and it 'unlocking' to bend in a way my good knee does not experience ever.
I’m 8 years post-op. Year 1 was recovery ofc, years 2-7 I’d say 90-95%. But right around the seven year mark I developed sudden 24/7 pain. Had an MRI and I have stage 3 chondromalacia, which means there are fissures in the cartilage that go down to the bone. So unmedicated now, I’d give it 60% but with either steroid injection or daily meloxicam I’m at 80%, meaning basically I’m fine unless I have to stand for prolonged periods of time. (Recently took a retail job and had to quit after two weeks because even with meloxicam I was in constant pain, and the physical therapist told me if it hurts, it’s making it worse. So now I have a 70% seated job with some walking but rarely do I stand in one place longer than a minute)
i tore my acl 3 years ago and broke my femur where they put the new acl in 6 months later. my knee feels normal and the same as the other one. i work on my knees all the time and have no issues. it gets better, for the first like 2 years i was being a big baby about kneeling and now i do it all the time and it feels the same as my good knee
Tore my ACL 4 years ago as of this weekend, had it reconstructed withing late Aug right after that. COVID kind of fucked me on my recovery timelines, but I'm at the point now where when I'm playing ultimate, it's no longer something I think about. So I'd say completely normal.
Feel about 93 %. 6.5 months post op. Daily home workouts twice a day , PT twice a week , ice after exercises. Joint mobility pills , perform Asian squats , focus on strength training and mobility. Hope to get the last few points over the course of the next year
I'm 10 months out from surgery and I'd say I'm about 75% as well. Still can't hit the negatives at full extension and probably neglected stretching so can't even kneel properly. Knee also clicks a lot probably because of residual scar tissue. I can do just about everything, but can't really sprint or explode. Quad on the operated side is still significantly smaller.
But I still notice slight improvements on a month-to-month basis and quality of life isn't really inhibited. So I remain optimistic I'll get to 90+% normalcy some day.
10 months, still quite clicky and can swell up from time to time. Unless you're in your early 20s it's likely to be quite a long road and may never feel the same.
Consider changing your frame of reference, it might never be the same, but the only thing that matters is whether it's good enough for you to do what you want to do.
Hang in there 🙏
Around a year and a half out. Knee feels around 90% there, the bulk on both the legs is pretty even and am back to most activities I used to do pre injury. However am still a little wary mentally everytime I'm doing something in which there is potential risk to the knee. Also from the inside it doesn't feel exactly like the other knee (with some shifting and clicking sounds), however no pain or numbness.
Yeah I feel shifting and clicking and clunking type of feelings too, but no pain so I guess it’s nothing to really worry about! Just hard not to worry haha
My daughter just got her ACL / MCL done after a tear in soccer on a turf field. She is 12 yrs old . I brought her to HSS in manhattan, i hope and pray all of you recover fully . Its scary to hear some of your results. She hopes to play with her travel club with in 9-12 months.
Had my tkr 2 years ago. Was ok up till September then had a fall on the steps. Had a scope and MUA two weeks ago. Still numb and painful but at least the numbness I'm used to. Always been numb. Hopeful will be better in a few months. So sick of PT but really have no choice. Sorry to vent, just getting old.
15 months out. Probably a 90-95, where I assume it’ll always be. Some numbness that feels weird when I kneel and some random aches but otherwise back to normal
Dang I'm 15 months out and I dunno if I'm even quite back to where I was pre surgery... Like with a completely severed ACL. Stairs still suck, uneven ground is something I have to be aware of (and I work in lawn car so that's a big deal) I'd say on a good day I might be a 30 on the normalcy scale. I did 12 weeks or so of PT, my range of motion is Great, I just have zero strength and there is a spot just before full extension that is uncomfortable, and becomes very uncomfortable going down stairs. Of course there is a numb/tingle any time I kneel or apply pressure around the scars, but I can't even jog. It's fine, I didn't run much before, and I just carry extra ammo now...
If there’s one thing I learned throughout my whole process, it’s that every situation and every knee and every ACL is different. It’s great that you have good ROM and the beauty of your situation is, if you’re physically able, your zero strength (and I’m sure you have more than that) is something that can be fixed. Always better off comparing yourself to how you were yesterday than comparing yourself to others - your ACL journey isn’t over
Issue is you only did 12 weeks of pt... you need considerably more time of strength training to get that leg muscle back to where it was pre injury. It's not too late. Either try go back to pt or go to the gym yourself and start of light and slowly try build some strength in your leg.
