INJURY QUESTION?!?!

[guest]

I'd like to hear from anyone who has experienced an ACL tear and operation. How long for recovery? What, if anything do you do differently now when you jump....cause even if I have to roll off in a wheelchair, I will jump again.}> }> }>
Thanks

[guest]

12 months off with good physio...thats what ive seen with skiiers with the same thing

[guest]

You will be in a brace approx. 2-3 months you will need extensive physical therapy( don't skip it) it will be your most important aspect of a full recovery. most likely you will be back to normal within 6-9 months. When you jump you will want to wear some form of knee brace just for support. Don't fret follow your MD's advice and you will be back before ya know it.........Good luck.......

[guest]

And I'll be there to help ya roll it, and make sure that ya get that jump!;-) Had an awesome trip bro...I just really wish that $hit hadn't happened to your knee...Here's wishin' you a FAST recovery man, and I look forward to the day that you can join us again...By the way; Ya know where I can get a lid o' grass?? See ya soon...BASE 704

[guest]

What's a lid?

[guest]

I blew my ACL February 19, 2000, had surgery on March 10, 2000, did my physical therapy religiously and was back in the air July 28th with my doctor's blessing...and jumped Bridge Day with my brace.

If you tell your physical therapist that you skydive/basejump, they will customize your routine a bit. I was doing things that others that were rehabbing weren't ever asked to do.

When I started feeling better, I started packing because I had to be able to pack to be ready to be back in the air...it seemed to do a lot for the swelling and range of motion. I was prescribed this really cool ACL brace that fortunately I had great insurance and paid $2,100 (my co-pay was $100). I still use my brace for skydiving and basejumping and have had no real residual problems. Make your doctor give you a script to the ACL brace and use it.

Make sure you have the allograft and nothing funky like the hamstring tendon thing done. The allograft is an ACL from a donor, you're replacing the same part with a like part. The most painful part was the bone injury they create for the attachment point.

Two and a half years later, I feel great and sometimes have to remind myself to use the brace, however, my landings are more confident with the brace.

Good luck with your recovery.

Kaye

[guest]

>follow your MD's advice
>and you will be back before ya know
>it...
Last time I followed a MD's advice I somehow ended up in jail for cruel and unusual sexual assault on a sheep! Oh, you were'nt talking about the Minces, were you?
oops

[guest]

a "LID" is 3/4's of an ounce

[guest]

I have had 5 knee surgeries. 2 of them ACL reconstructions. One on eace knee. One patella graph and one hamstring. Excellent results for both. The allograph is now becoming popular. The key here is to find a good doctor. One who is a good surgeon not just a good guy. Too many people base their opinion of the doctor on their bedside mannor. That doesn't mean sh!t in the operating room. Once you find one do the procedure that this doctor is most comfortable with. Find one who not only take your insurance but that also works a lot with professional athletes. You need not only look in your home town either. For my patella I flew out of state. Same goes with your physical therapist. Don't think for a second that you will just do that part yourself. The success of your recovery will depend completely on how well you do your rehab. Done well you will be 100% in 6 months. Poorly then probably never. Also, get strong in the gym before you go into surgery. It will help with the rehab tons! I wore a CTI brace for everything for one year afterwards and then threw it away. Good luck!

[SwissRob]

Hi man, I just tore my ACL at Twin Falls, although I didn't get it looked at right away (waited till I got back to switzerland) and kept jumping on it (probably not the best idea) 'cause I hurt it again jumping here in swizerland!! I can tell you what I Know and believe has worked so far!!!

I GOT MY SURGERY 5 WEEKS AGO AND MY KNEE IS MORE OR LESS BACK TO SHAPE!!!!!! I'M GOING SKYDIVING TOMORROW TO CHECK IT OUT (WITH A BRACE OF COURSE)
HERE'S WHAT I DID:
I didn't replace my ACL (that means no front ACL anymore) There's plenty of professional football and soccer players that don't have ACL's at all. Putting stuff into your knee that are not natural to the body always leave a big chance that your body will not really get used to it... Like Shane said a brace is a must!!!!! I also got a CTi2 (that's their new one specially designed for extreme sports like motocross, etc..) also the gym part is the key to rehab!!! As a fitness instructor and ex-soccer player I was lucky to have excellent leg muscels! I lost a lot of muscle mass fast, was lucky though that there was still enough to work with after my surgery! Work out hard (physio therapy) under supervision of course, and after go home and put some ICE on it for like 2 hours, putting Ice on the knee for no longer than 20 min. at a time then waiting 10 - 15 min. to warm up again, ice again etc. you get the idea. (this helps blood flow and recovery) Leave it longer than 20 min and you'll freeze the hole thing making blood flow harder.
Like I said after 5 weeks I'm running again with my Brace!! I do feel it is stiffer than before and I know it'll take at least 1 year to get it back to normal! AND ON THE PART IF TO REPLACE THE ACL OR NOT THAT'S YOUR CHOICE!!! (which depends on age muscle mass, etc.) But do wear your brace for at least 1 year if not on every BASE jump like I'm planning to do!
For more details on my everyday workout plan and on what to do to recover faster e-mail me!!!!
robhinden@yahoo.com

I'll let you know tomorrow how the skydiving went!!!!
Hope you heal fast :+ :+
C'ya SwissRob