Hey guys,
I completely tore my acl competing in June and had a patella tendon graft in Jult. Recently I was feeling pain and my doc said to get an mri, that I may have some torn cartiledge. I had the mri on Mon and it showed a completely torn acl in the same knee (never expected to hear that). Doc said it could have happened lifting, sliding on snow or during the light boxing i've been doing. He said it wouldn't have hurt as much as the first time b/c the nerves are still a little shot.
My options are now are 1. Cadaver graft (Strong but my body can reject it and he warned about disease tarnsmission) and 2. Hamstring graft (Weaker but he said it "strong enough").
Does anyone have experience with either of these procedures? Advice or insight? This really sucks, I was just about to be cleared to get back to training full on. Thanks for any help.
ttt
I know several people who had cadaver grafts w/ no probs.
tito got a cadaver graft
My dr. also said he recommended the cadaver graft. He just bugged me out when he started talking about the body rejecting it and about disease transmission.
Joe Rogan had a cadaver thingy done, you should make a post to him DonRiz. I hope you get better soon so you can get back to what you love doing, training!
I got the cadaver graft and got back to everything in under 1 year.
Thanks you Momita! I'm trying. I'd give anything just to be injury free.
Bajabryan,
The only convern I have about getting the hamstring graft is its reputation for being weak. I really don't want to be in this position a third time. It its weakness a myth or is there truth to it? If its true, how weak is it in comparison to the cadaver piece?
I have lived with a torn acl for about 10 years now and let me tell you that you can go on strong with out surgery. I tore mine playing football and I actually went to the Houston Rockets dr. and he gave me my options and i chose not to have surgery because he said that you have to have the surgery about every ten years because the replacement ligament starts to gradually tear. The screw that they attach the new ligament with slowly cuts through it and once again your without your acl. The Dr. told me to keep my hamstrings and calves in great shape and i would still be able to perform. The only thing it realy affects is my running full blast i get kind of nervous that it will give out and i cant cut as fast but i have been ok since. Everytime i train i wrap my knee and use a brace and i am fine but i try to keep my legs in shape and i take joint fuel daily. I hope this info helps
peace
rick
ps if you are playing college sports or plan on fighting on a pro level i would suggest getting the surgery but u still can do it with out look at Oleg Taktorov
Thanks a lot Rick, i've been giving that option a lot of thought. What type of brace do you use? Donjoy? Also, did you completely tear yours or was it partial?
Thanks a lot for all of your advice guys, you're really helping me out and I appreciate it.
Yes i completely tore my acl and strained my mcl. The brace i use is a theraflex i think i bought it academy but what realy helps is when i wrap my knee or use a sleeve and than put the brace over it. When i am training hard like defending take downs i use a stronger brace that has steel supports sewn on the sides and has velcro straps to secure the knee even more but u cant realy use it when rolling becuase it makes it very hard to pass some ones half gaurd because of the extra size and grip
peace
rick
TTT
Good luck bro, i have only had minor knee surgery and that sucked enuf
Rick,
I think there could be a problem when I get back to competing. I don't what (if any)types of braces aside from a sleeve are allowed. Plus, my doc said the sleeve is really only a mental thing and won't prevent any injury.
If I opt not to have the surgery, how long (with regular leg work in the gym) do you think it would take to build enough support strength around the knee and in the leg to return to BJJ? I know you obviously can't say for sure but how long did it take you?
Thanks man,
Adam
Man i cant say for sure because it has been a long time but i think around six months and you will have faith in it again
peace
rick
Damn Adam, that sucks. Go get another MRI, just to be sure.
Do you have any idea what they charge for the brace and the fitting at the donjoy factory? I have family in socal so i'm out there a few times a year.
I partially tore my Lateral Meniscus and tried Prolo(Prilo) therapy, but that only works on partially torn things as ligaments wont refuse(some believe Prilo is bunk) but it helped me. I obviously avoided surgery, but those I know who had the Cadaver graft did ok.
Personally, I do the Prilo, ate lots of Hydrocodone compounded without much tylenol to not nuke my liver, and did lots of strengthening stuff. Good luck to you.
LOL, no man I wasn't being sarcastic! I was seriously asking if you know what it costs to get fitted at the factory in SoCal! My physical therapist said that I have to get a custom fitted DonJoy, as opposed to estimating my size and buying one on ebay.
TheDonRiz,
I have had 3 total knee reconstructions. Each time, a different method was used for the graft. The first time I had patella tendon from the same knee (that tore one year later). The second time I had hamstring from the same leg (my knee is still loose). The third time it was on the other leg and I had cadaver tendon. I have never been happier. It's like I never had surgery and I don't feel any pain whatsover.
Cadaver is the ONLY way to go.