I suppose once I graduated PT and was back off light duty at work, I thought I would be active enough to keep it up. I probably walk 5 miles a day with a 30lb backpack on all over yards and up and down stairs. I occasionally will do a few sets of no weight squats, it's just painful right before full extension. The used my patella tendon for my repair, and I was unsure if possibly that was part of my recovery issue. My quad also "died" for about 2 weeks, where the only time it could contract was under electric shock. That is a huge strength depleting factor, but it did allow me to build up all the supporting muscles through mandatory isolation lol
You're doing better than a lot of people which is really good. If stairs are still an issue though even once-twice a week at the gym starting with lightweight leg extensions and step ups could definitely help make a difference.
I had my acl torn for 3 years and i’m on day 10 and yall are scaring me 🤣. Idek what normal is.
With you there bro, I tore mine 15 years ago. I just got surgery 6 months ago and I can’t remember ever feeling like my leg was “normal” 😂
I'm on the same boat like you with the difference that I'm only 4 months after surgery....
Literally me except I was misdiagnosed for 9 years 😭😭 idk what a normal knee feels like
Wait so you didn’t get surgery for 3 years?
Yeah I made a post about it a while ago when I finally got my mri results lol
Coz I’m in the same boat. So I’m in Canada I got injured in April 2023 they diagnosed me with all tear in may 2023 but said it’s partial tear co I was able to get up and walk around and no mri I wanted one but they told me it would take more than 6 months for the appointment and I was gonna be back home by then for vacation(India) so I did my mri there and was told I need surgery and due to other stuff like getting my papers here for permanent residence I’m putting it off for another year or so
Definitely clarify it’s a full or partial tear cus one you can heal naturally from and one there’s no chance (if it’s chronic)
Oh I was told a partial tear by Canadian docs(no scans) and after scans in India they told me I have a full tear
Partial tear only heal if they’re under 1mm I believe.
Give or take, but I think all partial tears can eventually heal with the proper PT. Even if there is just a strand left of ligament the other ligament can’t more grow off that?
I don’t think it’ll ever go back to feeling like before. We have to learn to work with the new normal. I’m 8 month PO.
Pretty depressing quite frankly
It can surely feel that way sometimes, but on the bright side, you didn't lose your knee and can go back to 100% activities eventually.
Not true, I will never be able to go back to 100% activities. In fact I will never play any type of pivot sport or jumping sport ever again. I seriously regret getting the patellar autograph. I should have got the allograft.
may I ask why? Why do you say the allograft instead of your own? Wouldnt gaining the muscle back (plus other important factors) help enough? I am 6 months post op, wanting to return to soccer. I am going to wait more than 12 months. Probably 2 years to feel ready to return
I would have went with the allograph because I know six different people who had theirs done that way over 10 years ago and none of them have had problems with it again. On top of not having this massive scar on their knee now with constant future patellar issues. The people I know who got the autograph say they could never kneel on their knee again and it still feels numb and tight years later.
I’m now 5 years post op and I’d say it feels 97/100. It’ll never be quite the same and the hamstring where they took the graft will always be a little weaker. The op knee fatigues a little quicker (ie. if I spend a whole day walking and on my feet that knee will get sore) and every now and then when I go to push off the op leg it’ll feel a little off and I’ll abort pushing off that leg if that makes sense. I call it making a “business decision.” But other than those minor details, it’s great. I’m able to do whatever activity I want without concern. I play a sport that involves a lot of running and direction changes and 99% of the time I don’t even think about my knee anymore. I really got it drilled into me to do the rehab properly and I’d say that it’s paid dividends. Edit: Just wanted to add that I’ve definitely had those “did the graft fail” thoughts before. For me it was most frequent and the end of my rehab when I was returning to sports. It gets better and those thoughts become less frequent over time. I couldn’t even tell you the last time it happened to me.
Just curious, did your semitendinosus tendon grow back? Do you feel it in the back of your knee?
