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ACL Surgery Recovery - 3.5 years later

January 4th, 2007

I'm writing one final entry 3.5 years later after going back and re-reading all the previous entries. My knee feels pretty good and most of the time I forget that it was ever hurt. I still experience pain and soreness for a couple of days after a hard workout, but I think that's normal based on what everyone else says about their reconstructed knees. For example 2 weeks ago I played a lot of flag football and was able to dive, change direction, sprint, and tackle without any problems. I didn't wear any sort of support and didn't really have to limit myself while playing. It was slightly painful to walk for the next 2 days, but I think a lot of that was due to the fact that i'm a bit out of shape. I've come to terms with the fact that my knee won't be 100% the same as it was before but I live a very normal and at times very active life with no problems after the surgery. My knee does not get in the way that much at all.

I haven't played soccer since the injury even though I'm sure that I could. I think I'm just a bit scared of getting back into things b/c I have a friend who has torn his ACL 3 times playing soccer. But I think he is an extreme case - I have been snowboarding, hiking, and I run 3 miles on a fairly regular basis without any problems. UPDATE: 07-17-07 -- I have been playing soccer twice a week for the last month. In the last game, I even scored 2 goals - pretty cool eh? I don't notice my knees hurting at all.

My thighs have pretty much equaled out in size and my scars aren't that noticable. Only one of the incisions is prominent. I still slightly favor the right leg - maybe I should take my own advice about not being afraid to put more weight on the reconstructed knee.


Click to enlarge


Final words of advice:

Be careful before you play sports to prevent injury... remember to STRETCH and keep well hydrated. I think that I thought that I was indestructable when I was younger, but as I got older and less flexible I still played as if I was 16.

Although recovery is a long and slow road, you have to push yourself to get through it as fast as possible. It is definitely worth it in the end..

Ask your friends to help you out. Having friends by my side after the surgery really helped me pull through and kept me motivated. Don't be afraid to ask for help either, your friends will be glad to help.

Don't be afraid if you have to undergo an ACL replacement procedure, they are quite common. A couple years down the line, you'll feel as good as new and much better than you would have without the surgery. I hope that this website helps you in your search for answers.

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