ACL Injuries

[NWoodhockey17 0]

Hey guys just opening this thread to find out others' stories with devastating, season ending injuries like knee tears. I am currently going through my 2nd acl surgery in 8 months and will be missing this hockey season and I just wanted to see what other members have gone through injuries like this and what you have done during the season, apart from physical therapy and such, i missed part of last season and then got back to game ready and then blew out my acl the first game of the season. would just like to share some experiences, thanks guys

[sabby47 2]

I did the same thing almost.. 2 ACL surgeries in under a yr and a half's time. If you didn't get a brace the first time I strongly recommend getting one when you start playing again. (talk it over with your PT of course) It really doesn't take that long to get used to it and it doesn't really hinder you. When your PT says you're far enough along get into a water aerobics class at your gym. Not really any stress on your ligament and you're able to work your cardio so you don't get entirely out of shape. Go and watch your team(s) and if it's just a fun beer league team, stand on the bench and "coach". Somedays it's fun being around your team and other days it really makes you miss it even more. Just try to keep your spirits up. Play video games, go to the arcade, start a project.. just do whatever you have to to keep yourself busy. If you're at all interested if your PT releases you after a month or so to just skate offer to help out with your rink's Learn to Skate or Learn to Play hockey classes. It's really rewarding to see the kids advance and start to love what you love so much.

Just curious- what did they use to replace your ligament?

[Spreedizzle 1]

Career ending (pro cycling......not hockey at the time) IT Band evulsion. Tore the IT band and a chunk of bone out of my tibia. A number of months in a wheel chair, 4 more on crutches, PT, etc etc.....all the usual. ;)

Today.....still major atrophy and instability in the knee, and running for the most part (as well as heavy impact sports) but I can still skate. ;)

2 Weeks post op without my immobilizer brace on

[LkptTiger 1]

^^^Jeeeeeeheeeesus Christ^^^

Go and watch your team(s) and if it's just a fun beer league team, stand on the bench and "coach". Somedays it's fun being around your team and other days it really makes you miss it even more.

When I was out (ACL, MCL and meniscus - to varying degrees), I couldn't stand being at the rink. As soon as I stepped through the doors and got wrapped in that cold air and hit by the smells and the sounds, I was unbelievably depressed. I went and hung around at a few practices and watched a handful of our games...but, for the most part, I didn't want to have anything to do with the rink until I could get back on the ice again - it was just too much. Sometimes you forget how much you love and need this game until it is taken from you for a while.

Aside from the obvious stuff (rehab), I spent a LOT of time shooting pucks outside. Nothing quite like the inability to transfer weight to help you get yourself a ridiculously quick release. Set-up shop with a couple buckets of pucks about 15' from a net and just work on letting 'em go from just about every awkward spot possible; you'll be a dangerous guy once you get back on the ice and get your legs and hands working again.

[cougarscaptain87 12]

im recovering from an acl surgery right now, and it is a bummer. I had the surgery on august 21st so i just passed the 3 month period, 3 more to go. I miss hockey, and im at the rink as much as possible. i spent my whole day today at the rink watching my team win the championship game in the thanksgiving tourney and even tho i wasnt playing it was still good to see the guys. im going to get flamed on here for this, but to be honest i miss golf more. ive been putting in my house all day long and just watching as much hockey and golf as possible. did you get a cadaver or your hammy cut up? good luck

[NWoodhockey17 0]

the first time around i used my hamstring with allograft augmented in, but because my surgeon already harvested the hammies i had to use all allograft this time around. feels a little bit different, but still gettin there. this second time was harder for me emotionally because i got just a taste of what could have been my season, felt great on the ice and was about 8 months out and then first game of the season blew it out again, so that was the biggest bummer of it all, Spreed were you cycling before the injury? is that how it happened?

[Spreedizzle 1]

I was racing professionally for almost 2 years when the IT band gave out. And yes.....it occurred during the Michelin Classic in Greenville SC. Medical leave and compensation was terminated due to my shorter tenure (paid leave and medical benefits would of gone to a new level if I can competed for 2 years) and my contract, pay, and medical benefits were terminated. The joys of corporate lawyers leaving you high and dry post injury. Surgery and immediate medical actions were covered.....but PT post 6 months was not covered. Along with my apartment, and VW Jetta were taken at that time too.