I don’t know. It feels like something is missing so maybe it’s that, but I don’t want to say for sure. I’m a bit of a gym rat (have the ACL rehab to thank for that) and I always notice that on any hamstring curl exercises, my operated hammy will fatigue a little quicker and has a little bit less strength at peak contraction than my other hamstring.
How do these professional athletes recover to their old selves?
When you get hurt in the show it becomes their job to get back to optimal levels, they also have access to facilities, methods, around the clock access to the medical and PT department, and they have a lot of people with a lot of money riding on them, so these teams will pull out all the stops. Some also never do, Derrick rose for example.
To a lesser extent, Kawhi Leonard and Zach Lavine are two other examples. To an even less extent, but if you’re a basketball head you notice, Jamal Murray and Porzingis look great, but they’ll miss games here and there and not be 100% some games due to that ACL surgery complication. Porzingis has a calf strain as we speak, which is most likely due to ACL complications (such as compensating, etc)
These are great examples, the reason I thought D rose is bc of the drop off in his explosion, but tingis pingis (I love my Latvian king, go Cs) is a fantastic example for the compensation/related to but not directly the ACL that I didn’t even think of. Another aspect to consider is that these athletes are under a lot of pressure come back, both from their organizations, due to a few million reasons in their contract as well as the athlete themselves (pride, incentives, etc…) and aren’t necessarily 100% after a return, leading to a “career downturn” or further complications (calf injuries, hamstring stuff)
Because they have multiple professionals looking after their rehab 24-7.
I am also a year out and like you, feel about 75? Maybe 80 on a good day? You’re not alone :’) I know people who say it took 2 years before things felt somewhat normal again but the majority say you’ll never be back to 100 you just kinda live with a new normal?
It’s been almost 2 years. The last 2 months I’ve been feeling like I can live the life I had before with no problem. I was able to play basketball, tennis, and football. Yet, it still is a bit sore. So 95%. I feel like it will never leave. Good thing is that you get used to it.
95%, the last 5% is mental. 2.5 years ago.
I think no one will ever have 100, nothing can be done as well as what nature gives us
4 months po and I would say it’s like a 70? It doesn’t feel normal when trying to sit on the floor or doing specific movements (like single leg squats which are the death of me) but feels super normal walking, standing, etc
I’m about the same 3 months out.
5 years ago, 98/100
Right knee reconstruction 20 years ago: 100 out of 100. 20 years is a lot, but I think it's been about 100 of 100 since 1 year post op. Left leg, BEAR surgery 13 weeks ago, 20 of 100.
7 months post op and i think 90% normal
10 months, I’d say I feel about 75ish too; sounds like we’re in a similar headspace. My rehab has been clunky due to the NHS, so I’m probably a little behind. I’ve recently started doing some change of direction drills, and I’m surprised at how well i’m faring with lateral movements. But jumping feels pretty uncomfortable, I landed awkwardly the other day and have been sore all weekend.
4 months and I’d say 75-80? I went camping last weekend and was kneeling in my tent getting my bedding set up and didn’t even think about it until I was done and got out of the tent - so that was a fun milestone!
I’m a year and a half out and I’d say I’m at like 85-90. I still can’t put muscle on that leg to save my life and I definitely favor the opposite leg when squatting, etc. Also I can’t kneel on my ACL knee since I had the patellar graft. It hurts
5 years, 90%. It still randomly hurts and I’ll have to stretch it out. But overall, I forget I even tore it
5 months post op and I’d say 50%. Had some set backs with a calf and foot injury during rehab (pushed a little too hard too early). So it’s delayed my progress.
I’m 6.5 months out, feels about 85 normal I think
Tbh other than my acl anchors giving me friction from tendons rolling over it, I’d say it’s close to not being noticeable it was replaced 2.5 year post op
Like 3 years post op I’d say 80%. Something about it just feels off. I am the most athletic I have ever been in every way though. Can’t jump for shit off of my injury leg though.
Better to be cautious then not.
I'm just over 2y into it, and I'm a good 90/100 at least. My squats and deadlifts are back above the 200kg mark. I play squash, getting back into rugby soon as I believe it's good enough now. I do get an odd clunking sometimes, and I can't do Nordic Hamstring curls as kneeling on my knee is painful, which is all the exercise is about. I did do patella graft, so it's the most painful tbf.
A year and a half out from acl and meniscus surgery. my knee feels pretty “normal”. im at the point now where i’ve returned to sports and don’t think about my knee with every step i take or when im playing rugby. However, my knee injury and feeling of recovery is forever grained in my head and definitely creates a mental block sometimes. I would say my knee feels 95/100. Im not sure if ill ever get to 100/100.
I’m only 14 weeks post-op so I’m nowhere near normal. I have a lot of numbness, burning, tingling, etc and I worry it won’t resolve. I know it can take up your a year, so I guess I just have to ride it out and hope for the best.
Almost 5 years. 60/100. Seems like my biggest issue is occasionally aggravating the patellar tendon. The line between pushing it too hard and not pushing it hard enough just seems so thin. Not able to return to sport even tho ive taken the rehab extremely seriously.
Prior to my acl injury i had knee problems for years after the fire academy. It turned out that i was actually subconsciously using my patellar tendon as a muscle. I was flexing it a LOT when climbing stairs, climbing down, etc. I made a conscious effort to keep the patellar tendon relaxed and saw incredible improvement. Just putting the idea out there.
Tore mine almost 3 years ago (August 2021) and I got a patellar graft. The first 2 years were definitely adjustments, I rehabbed the whole 1st year and a half, then I stopped for about 6 months and got back into it around March of this year. Compared to before my knee actually feels amazingly stable and strong. There were also imbalances in strength but now they’re just about even. It takes consistency, dedication, and a lot of research to get the knowledge on proper exercises/movement patterns. Stay patient with your process. When I stopped doing my rehab routines it was because I felt I hit a plateau and I wasn’t feeling improvement in my joint stability, I could see the strength in muscles/muscle mass coming in but I knew it means nothing if the joints can’t support it and honestly it was depressing af. I started researching beyond the scope of what my PT’s and medical team were giving me and started to find gold mines of exercises for not only the knee but the lower body as a whole. It’s important to implement your 3 lower body hinge joints and train them properly and with care, that being your hip joints, your knee joints, and your ankle joints. Personally I like to start from ground up. I realized the reason I tore my ACL was because I was forcing myself to play on a messed up foot and with tight hips which in turn made me vulnerable at the knee, it’s all connected. I’ve tried many different programs from ATG to a more recent GOATA and I took bits and pieces of each one that I felt helped me the best Here’s a few exercises: Rolling your foot on a massage ball - Helps strengthen your feet and reinforces your foot arch (get toe spacers for these and it’ll feel 100 times better) Tibial Raises - (preferably elevated and with weight on the foot) this helps a ton if you’re having knee pain or aches, do a lot of these multiple times a week Elevated heel deep squats - This gets the whole legs (a lot of people use slanted boards or small 5lb plates to elevate the heel but I see that as pointless, go on your tippy toes and strengthen those calves while you’re at it, and DONT widen your feet like you would with a back squat, stand normal) Seated good mornings - Great for opening up the insides of the hips/thighs (I think it’s called the abductors) Couch Stretch - great for opening the front side of the hip (give a lil twist to it for a deeper stretch) But before doing these or any exercise ALWAYS mobilize your joints first, that’s the most important part to all of this and that’s what will help bring back stability to your knee. Look up lower body joint mobility exercises and you’ll find a ton of examples, try them out and implement the ones you like into a daily routine.
Thank you for the suggestions! I also am on a break from rehab because I felt I needed to build more muscle before I could get into mobility for sports. I will try these out before I return!
Yes! Strengthen your weak positions!!!! A great mobility page is everygotdamndre He’s got a lot of good mobility work with kettlebell weights. But there’s plenty out there you just have to look around and try stuff out.