Not the most glorious time of my life. ;)

[NWoodhockey17 0]

wow spreed that is rough, how are you able to play hockey now after an injury like that? and do you still get out on the road bike or was that race the last one for you? i can't wait till winter is over and the snow melts so i can get out on mine.

[eddyo57 0]

never thought i would actaully find you on modsquad. im hangin here in Flint michigan and i come across you on msh. good day on msh i would say. do you have anymore surgeries your recieving like reconstruction... or did you already have all that done??

[NWoodhockey17 0]

haha you know you can search for members dude, but this is the acl thread so you need to contribute...

[Spreedizzle 1]

wow spreed that is rough, how are you able to play hockey now after an injury like that? and do you still get out on the road bike or was that race the last one for you? i can't wait till winter is over and the snow melts so i can get out on mine.

It was my last race professionally. I still ride, and have raced in a handful of Cat 2 road races (no more mountainbike racing). I can play hockey reasonably well on it.....the main issue is stability in a flexed position. Going down stairs, down hill, or other scenarios such as that the knee is incredibly instable.....walking down stairs at sporting events (typically very steep) are a bit scary from time to time.

[xstartxtodayx 343]

I injured mine about 6 or 7 years ago. It was a combination of snowboarding and playing hockey in college (CW Post, MCHA, nothing too high level), it mainly started bothering me from snowboarding. One day after a long day of riding it was just really sore and stiff, I thought it was just from the chairlift and thenit was ok after a day or so. I played hockey on it and snowboarded a couple times after that and it would just get really sore, I started wrapping it b/c I thought that would help. Well I pushed it a little too much, one day while snowboarding I hit a tiny jump on the first run of the day and landed a little weird i guess, something popped and I went down, tried to get back up and went down again. My Dr. thought it was a sprained knee so I did PT for a couple months and it felt better, then I went to Jackson Hole for spring break and attempted 1 run and felt it go weak all over again. After that they went and performed arthroscopic surgery and found that I only partially tore the ACL, but the torn fibers were floating into the joint and wedging behind the knee cap causing the pain and instability. They snipped out the loose fibers and had me get a CT2 knee brace, I've been wearing it ever since and have been ok up until this past weekend when it got leaned on from the side while battling for a puck in the corner... I felt something pop again and it started to tingle. I flexed it for a bit and decided it was ok for the rest of the game. It was fine til I got home and ntoiced the swelling and stiffness, I've been icing it for a coupel days and resting it, I'm crossing my fingers I didn't tear anymore of the ACL.

Sorry for the long story

[chrisg19 5]

I have torn and had replaced both ACL's. The only advice I can give you is to work hard in PT, and don't stop. When you think you are 100%, you are actually probably more like 70%, keep going. I made the mistake of not really rehabbing my second knee surgery thoroughly, and I continue to have problems with that knee. You really have to get your quads strong, or you will end up with other problems, like improper tracking of the keecap, or patellar femoral. I can't stress enough how much it sucks to have to do rehab a second time cause I didn't complete it properly the first time.

By the way the surgerys themselves were very good, used an allograft in both knees. The right one is as good as new, and someday the left one will be also.

[fatwabbit 93]

Not to thread jack, but what other knee braces are you guys wearing?

I've had the CTi2 custom made, but have now started using the Innovation Sports (now Ossur) C180 knee braces. They are really low profile, and I wear one on each knee for both hockey and soccer.

No problems with them fitting under my hockey pads, but i have to use my son's soccer shin pads as the brace comes halfway down the shin. Also, sliding always tears a hole in my socks, as the buckles cause the socks to stick out (F**king just tore a hole in my brand new ones).

[xstartxtodayx 343]

I'm wearing a custom made cti2 brace. It is in need of new straps but last time I inquired about them at the place that made the brace I was told they couldn't get straps and I'd need a new brace <_< sounds fishy... so I've been using clear hockey tape over the straps to keep them on properly, not the best but it works.

Also, I have the added patella cup (knee pad) that attaches to the brace. I got it for snowboarding/DH mtn biking a while back and kept it in for hockey. I ended up removing the foam knee liner in the shin guard and then the patella cup fit perfectly and kept it a little less bulky with no loss of protection. I did have to modify my new shin guards a bit more though... I just got the RBK Fitlite 4k's and they have floating surfaces where your shin sits (if you look at a pic of them you'll see what I mean, kind of hard to explain), well since the cti2 goes so low and has some thickness I had to cut the top floating surface so the shin guard didn't sit so far away from my leg, once I did that they fit like a glove.