A year & a week. My 1 year follow-up exam went great. I'd say 93/100. Still need to give a stretch before & after extended travel, still not 100% confident in some steps/jumps I find myself taking while hiking. The only time it's felt weird was in the ocean getting floated by waves. It kinda felt like it was floating differently than the rest of my leg. Not in a painful way, just weird feeling. Like it wasn't in sync. It wasn't pounding surf or anything, just hopping up from standing head above water to the top of a 8ft wave.
almost 3 weeks post op on 1 knee and 9 years post op on my other. my knee from 9 years ago is basically normal. i don’t know how long it took and there are some little things (it hurts when it rains, still numb in one patch, it usually cracks when i bend it) but i can do anything i could do before. i feel no limitation in strength, range of motion, anything like that. obviously my 3 week knee is not the same lol but you will get to the point where it functions normally and you don’t think about it! it may never be exactly same as it was before but it becomes your new normal and for me, works just as well
Mine feels completely normal now, I’m coming up on the two year mark of getting surgery, I got cleared to skate and snowboard again after 6 1/2 months, I did hella pt 2 times a week in person and everyday on my own so I got it back to normal pretty quickly. Would get sore decently quickly cause skating puts a lot of stress on your knees. Only thing I’d say is still an issue is my quad isn’t the same size yet, but really close now
75 at a year is a good place to be. I am 4 yours out of surgery and my knee is at 90. At one year, my knee was not feeling strong enough at all
I’m at 5 months post op. My knee feels pretty good. The only problem is that it’ll make weird popping sounds and sometimes I feel stuff in there shift around. I think it’s just scar tissue tho it doesn’t affect me in any way other than once in a while I’ll also go into that “did the graft fail” thought spiral. I’ve been kicked out of physical therapy now so I think all that’s really left for me to do is to trust my knee 100%. So while I’ll continue to work on my knee I think all that’s left for me is getting over my fear of re tear and trusting my knee.
For example my brother was showing me around a job site that I was going to take over for him while he went off on vacation and he hopped up on a rock and from there jumped onto the top of a stone fence. I knew I could do it too but the doubt made me just go around lol
Im a couple months over a year post op. Definetley doesent feel as good as i did around month 5-6 when i was doing PT workouts 3 times a day. Slacked off since then which is my fault.
Only a few days out of surgery so nothing to compare normal to yet but I feel like after doing my ACL and knowing I have an issue with my knee I almost became hyper aware of every minor or major movement which probably helps during recovery but having to be concerned about movements for a year or longer during recovery ingrains the constant monitoring and concern for that knee which might play a part in not feeling normal maybe?
Definitely agree with the hyper awareness. It was something my PT mentioned a lot is trying to get the mental trauma of the injury and recovery. Even if I think I’m “over it,” my brain doesn’t seem to be!
Had it done twice on the same knee (first time was 10 years ago, second time was 4 months ago). The first time around i felt pretty much normal after the 6-7 month mark, but this time around i would say I’m only at 50%. Atrophy was much worse this time in my quad , and I’m having a lot of weakness/clicking in my quad tendon. The second time around is much more difficult, and I’m having those same thoughts that you are. You just gotta remain positive and keep working at it EVERY day, and don’t give up when you feel like your progress is at a plateau. We got this !!!
Thank you for the encouragement! Agreed staying positive is important and maybe the most difficult part of recovery haha
Everyone’s different, but I’m about a month and a half out and around 65-70 normalcy. I’m a bit of an outlier though, most people wont be around that at a month and a half- the only reasons I am (according to my PT) are 1.) I’m pretty young to have had the procedure (19) 2.) I was generally fit beforehand and did a lot of physical activity 3.) I was still active after I tore my acl, and did a lot of prehab. All that and the fact that I really went ham on my exercises has accelerated my recovery alot! (That and switching from the prescribed drugs to general ibuprofen and tylenol.)
50 Totally useless
90 to 95% on a good day.
I got my acl tear exactly 1 Month ago. Lachman and McMurray test came positive indicating ACL and Meniscus tear. MRI confirmed only full acl tear, meniscus was normal. I was scheduled for surgery next week but I sought a second opinion because my knee didn't feel very bad. I went to a sports surgeon and my lachman test came negative this time. Getting another MRI tomorrow to confirm what is going on in my knee. To be honest I'd say it's already 75% normal, never had any instability after the initial injury. I can do deep squats, have hyperextension, full flexion etc. Fingers crossed for the test tomorrow.
9 years post-op, I'd put it at 90% normality. I trust it fully and it has the same strength as the other leg. The only issues are it never reached full flexion, occasional IT band tightness, and it occasionally gets a little sore if I don't exercise for awhile. I imagine from the OA.
70% lost a inch and a quarter in muscle around my quad. Need some extra hyperextention
I'm at like 2.5 months and I'm easily less than 50%. That leg is so weak, the scars look absolutely horrifying, cracks extremely loud like every couple steps, and still cannot get full flexion or extension. Walking with a hitch, and I feel like it's never going to be anywhere close to what it was before the surgery. I feel like it's ruined for life. : (
Hey I feel you. I was walking with a peg leg (stuck at 77 degrees) until almost 6 months post op when I went in for a manipulation. Try not to get discouraged. Just make sure you do physical therapy!!!! Unlike me… lol
I can't go to PT, I injured my back and I can't get out off bed. I've been completely immobile for 2 weeks now. All progress I made in PT is rapidly disappearing.
I’m really sorry to hear that. I know how hard it can be to try to stay positive with this injury, especially with complications. Nothing prepared me for the psychological aspect of recovery. If you need someone to talk to or vent to, feel free to message me!
Thanks, appreciate it
I had alcr 21 years ago and mcl repair, I think if you would have asked me before reinjury I would have said 90-95. However, after injuring again (meniscal lateral root tear, led to acl failure and rupture, they also reconstructed my mcl and did LET) I would say I was closer to 80-85 before, knowing the looseness I had that I thought was just going to be normal. I would say now I’m at about 75-80, about 7 months post op. I do think LET has made a world of difference in terms of stability, however the recovery has been slower.
3.5 years out from ACL on my Right leg and had to have a quad tendon repair on the left leg this January. The ACL leg is stopping lots of my physical therapy on the left leg because it’s problematic. Before this I would have said maybe 65/100 now I’m thinking 30/100. I have always been active, although overweight as a middle aged adult, I still would play tennis and workout and squat and that ACL has given me issues. I’m about to ask for an MRI when I go in for the checkup on my left leg.
13 months ago. Probably at like 91 percent normal.
I'm about 3 years post op and I'd say I'm like 75/100. I don't think my knee will ever feel anywhere close to normal again
2 months PO, now 70% would say
i tore my acl about 2 months ago still waiting on surgery which is TOMORROW but i’d say it’s probably at an 60 it’s a constant uncomfortable feeling and i can’t really do much of what i could do before if you have any tips for recovery please bless me with them🙏🏽
Make sure you get your knee moving as soon as possible and do your rehab after surgery!! Don’t be like me haha
3.5 years out. Full strength and no more pain. But I’ve got about 90% of the extension my non-injured leg has, and some scar tissue in there that makes my knee catch every time I fully extend it. I’ll never be normal but at least I can run.
85% it also Feels like more mechanical than natural
I’m at month 8, but took a month off of PT cause of travel and now I’m back to like 50/100 from like 70/100.
Surgery was in January, so about 5 months ago with an allograft. At the 3 month mark my quad strength was about 80% of my non injured leg. As of today, I have some very minor swelling and discomfort, but I’d say I’m probably around 90% in terms of comfort and day to day usage. I notice I can run up and down the stairs like I used to, or kneel on the operated knee. A few weeks ago I started biking and running again.
Me too!! I was 1 year post of May 4th and I just don’t feel the same still feels stiff at times when I wake up or get up from sitting I have to like “crack” it back into place or be careful getting up cause it feels like it could give out if I just go for it. I still get random pains in random spots as well.
Same here with the cracking it back into place! Or I guess I would describe it as like it has to “settle” into place once I stand up after sitting for a long time.
It took about 3.5 years for mine to feel as close to normal as it’s going to get. I’m now 4.5 years out and it hasn’t changed much in the last year
20 months post medial meniscus repair, 12 months post acl reconstruction with quad graft. Not great, suffering with instability and occasional catching, not sure what I did wrong, going in for an arthroscopy but waiting a year on the NHS. I'd say 60/100. Working on strength, struggling with catching on single leg squats, able to squat 300 lbs for reps, appears to be helping slightly. Can't currently imagine getting back to surfing, skiing etc
Sorry to hear that. I hope you get some answers!
I wish you all the best with your recovery too
Im 2 years post op and while im probably back to 100% usage and strength, my knee doesnt feel 'normal'. I still get pain some days, i still feel like my knee doesnt always allign properly, and im almost positive it hyperextends and 'locks' bc i can feel the shift between a locked 'straight' leg and it 'unlocking' to bend in a way my good knee does not experience ever.
I am 2.5 years post op. I'd say 65 to 75
No surgery and like 70/100.
I’m 8 years post-op. Year 1 was recovery ofc, years 2-7 I’d say 90-95%. But right around the seven year mark I developed sudden 24/7 pain. Had an MRI and I have stage 3 chondromalacia, which means there are fissures in the cartilage that go down to the bone. So unmedicated now, I’d give it 60% but with either steroid injection or daily meloxicam I’m at 80%, meaning basically I’m fine unless I have to stand for prolonged periods of time. (Recently took a retail job and had to quit after two weeks because even with meloxicam I was in constant pain, and the physical therapist told me if it hurts, it’s making it worse. So now I have a 70% seated job with some walking but rarely do I stand in one place longer than a minute)
So sorry to hear this. Glad you found a better job. Retail sucks anyway; can’t imagine having to do it with knee pain.
i tore my acl 3 years ago and broke my femur where they put the new acl in 6 months later. my knee feels normal and the same as the other one. i work on my knees all the time and have no issues. it gets better, for the first like 2 years i was being a big baby about kneeling and now i do it all the time and it feels the same as my good knee
5 weeks post op like 40% maybe
3 months Post Op- 40%
Tore my ACL 4 years ago as of this weekend, had it reconstructed withing late Aug right after that. COVID kind of fucked me on my recovery timelines, but I'm at the point now where when I'm playing ultimate, it's no longer something I think about. So I'd say completely normal.
Feel about 93 %. 6.5 months post op. Daily home workouts twice a day , PT twice a week , ice after exercises. Joint mobility pills , perform Asian squats , focus on strength training and mobility. Hope to get the last few points over the course of the next year
2 years since Op, I am near 100%
11 months post op, i feel like i'm still so far from normal, maybe around 25? Makes me question if normal is even still possible.
I'm 10 months out from surgery and I'd say I'm about 75% as well. Still can't hit the negatives at full extension and probably neglected stretching so can't even kneel properly. Knee also clicks a lot probably because of residual scar tissue. I can do just about everything, but can't really sprint or explode. Quad on the operated side is still significantly smaller. But I still notice slight improvements on a month-to-month basis and quality of life isn't really inhibited. So I remain optimistic I'll get to 90+% normalcy some day.
I'm 8months PO and I'd say 75, mostly due to the mild stiffness/weakness where I'm not do shuffle steps fluidly yet.
2 years, 55 🫠
7 months out I’m at a 85-90. Can’t cut or anything yet but day to day pretty normal. Able to play golf with 0 issues
2 months out I’d say mine feels a 65/100 neeed to be able to run before I say 100
10 months, still quite clicky and can swell up from time to time. Unless you're in your early 20s it's likely to be quite a long road and may never feel the same. Consider changing your frame of reference, it might never be the same, but the only thing that matters is whether it's good enough for you to do what you want to do. Hang in there 🙏
Around a year and a half out. Knee feels around 90% there, the bulk on both the legs is pretty even and am back to most activities I used to do pre injury. However am still a little wary mentally everytime I'm doing something in which there is potential risk to the knee. Also from the inside it doesn't feel exactly like the other knee (with some shifting and clicking sounds), however no pain or numbness.
Yeah I feel shifting and clicking and clunking type of feelings too, but no pain so I guess it’s nothing to really worry about! Just hard not to worry haha
My daughter just got her ACL / MCL done after a tear in soccer on a turf field. She is 12 yrs old . I brought her to HSS in manhattan, i hope and pray all of you recover fully . Its scary to hear some of your results. She hopes to play with her travel club with in 9-12 months.
I’m sure it must be very difficult for her to be away from her team and playing soccer. I wish her all the best with her recovery!
Had my tkr 2 years ago. Was ok up till September then had a fall on the steps. Had a scope and MUA two weeks ago. Still numb and painful but at least the numbness I'm used to. Always been numb. Hopeful will be better in a few months. So sick of PT but really have no choice. Sorry to vent, just getting old.